Note: This story was dynamically reformatted for online reading convenience.
 
 Bill 'N' Haley

   by oyster50

   CopyrightÂ(C) 2017 by oyster50

   Author's note: Several readers asked what happened to Bill and Haley
from my story 'Neighbors', posted elsewhere on this site.  This story will
give you some answers.

   If you're one of the people who hasn't read the original story, I
strongly suggest you read it first.  And to those unfamiliar with my
writing, this isn't a stroke story.

   Description: The continuing story of next-door neighbors and their
off-beat life.  Haley's turned sixteen and it's time to be married.
Tags: Ma/ft, ft/ft, Consensual, Lesbian, Heterosexual, Fiction, Incest,
Sister, Father, Daughter, Group Sex, Masturbation, Oral Sex, Small Breasts,
Geeks

   Chapter 1

   Haley's turn:

   I didn't get married on my sixteenth birthday.

   I was already married.  Bill knows it.  Mom and Mister Steve know it.

   "I'm glad, baby," Mom said.  "I wish I had your sense when I was your
age."

   "Mom," I said, "we talked about this before.  People are not identical.
You had your life.  I have mine."

   "Yeah, baby, but I could've done better, y'know..."

   "Mom, look at things right now.  You'n' Mister Steve have a GOOD
marriage.  You have a kid together.  He loves YOU..."

   "Warts 'n' all," Mom said.

   "He loves YOU.  You love him.  Little Steve's in kindergarten and he's a
good kid, right?"

   "Right."

   "So let's not look back at stuff."

   Mom KNEW.  Back when I was fourteen, she sort of knew that my Bill was
more to me than the friendly guy next door who taught me chess and tutored
me for school and paid me for helping him paint and do yard work and stuff.

   She caught Bill in the yard one day and basically told him that she
liked the way I was with him in my life and she didn't want to change that
in any way.

   "She told me that she didn't care if we were screwing each other silly,"
Bill told me of the conversation.

   That was the first night that Mom cut me loose to spend the night with
Bill at his house.

   She got me before I went over there and gave me the speech.  "Haley, I
kinda suspect that you 'n' Bill are more than just 'friends', baby."

   "Mooommmm," I whined.

   "I don't want you to admit anything.  You, you're a good kid, and I
think a lot of it is what you and Bill have together."

   "Mom," I told her, "he's good to me.  Like Mister Steve is to you."

   "Baby, you're fourteen ...  boys your own age..."

   "Would NOT treat me like Bill treats me."

   She looked at me, at first like she was going to yell, but then her face
got all soft and motherly.  "Not 'Mister Bill'?"

   I shook my head.  "Nope.  Best friend.  Just 'Bill'."

   "And you feel safe around him, don't you?"

   "Safest I've felt since you had to hold me and rock me to sleep when I
got sick."

   "Not some stupid sex thing, baby?"

   "No, not a stupid sex thing.  That guy in the house next door treats me
GOOD.  He's the one who helps me in school.  He gives me as much of the
world as we can get together."

   "You think you love 'im, don't you?" Mom asked me.

   I didn't verbalize.  I just nodded my head.

   "I was never in love when I was your age," Mom admitted.  "I ...  I
guess I was easy, Haley.  It was fun and I had a lot of friends who'd take
me places and..."

   "I didn't have to love Bill.  Or do things.  Well, maybe if you count
the love between friends.  But I absolutely DO love him."

   "And he loves you?  He's said it?"

   I nodded again.

   "You know how dangerous this all could be?"

   "Yes, Mom.  Bill told me.  The people at school, too.  But I love him
and he loves me."

   "If he so much as touches you, you hold his life in your hands,
precious," Mom told me.

   "I know.  He told me that, too."

   "But you want to be with him."

   "I do."

   "You know, baby, I'm not stupid.  I don't care if y'all are fuckin' each
other silly, as long as it's good for BOTH of you.  I don't want YOU hurt.
And you could very well hurt him, aside from putting him in jail for
years."

   "Mom, we never fucked." I was being truthful.  When Bill and I did it,
it wasn't 'fucking'.  I understand it to be magical and spiritual and
wonderful and 'fucking' just doesn't say that for me.

   Mom smirked.  "You know what I mean, girl.  And if you got the chance to
spend the night with him..."

   "I would."

   "What about his daughter?"

   "She doesn't know.  When the three of us go away for the weekend, she
and I act like sisters.  That's all."

   "And you need to keep it that way."

   "Mom, I want to marry him."

   "When you're sixteen, baby.  If you're still in love with him and he's
still in love with you, I'll sign the papers."

   I jumped over and hugged her.  "Thanks, Mom."

   "Now, if you showed up tonight with your school clothes for tomorrow,
he'd be okay with that?"

   "If you told him what you told me..."

   "You don't move in with him, baby.  You LIVE here.  When my sister comes
over, you LIVE here.  When his daughter comes over, you LIVE here.  Okay?"

   "Yes, ma'am."

   "I suppose that you need to go, huh?"

   "I don't want to act anxious."

   "Yeah, right, kiddo."

   I put my school clothes into the backpack I'd used as luggage on the
overnight trips I'd taken with Bill and Deena and the ones where it was
just Bill and me, and I headed for the front door.

   "Where ya goin', Haley?" Steve asked me.

   "She's gonna stay the night next door, Hon," Mom told him.

   "That thing we talked about?" he asked Mom.  Mom nodded.

   A minute later I walked in on Bill.  He looked surprised.

   "Clothes?"

   "I'm spending the night."

   "Your mom knows?"

   "She knows.  I think Steve sort of knows." I know he's nervous, now,
so...  "What about dinner?"

   "Let's go find something before you have me committing a felony," he
laughed.

   Out the door and into the car, then up the road we went.

   "She was kinda blunt with me, Bill," I said.

   "She was blunt with me, too, sweetie," he replied.

   "It's true, though."

   "Yeah."

   "The whole thing she told me.  I really AM a good girl.  I really AM a
better student.  And it's YOUR fault."

   "No it's not.  I can't make you smart and I can't make you moral."

   "Yes you can.  You did - the morality thing.  You turn out to be the
answer to this little girl's temptations, baby.  And you helped me get
started on the school stuff.  And I terribly forever love you."

   "I love you right back," Bill said, squeezing my fingers.

   That was the first night of MANY nights that I spent with my Bill in his
house.

   Yes, I know we'd gone off for a couple of weekends together.  I told Mom
that we were picking up his daughter to go with us.  At the time, I thought
I was being very clever and that she bought into the story.  Now I'm not so
sure.  But here I was spending the first night in the very same bed where
only a few months ago I had given him my virginity.  We've worn that bed
out, playing, exploring, learning each other, and now simply making love in
a whole range of wonderful ways.

   And that night, there was no "It's eight o'clock.  I need to go home,
baby." We showered, made love, went to sleep together, me backed up against
him, his arms around me.

   That's why I say I didn't get married when I turned sixteen.  We were
already married.

   And that's the way it was.  If Mom's sister and her family came over, I
made an appearance.  Sometimes, if they stayed late I'd even shower and
change into my pajamas, just to keep up appearances.  When they left,
though, I could hardly wait until they turned the corner at the end of the
street.

   When it was Deena's weekend with her dad, a couple of times we played
'slumber party', she and I staying up late watching movies with her dad.

   Except 'her dad' was MY Bill.  I'd manage to sneak a kiss before
bedtime, and if we woke up before he did, we'd invade his bed.  She's his
daughter.  She's there for the hugs from her daddy.  I'm his mate.  I could
sneak a grope.

   If I were like a lot of kids my age, things would have changed in the
next almost two years.  We'd've flared into a white-hot lust thing, then
when I got bored, I'd've moved on.

   I'm not like that.  Two years added to the two I already had, when I
started loving Bill before we started a physical relationship.

   And I started my junior year in high school, and then I turned sixteen.

   And on my sixteenth birthday, I got an engagement ring.

   "You showed it to me, Bill.  I never thought that you'd give it to me."
It's his mom's.  I thought it was beautiful, but I never gave a thought
to...

   "Happy birthday, baby," he'd told me in front of Mom and Steve and
little Stevie.  I squealed and kissed him.

   We will actually be legally married this Saturday.  This state has a
three-day waiting period.  Mom went with me and Bill to get a marriage
license.  There's a three-day waiting period.  The lady who issued the
license dropped a bombshell on us.

   "Just turned sixteen?"

   "Yes, ma'am.  Birth certificate right here," I said.  "Mom's gonna sign
for me."

   "You know, you could've married sooner if you'd've gotten a judge to
issue an order."

   "We didn't know that," I said.

   "Too late now," Mom added.  "She held off this long..."

   I don't know what I held off on.  Bill and I have been solidly mated for
two years, almost.  But I didn't say that, not in public.

   Mom gave up a copy of my birth certificate and an affidavit stating that
I had no known father to sign with her.  Mom signed.  Bill forked over the
payment, and Bingo!  It's gonna happen.  My dream's coming true.

   I wore my ring to school the next day because I absolutely LOVE it.  My
Bill gave it to me.  We plan on putting it back up for safekeeping after
we're legally married.  I want a gold band like Mister Steve gave Mom.  But
Tuesday morning I went to school with Bill's ring on my finger.

   I had no plans of announcing my change in status.  First, for two years
my relationship with my soon to be 'official' husband has been a felony
offense for him.  Second, I'm NOT normal when it comes to high school
girls. I am completely monogamous.  I am sane.  I know girls who do two or
three guys a week, sometimes in the same night.  I do Bill.

   I listen to the conversations and I don't think any of them have ever
had sex so completely overwhelming that they pass out and awaken with a
lover gently caressing and kissing their faces.  I haven't heard ONE of
them describe a dreamy afternoon in bed on a rainy day loving and teasing
each other through several climaxes.  I just don't think any of them has it
as good as me.  I don't get into those conversations, but I do listen.

   I wasn't going to say anything...

   I didn't make it through homeroom at the beginning of the day. 
Sharika's a black girl who sits next to me for the fifteen minutes of
homeroom.  She eyed the ring.

   "Girl, you wearin' that ring on the wrong hand..."

   "Huh?"

   "You s'posed to wear it on your right hand.  On the left hand, that mean
you engaged."

   "It's on the correct hand, Sharika."

   "Whaa-aat?!?  You ENGAGED?"

   Sharika's voice carries.  She wouldn't know subtle if it bit her on the
butt, anyway, but she got excited.

   "I'm engaged."

   "You pregnant?"

   "Not EVEN!" I blurted.  "What kind of dumbass doesn't know about birth
control these days?  Not to mention diseases..."

   "He's a high school dude?  I didn't even know you was datin'."

   "Nope.  My next door neighbor."

   "College?" she pressed.

   "Way past college.  Mature.  Kind.  Good looking.  Successful.  And
perfectly adorable." I guess I smiled on the outside.  Inside I was
glowing, having FINALLY revealed to somebody the love I have for my Bill.

   "How old IS he?" Sharika asked.

   "Forty-one."

   Ashley, on the other side, gasped.  "Haley, that's, like, old enough to
be your DAD!"

   I knew that would come up sooner more than later when the truth got out,
so I was prepared.  "No, Ash," I said calmly.  "Definitely NOT a 'dad' vibe
there."

   The teacher raised her voice to silence the classroom (yeah, that
works...  ) and took roll call, read a couple of announcements and the bell
rang for the first class.  I left the classroom.  Normally I head up the
hall to an advanced placement (Yeah!  ME!  In AP classes!  Tell me that
Bill's not good for me in soooo many ways.) class - math, actually. 
Normally I just play mousey little Haley and walk by myself.

   Not today.  Sharika and Ashley attached themselves to my side.

   "Girl, you gotta give us de dope.  You ain't NEVER dated," Sharika
spoke.

   "Yeah, you know.  SOME people thought you was, like, lezz..." Ashley
added.

   "Nope.  I heard the gossip.  Very solidly hetero," I answered. 
"Seriously, I just never wanted to play the game with THESE guys." I nodded
in the direction of a couple of Sharika's dreams, football players,
affecting as much of a gangsta air as they could while wearing the school
uniform.  "Or THOSE." Our school's district encompassed a good bit of rural
area along with the suburbs and some apartment complexes and we really had
an eclectic mix.  The second bunch I pointed out were on the opposite end
of the high school social spectrum, as stereotypically redneck as, again,
they could be wearing navy blue knit shirts and khaki slacks.

   "Just not something I'm interested in."

   "Well, uh ...  HOW..." Ashley stuttered, stopping us in the hall.

   "How what?"

   "How'd YOU ...  I'm sorry.  I mean, you're kinda skinny an' flat an' no
makeup..."

   "Ashley, there's more to it than 'Girl, you're HOT...  ' My guy and me,
we just fit together ...  He's my tutor and my friend.  First.  And that
part keeps going ...  We have a great thing working, WITH our clothes on."

   Ashley looked a little taken aback.  She's pretty enough.  I do envy her
side of that 'flat' comment.  She's not HUGE, but she fills her bra out in
an obvious manner.  Sharika's well on her way to that 'plump' thing that a
lot of black girls do.  She's got a shape, and like they say, "Baby's got
back." Me, yeah I've heard the comments since I hit puberty.

   Puberty.  Now that thought enters my head and I remember that it wasn't
but a couple or three months after my first period that I went next door to
help Bill wash his car.  I smiled.  He's been right there from when I had a
whole dozen pubic hairs (and he did NOT know that little fact) until
yesterday afternoon when we got our marriage license.  Other girls went
through puberty and grew tits 'n' stuff and little ol' Haley just got to a
great big A cup and stopped.  Well, depends on the bra.  A B-cup works at
the right time of the month.

   And you know what?  Bill LOVES me.  Just like I am.  We've talked.  He
worried about that age thing.  I worried about my androgynous figure.

   I haven't found anything lacking in his age.  More likely, his maturity
and experience and life knowledge makes our life together MORE interesting.
He loves every inch of my body.  My poor, sub-sized titties?  He adores
them.  All of me?  We laugh.  I wrap my legs around him, he holds me,
carrying me around the house, both of us naked, enjoying each other.  I
honestly can't imagine the physical dimension of our relationship being ANY
better, except that after Saturday we'll be able to display affection in
public.  I don't mean humping on a park bench, you know.  I do mean holding
hands, chaste embraces and kisses in appropriate venues and NOT having to
play dad and daughter or whatever.

   "You hushed up, girl," Sharika said.  "We didn't hit a nerve, did we?"

   I smiled.  "Oh, noooo.  You just caused me to think of some things. 
Happy things."

   "Yaknow," Ashley said, "I always wondered why you always seemed, I
dunno, just sooo happy.  I mean, I thought, you know, straight As.  That'd
make me happy.  But you never did all that shit, chasin' boys, getting
caught.  Now I understand, I think."

   We split paths.  Neither of those two was going to my advanced placement
math class.  Matter of fact, I was the only student in the class who wasn't
a senior.  But that's okay.  I slid into my chair, opened my notebook and
while the rest of the class was filing in, I let myself daydream about me
and my Bill.  Ashley and Sharika just didn't get it.  I don't think anybody
does, not here in school.

   I shouldn't be surprised at the speed at which gossip spreads.  By
lunchtime it was all over school.  Several girls with whom I've had ongoing
friendships sat with me, asking details.

   "Angie, I don't do details like that, but no ...  sex is off the table.
I just turned sixteen a week ago.  Before that, I couldn't GET married, and
you all know that sex between an adult and a person younger than seventeen
is a felony."

   "Yeah, and EVERYBODY obeys THAT law.  Just like weed is illegal..."
Jessica injected.

   "Not saying NOTHING," I countered.

   "They say he's OLD," Jessica stated.

   "Forty-one."

   "His own house 'n' stuff, then," another girl posed.

   "He's my next door neighbor.  He has his own house.  He's got a GOOD
job. He's stable."

   "Except for seducing teenaged girls," Angie replied.

   "He didn't seduce me.  You know my neighborhood.  Nobody my age there on
that road.  He started out as my tutor and my friend, since I was
twelve..."

   Jessica gasped, "He's been doin' you since you were TWELVE?"

   "He had never DONE me, Jess," I replied.  "You didn't listen.  Friends.
Buddies.  Partners.  Wonderfully treated, the way you'd think people would
want to be treated by one another to make a marriage."

   "You're serious," Jessica said.

   "Toldya so," popped Ashley.  "Girl's got it bad."

   "And ...  NOT pregnant?"

   I shook my head.  "Like that means anything, anyway, Jess.  How many
girls do we KNOW of?"

   "Too many.  Ain't none of 'em getting married, 'cept Callie.  Her dad's
a preacher and he MADE her marry Brandon."

   "And they're living with her folks," I elaborated.  "Wonderful, ain't
it?"

   "I do think she loves 'im," Angie replied.  "An' him, he's just goofy
enough to make it work."

   I sighed.  "He's a senior in high school.  If it weren't for their
parents, they'd starve under a bridge somewhere.  Good thing they have
family.  I have Bill.  I have family, too, but I have Bill."

   "You got pictures?" Ashley asked.

   I nodded, pulled my iPhone out of my backpack, punched at the screen.  I
have lots of pictures of Bill - dressed up, lounging around in shorts under
the shade tree, reading, even shirtless, doing yard work.  I showed them
around.

   "Not bad looking," Ashley said, "For an older dude..." She fixed me with
an eye.  "You gotta be in love, though."

   I smiled.  Now I can admit the specifics.  "I am.  He is."

   "So when's the wedding?  One of those BIG things?  Are we invited?"
Angie was asking for the group.

   "No, it's not going to be a big deal.  Mom and Steve and little Stevie,
Maybe Bill's daughter..."

   "Wait - wait - wait, girl.  He got a daughter?"

   "Yeah.  Two years younger than me."

   "That's gonna be STRANGE!"

   "I dunno," I said.  "We haven't told her yet.  But if she's still my
friend, come Saturday, we'll ask her to be there with us."

   Between my fifth and sixth hour class, the school guidance counselor
caught me in the hall.  "Haley, can we talk for a minute?" Mizz Dasson and
I know each other pretty well, based a lot on interactions about my class
work and status as an elite student.

   "Yes, ma'am," I said.  My last hour's class was world history, and
honestly, it's a snoozer.  The teacher's doing the best he can with it, but
out of two dozen students, maybe three care for anything more than a grade
good enough to pass the class.  I followed Mizz Dasson back to her office.

   "Close the door, please, Haley."

   I closed the door.

   "Sit down.  Be comfortable." I sat across the desk from her.  She
scooted her chair from behind it, moving closer to me.

   "Haley, I heard you're getting married.  And now I see your ring.  May I
look closer?"

   "Yes, ma'am," I said, extending my hand.

   "This is REAL."

   "Yes, ma'am.  My fiance's mother wore it.  Now I'm wearing it." I
thought for a second, then decided to add a detail.  "That's a full carat.
And eighteen carat gold."

   "It's worth a fortune..."

   "Bill's priceless," I said softly.

   "Haley, you're a bright star in my school universe.  Is everything okay
with you?  I mean, married?"

   "Mizz Dasson," I replied gently, "A very good part of the reason I do
well as a student is that Bill has been in my life.  He started tutoring me
when I was in the seventh grade." I paused, remembering those first days.
"At first, he made up for the education I couldn't get in the classroom. 
Then he sort of showed me that there was life to learning, that I could
learn things and aspire to more than a high school diploma and a cashier
job at the grocery store.  He's an engineer.  He KNOWS things, and he loves
learning and now I love learning." I paused.  "And I love Bill.  Being
married to him is exactly right."

   "You're very sure?"

   "Mizz Dasson, you know me.  You've met Mom and Mister Steve.  I love
'em. Mom's done her best with me and Mister Steve's broke all those 'evil
stepdad' rules.  I see their struggles, though.  Mister Steve's a welder.
He works very hard, but if work's not there, money's tight.  I'd be at the
same level in life, you know, just like a lot of kids here.  But Bill came
along.  And THEY know about Bill.  Mom had to sign off on the marriage
license."

   "It's my place to worry about my students, Haley.  I heard and I
immediately thought 'exploited'."

   I smiled a bit.  "Mizz Dasson, I am horribly exploited.  Nobody in my
life knows how to exploit me except my little brother.  He's a brat."

   "I heard your Bill was older."

   Another reason to smile.  "Yes, ma'am.  Forty-one.  Almost the answer to
life, the universe, and everything."

   She smiled.  "Douglas Adams.  Cute.  So is this going to change your
academic aspirations?"

   "Mizz Dasson, I'm marrying the guy who GAVE me academic aspirations."





   Chapter 2

   Bill's turn:

   Okay, so the news today is that I went to work this morning knowing that
in four days I'd be married.  That's not unheard of for a single guy my
age, even where 'single' includes 'divorced'.  A bit further out on the
curve, though, is the fact that the bride is sixteen and that last night
we'd slept together, and this morning after I leave for work, she's taking
our car to go to school.

   And way out on the curve, we've been sleeping together for almost two
years, and for most of that two years, her mom has known it.  Ditto for her
step-dad.

   And that's MY Haley.

   We have one more hurdle to jump before the marriage takes place Saturday
in the office of a little non-denominational church.

   We have to tell my daughter.  Deena's the happiest result of a failed
first marriage.  She's a dad's dream, pretty, intelligent, well-behaved,
and she's known Haley for several years, ever since I bought the house next
door to Haley's, and Haley was the closest kid, even though two years of
age separate them.  Haley's sixteen.  Deena's fourteen.

   For most of those four years, I get Deena every other weekend.  Those
are times that Haley doesn't sleep with me.  Quite often, she and Deena bed
down together, preparatory to an early morning departure to one destination
or another, and heaven help me, if I sleep a bit late, the two of them are
subject to crawl into MY bed, one on each side.

   Early morning hugs from Daddy are a staple in Deena's life.  Haley in
bed with me, though, is likely to produce a furtive grope.

   "Why do you DO that, Haley?" I asked her once.

   Those wonderful brown eyes twinkled.  "Because I like feeling it, and I
know you like me to touch it." Giggle.  "And it's a tiny bit of forbidden
fruit."

   "You, dear little brown-haired girl, are a huge amount of forbidden
fruit."

   "I know.  We shouldn't risk this.  We should stop." She smiled.  "I
would, you know.  If I thought I could last a day without you.  But I'm an
addict."

   When I got home at the end of the day, my car (Her car!) was in the
driveway.  As was usually the case, she was next door, spending time with
her mom and little brother.  When I was getting out of my company van, she
was coming across the yard, backpack on her shoulder.

   "We gonna do it, then?" she asked.

   "Got to, sooner or later," I said.  'It', in this instance, was calling
my daughter (and HER friend) and telling her about the upcoming marriage.

   We went into the house.  The backpack went on the sofa.  Haley went into
my arms.  Lovely.  Still lovely.  Two years of having my arms around this
angel, and it's still lovely.

   The prospect of the phone call, though, worries me.  "You know..." I
started.

   "I know that sooner or later, Deena was going to find out.  I mean, it's
one thing to fool her for the odd weekend, but how can we fake 'er out when
we're married and we live together?"

   "I know, baby, but if it goes off track..." I started.

   "Look, sweetie," she said assertively.  "You and me, we've talked.  And
I have mentioned to Deena a time or two that I thought you were, you
know..." Assertive.  Haley.  I saw her playing bashful for her parents and
I saw her sort of play the part when Deena was around, but ever since she
and I became friends, she's always acted like the was an equal partner when
it came to plans and opinions.

   She continued, "I even sort of said one time that I didn't understand
why her mom let you go.  Said I thought you were pretty interesting, for an
old guy." She giggled, her hand roaming.  "Very interesting.  So maybe it's
not as being a surprise.  We talked about you and her mom and about you
being single and how somebody would come along and marry you."

   "She said I should think about remarrying because she thought I'd be
happier.  I don't think you were who she was thinking of."

   "Well, what's the worst that could happen?  She could get shocked and
get mad, but I think she'd get over it in time.  She does love her daddy,"
Haley said.  "Her mom, on the other hand..."

   "Yeah.  Her mom," I mused.  "She's gonna come unglued."

   "Doesn't matter, Bill.  I absolutely MUST marry you."

   "I choose you, darlin'.  I have faith that if Deena doesn't buy into it
right off, she'll come around to see it as a good thing..."

   Haley sighed.  "Let's do it.  You want me to go home while you..."

   "Better or worse, punkin.  I don't keep secrets from you.  Never have."

   She looked at me, smiling.  She knows.  "Call 'er.  Put 'er on speaker."

   "Okay," I said, punching the phone number up, mentally thinking that if
this was a disaster, I'd have Haley to console today, Deena to console some
time in the future.

   Deena picked up.  "Hi, Dad.  I was gonna call you."

   "Oh, really?"

   "Yeah ...  One of the girls I used to go to school with, her sister's in
high school.  She heard something today."

   An internal 'Uh-oh.' I checked Haley's face.  She was paying very close
attention.  "What'd she hear?  Something I'm supposed to be interested in?"

   "Well, yeah, Dad.  She heard Haley showed up with an engagement ring. 
Haley.  My friend.  She's only two years older'n me."

   "Uh..."

   "She said Haley's fiancĂ(C) is a lot older..."

   "Uh..." Damn, I'm erudite.

   "Uh, Dad, if that ain't YOU I'm going to be very mad at her.  You,
too..."

   "Why do you say that, baby?"

   "Because I know she just turned old enough to get married and I have
seen enough girls who thought they were in love to know one when I see
one."

   "Haley..."

   "Haley's been in love with you, Dad.  If YOU don't know, I do."

   "She told you?"

   "She don't have to tell me.  I see how she acts around you.  When we go
somewhere, she always manages to be next to you.  She looks at you when she
doesn't think I'm paying attention."

   "How does that make you feel?"

   "Weird," Deena said, "because she's so young and you're so old, but you
NEED somebody, and I think Haley loves you."

   "Uh..."

   "Dad, I'm not mad."

   "It's me and Haley, baby," I said.

   The squeal would have been ear-splitting if I'd had the phone at my ear.
I looked at Haley.  She just grinned and shrugged.

   "Hi, Deena," she said.

   "Haley!  You just heard everything I said, didn't you?!?"

   "Uh-huh.  I thought I was hiding things.  He really is my best friend,
you know.  You're number two."

   Deena giggled.  "Every time I saw you sort of bump into him when we were
all out somewhere, I just thought 'uh-huh, that was an accident.  Not.'
Dad?"

   "Yes, sweetie?"

   "You call Haley 'sweetie' too.  An' other stuff.  So when are you
getting married?"

   "Saturday."

   "Can..."

   "We want you there, Deena," Haley interrupted.  "Absolutely."

   "Gonna be strange having a step-mom two years older'n me," Deena
chuckled.

   "So you're okay with it?" Haley asked her.

   "I'm okay with it.  You're my best friend.  He's my dad.  Kinda weird,
but I'm okay with it.  I guess that means I'll sleep by myself next time I
come over, huh?"

   "It can't be this easy, punkin," I said to Deena.

   "Dad, I love you.  You know when I was little an' you n' Mom were
getting a divorce, you held me and rocked me and cried with me and told me
I would always be your precious daughter."

   "I remember that, baby," I said softly.

   "I remember, too.  An' I told you that you'd always be my dad."

   "I remember."

   "This is that, Dad.  You.  Me.  And now, Haley."

   "What about your mom..."

   "You want a kitten?  I think she's gonna have one."

   Haley chuckled.  I, on the other hand, "You think she'll let us pick you
up Saturday for the wedding?"

   "I'm sure she will.  She probably won't want to bring me."

   "I guess not," I mused.  Deena's mom could be a real bitch at times. 
"We'll call you when we get the time nailed down."

   "'Kay, Dad.  And Haley?"

   "Yeah, Deena." Haley answered.

   I figured what was coming next.  "I love you too, Mom."

   "Deena!" Haley squealed.

   "Bye, y'all," Deena said.  The phone call dropped.

   "I wonder how long before she tells her mom," I said to Haley and we
slid together.

   "I dunno, but THAT call was a surprise."

   "Yeah," I replied.  "I was thinking 'drama'.  Deena sounded happy as
hell..."

   "And I thought we were being discreet," she smiled.

   "I told you to be careful."

   "Deena's smart like her daddy.  I should've known."

   "I'm just happy she didn't see it as a threat to her relationship with
me and go off the deep end."

   "Me, too." We snuggled in for some kissing and were interrupted by the
cellphone's ringtone.

   "That's gonna be the ex," I said.  I looked at the display.  I was
right. I quickly punched to answer the call and put it on speaker.

   "You son-of-a-bitch!"

   "And good afternoon to you, too, Laney." I replied.

   She sputtered, "Deena says you're getting married Saturday.  To a KID!"

   "Haley's sixteen.  Her mom signed the license.  It's all perfectly
legal..."

   "She's your DAUGHTER'S AGE!"

   "Two years older, actually.  I've known her since I moved into this
house.  She's my best friend."

   "'Known her'?  In the biblical sense?  That's a CRIME, Bill!"

   "I didn't say I knew her in the biblical sense.  YOU said that.  We're
friends.  Seems like something we both want to do.  People who love each
other do that, you know..."

   "I knew you were weird, but this ...  This is just WRONG!  Sex with a
teenager..."

   "Laney, don't get started.  YOU weren't a virgin when we got married. 
You said your first time was when you were fourteen."

   She sputtered.  "Just WRONG!"

   "It's NOT wrong," I returned.  "Yes, she's young, but she's a straight A
student.  Not some ditzy mall rat." I'd met Laney at a mall.  That was a
small dig.

   She ignored it.  "You're old enough to be her dad."

   "I'm, like, ten years older'n her mom, actually.  Like I said.  I know
her family.  They know me.  They know Deena.  And Haley and I want to get
married, so Saturday..."

   "You will NEVER see Deena again, Bill."

   "Laney, I wish you wouldn't do that.  Deena and I have a great
relationship.  She knows Haley.  I've taken those two all over the place
together.  They're friends.  Just because you're unhappy with me shouldn't
make you wreck things between me and Deena."

   "Sometimes I really HATE you..."

   "I'm sorry you feel like that.  I wanna bring Deena to the wedding."

   "Deena says Saturday."

   "Yes.  Simple ceremony.  I'd like Deena there."

   "Deena tells me not to go off the deep end," Laney sighed.  She had
clearly shot her bolt.

   "I wish you wouldn't.  Deena ...  we were worried about Deena, but she
jumped both of us.  Said it was weird but she was okay with it.  Laney..."

   "Okay, Bill.  I may wake up in a cold sweat later, but okay..."

   "Thank you."

   "Uh ...  shit!  Just shit!  Okay, Bill.  Here.  Deena wants to talk with
you."

   "Hi, Dad," my daughter chirped.  "I tried to tell 'er not to go off the
deep end."

   "I just heard the splash."

   "This'll work out.  I know it will.  I'll go to the wedding, then you
can drop me off back home and go off together.  Are you gonna be back in
time for me to come over next weekend?"

   "We will.  We're saving our honeymoon trip for later when it won't
interfere with Haley's school."

   Giggle.  "My dad marrying a high school student.  Shouldn't you be
living in a trailer park somewhere?"

   "Where'd you get that evil streak?"

   "'S not evil.  Just harsh observation.  And I got it from my dad."

   "I love you, punkin."

   "I love you too, Dad.  And hug my step-mom for me."

   "I'll do that.  Bye, sweetie."

   We'd just gotten wrapped up together again when Haley's phone rang.  She
looked.  "Deena," she said, then "Hi, Deena." She put the phone down,
punched the speaker button.

   "This wedding stuff is stressful," Deena said.  "Are you okay?"

   "I'm sitting next to your dad.  That's the best kind of okay," Haley
told her.

   "Question," Deena said.

   "Go ahead," Haley replied.

   "You're not doing that 'big deal wedding' thing, are you?"

   "No.  Just me and your Dad and my mom and step-dad and little brother.
And you.  Why?"

   "Special dress?"

   "I have a nice, simple dress that I'm wearing.  It's light blue.  Your
dad bought it for me for my birthday."

   "You need something," Deena said.  "Our next door neighbor is a florist.
I wanna get you a wreath of flowers.  You should have flowers.  I'm
thinkin' those little tiny white ones.  Me an' your mom can put it on you,
you know, kind of like a special ceremony.  Then you can marry Dad."

   "Gosh, Deena, that's the sweetest thing!" Haley blurted.

   "I'm serious, Haley.  I know Mom got mad at Dad when I told 'er.  She
was mad on the phone.  I think she's calming down.  But really, I'm happy
for you.  I think you' n' Dad will be good for each other.  He's marrying
HIS best friend and MY best friend, too."

   "Deena, I worried about telling you.  I didn't want to mess up being
friends with you."

   "You didn't.  This'll be good.  Talk to you later."

   "Okay, sis."

   Giggle.  "Not sis!  Step-daughter!"

   "Bye," Haley laughed, then she flopped back against me.  "SHE says it's
stressful?  She's right.  I need stress relief.  Know where I can find a
good chew toy?" She twisted around to kiss me, turning, straddling.  That
move is guaranteed arousal.

   "You get me going, Little One," I said.

   "I'm supposed to.  You're not getting one of those frigid wives."

   "What do you know about frigid wives?" I queried.

   Giggle.  "Mom and I had The Talk."

   "Seriously?  You sleep with me eight nights out of ten, and she gave you
The Talk?"

   Searing kiss.  "Yes.  Said it was the duty of a good mother to her
daughter."

   "Tab A into Slot B?"

   "No, I think she understands we've figured all that out.  She did ask me
if I had any questions.  Said all was good between consenting partners but
I didn't have to put up with anything painful or gross."

   "Have we done anything painful or gross?"

   "Who knows what perversions you do to me when I pass out," my young
cutie smiled.  "She said that she hoped that I would be as happy with you
as she is with Mister Steve.  I told her that if I were any happier, they'd
have to put me on life support." Kiss.  "It's true.  I love you, Bill, and
I never imagined the world you showed me with you and me in it."

   "Two-way street.  You're the best."

   "Mom said that the way to win a lot of arguments is to take you to bed
and screw your head off, and even if I don't win, doing that, then I will
have enjoyed good sex and winning's not all it's trumped up to be anyway."
We kissed again.  "I never knew my mom had that much wisdom stored up."

   "I found that the older I got, the wiser MY folks turned out to be,
too."

   "Uh-huh.  That's it.  And she said that if I turned out to be a frigid
wife, using sex or the withholding of sex as a weapon, then I deserved it
when you got sick of it and threw me out." Kiss.  "Never let me forget how
much I love you, Bill."

   "People have difficult times, baby," I said.  "Nobody's a hundred
percent trouble free."

   "I know.  That time when you had that big project that went off track.
You were a bear.  It wasn't my fault.  You snapped at me.  I just sat back
until you were safe enough for me to hold..." She was right.  Work
sometimes gets to me.  She soldiered right through it.  Could've stayed at
her own home, but she still came over every day after work, showered me,
washed me, put up with my grousing.  And she's still here.

   "You didn't forget that I love you, baby.  The love's always going to be
there.  Might be stuck in an asshole..."

   "I find that the asshole changes to something else if he's properly
showered and rubbed down." She scooted into my lap.  "I love you, Bill. 
And we have just jumped all the hurdles.  If we can make three more days,
we'll be legally married and I can do this in public." She nailed me with a
searing kiss.

   "I won't have to sneak.  I won't have to keep it bottled up.  D'ya know
how good I felt this morning when I said I was in love and getting married.
People I know, they didn't know a major part of what makes me who I am."

   "I know what you mean."

   She sighed.  "Guys aren't like that, I guess, but there are times I was
just about to explode because I wanted to tell somebody.  Even Deena. 
Wanted to tell 'er, you see your dad.  He's your dad.  You love 'im because
he's a good dad to you.  I love 'im for a whole rainbow of reasons."

   "Apparently she could read that, baby," I said.

   "I know..." Haley smiled.  "Maybe that's a good thing.  Gave 'er time to
build a case for you and me together."

   "You're probably more right than you think," I told her.  "Three more
days of felonies."

   "I want to help you commit one right now."

   "No homework?"

   "Pu-leeze," she smirked.  "The advanced placement classes, they're just
making sure everybody's up to speed.  The rest of 'em, they're hopeless."

   "So no homework.  Should we cook something?"

   She smiled.  "If you want ...  Or we could go out to eat in a little
bit. After..."

   "After?"

   "After we sort of relieve some stress."

   "Ohhhhh," I grinned.

   "I would like..." her lips met mine.  Little kiss.  " ...  something
that involves us being naked..." Little kiss.  " ...  in bed..." Kiss.  "
...  I promise I'll be very good."

   I'm thinking that the worst time between us was very good.  They range
upward sharply from there.  I wrapped my arms around her, started to stand.
She squealed gleefully, hooked her legs around my waist.  I stood up and
carried her to the bedroom.  We hit the bed together alternating between
undressing ourselves and helping each other.

   I got her down to her panties, scooted down to pull them off her.  As
soon as I got them sliding down her legs, I planted a kiss on her pubic
mound, feeling the hair tickle my nose.

   "Lovely," I sighed.  Had to get my tongue down there, licking the length
of her slit without going inside, still gathering the glint of moisture
from her rapidly increasing arousal.  She was holding her breath.  When I
crawled down between her legs, she released it with a sigh, her fingers
touching the back of my head.

   That's a sign.  Little cutie loves to be eaten, a really nice thing,
since I think that my mouth and her pussy are a great combination.  For a
couple of minutes she shivers and sighs as I enjoy her wetness, the
exquisite silkiness of her folds, before I start gently flicking around
that protruding pink pea.  That's pretty much all it takes.  The sighs turn
to muted squeals, her breathing is intermittent and ragged, and she comes.
Hard.  I gently keep going.  The second trails soon after, her body goes
rigid, then at the peak, her muscles relax.

   That's my cue.  One more lick of that juice, being selfish, because I
truly love it, and I crawl up to cradle my barely lucid angel.  Little
kisses until her eyes barely open.

   "Bill, if you ever leave me I will kill myself."

   "I'll never leave you, angel." My fingertips idly traced the forms of
her small titties.

   "Beautiful."

   "Too small.  I'm flat.  Everybody says so."

   "You are the possessor of the most perfectly delectable titties on the
planet."

   "Are you sure?"

   "I'm marrying you just so I can play with your titties."

   She smiled.  "That's the ONLY reason?"

   "There are others.  You've got a very nice brain, too."

   Giggle.  "Right now that brain is thinking that something needs to be
done about this." She gave my dick a squeeze.  "Since you ate me, I get to
eat you.  Sit back." She pushed me back against the headboard of the bed. I
spread my legs.  Her turn to slide down in the bed.

   She's got me figured out, pushing my dick out of the way, she attacks my
balls, nipping, sucking.  I get harder and harder.  She turns her head,
starting at the base of my shaft, sucking the side, her teeth nipping, then
she twists to catch that ridge underneath.  Still teeth, just the right
amount of biting, right on the edge of pain, working her way up until...

   "Mmmmmm." The head disappears into her mouth, tongue swirling, teeth
latched just behind the corona.  She shakes her head, keeping my dick
captive in her mouth.

   "Gahhhhhh, Haleyyyyyy..."

   Giggle.  "Mmmmmm." Fingers tickle my balls.  Her head dips.  I'm too
charged up to handle this.  I erupt.  I can feel her tongue handling the
spurting fire, her suction pulling every drop from me.  She kept sucking,
swallowing every drop.  When she was assured I was done, she pulled up to
meet me face to face.

   "You thought about me today, didn't you?" She grinned.

   "I did."

   "I can tell.  You were ready to go off."

   "Uh-huh.  You're some sort of fantasy, baby."

   "I'm just a little girl who loves her mate, that's all."

   I pulled her face to me for a kiss.  Her mouth opened, our tongues
invading each other's spaces.  It's lovely.  She's cute, she's naked, she's
happy.  I'm in heaven, and sitting over there on top of the dresser is the
piece of paper that's going to make it legal and - hopefully - forever.

   I think she reads my mind.  Her arms go around my neck.  Our faces -
well, we've been kissing.  She pushes her nose against mine.

   "You're all mine."

   "I have been for years, punkin," I said.

   "No.  It'll be a matter of public record."

   "I know.  When we exchange vows, everything I own is yours."

   "And vice versa," she said with a sigh.  "I'm sorry.  I don't own much."

   "You own YOU," I said.

   "I gave you that a long time ago," she said softly.

   "All I ever wanted," I said.

   We left the bed, got dressed, went to dinner at a chain restaurant. 
It's cheap, it's close and it's good enough.  And a bit popular.

   We were following our server through the place, headed to the table,
when I heard, "Heyy, Haley!"

   We both turned.  There was a family sitting at a table, mom, dad,
teenaged girl and slightly younger boy.

   Haley broke into a smile, waved back.  "Hi, Destiny!  Just a sec.  Let
us get our table."

   I smiled on the outside.  On the inside, I was nervous.  We got to the
table, gave the server a drink order, then I followed Haley over to the
other table.

   "Bill, this is Destiny.  She's a senior and she's in my AP math class.
Destiny, this is HIM!"

   "Hi, Destiny," I said.  "Folks, I'm Bill Conner."

   The man stood, extended his hand.  "Andy Peyton," He said.  "Glad to
meet you.  This is my wife Melissa."

   "Hi, Melissa," I said.

   She smiled.  "Uh, Destiny said..."

   Haley smiled.  "You told 'em, huh, Des..."

   Destiny nodded.  "You're the big news today."

   "Then you know," I said.  "Haley and I are getting married Saturday."





   Chapter 3

   Haley's turn:

   I'm lying back in Bill's arms.  Part of me is still incandescent,
despite all the moisture, and I am happier today than any day in my life.
I've had some really happy days to compare this to, you know.

   Bill and I are getting married.  I knew it a long time ago.  I just
never saw Bill as somebody who'd play with my heart and NOT continue until
one of us died.  I knew, too, that he's had a great relationship with his
daughter Deena, my FRIEND Deena, and that her disapproval of our marriage,
while it wouldn't be an obstacle, could definitely draw a lot of joy out of
getting married.

   After all, I see Deena at least every other weekend.  I talk with her
sometimes during the week, especially the week before her weekend with her
dad.  We've been known to conspire for some destination or another.  I
giggle when I consider the absurdity of me talking with Deena while I'm
lying there in bed with her dad, both of us naked.

   I thought, though, when the three of us were out for a weekend, that he
and I were hiding our relationship pretty well.  Deena told me this evening
that I didn't.

   So it's starting to push past eight PM when my phone chimes with Deena's
ringtone.  I scoot away from Bill to get it.

   "Our daughter," I giggle to him, then, "Hi, Deena.  What's up?" Yes, the
phone's on speaker.

   She sighed.  "Had a looong talk with Mom."

   "She gonna cause a problem?"

   "No, but we got kinda loud at each other.  Harv (that's Deena's step
dad) left and went to his shop until we finished."

   "I'm sorry, Deena," I said.  "I never meant to cause you trouble."

   "Haley, you're like my sister..." She giggled.  "Well, except for that
'marrying Dad' thing.  Okay, you're my best friend, too, and I think you'd
take MY side if I needed it."

   "I would." I was sincere.  The fact of the matter is that I HAVE taken
Deena's side in discussions with Bill about some things going on in HER
life.

   "She accused me of knowing what was going on between you 'n' Dad."
Giggle.  "I sorta did, but nothing that would hold up in court."

   "We tried to hide it.  I thought we were doing pretty good."

   "Girl," Deena said, "You glow.  I wish I glowed like that sometimes. 
I've seen girls who had that glow at school, y'know, but they didn't have
ANYTHING like Dad to glow about, and theirs usually changed to tears in a
week or a month or whatever, you know how long those teenaged romances
last."

   "Yeah, I know."

   "You been glowing for over a year.  This ain't a teen-aged romance, is
it?"

   "No.  Not that silly stuff.  Deena, you know what the law says.  Your
dad risked ...  Just to kiss me."

   "Yeah.  Kiss you.  Like that time in Houston when I walked in from the
bathroom and Dad was looking for something in your eye..."

   "Uh..."

   "Almost caught y'all, huh?"

   "Darned close.  But Deena, I loved 'im.  He loved me.  And he loves you.
You're his daughter.  That's forever."

   "But you're gonna be his wife.  He didn't have a choice with me.  You,
he chose."

   My turn to giggle.  "I dunno who chose first.  I'm pretty sure I chose
first." Then I got serious.  "And believe me, he chose you, too.  I know
kids whose parents divorce and they NEVER see the dad, or it's not like
your dad treats you."

   "You're right.  I know that." She sighed.  "Mom grilled me pretty hard
about you 'n' Dad, like did y'all do anything in front of me, and how long
ago I knew.  I never saw y'all doing anything.  I mean, now that I think
about all those times we jumped in bed with him in the morning..."

   "All I did was snuggle, just like you..." Not exactly true.  A lot of
times I copped a quick feel.  And I have learned many effective snuggling
techniques, but I didn't use those with Deena lying on the other side of
Bill.

   "I know," she said, "But if y'all weren't doin' stuff, that must've been
kind of difficult."

   "It was." That's the truth, I thought, for entirely different reasons
than Deena voiced.  Lying next to Bill in the morning with a little time on
our hands, we usually end up coupled up solidly, one way or another.

   "Deena, you KNOW your dad encouraged us to be friends."

   "I know.  I was an obnoxious little shit when I first met you.  But two
years is a big deal when you're twelve and I'm ten.  And Dad, he sort of
helped me turn into a better person."

   "That's one reason I love your dad, sis.  He makes people better.  And
when I was twelve ...  Him and me?  No way ...  Old guys are icky, okay? 
And twelve ...  I wasn't that good a student because it didn't mean
anything.  Mom and Steve had just gotten officially married and she was all
into him..."

   Deena giggled.

   "Yeah, I know, they'd been together for a while.  Little Stevie 'n' all
that.  But they just got married and she was into him and little Stevie was
a toddler and you know how much effort one of those can take.  I was just
on the outside of things.  Your dad sort of let me use him to be my friend,
except when YOU came over.  And you let me be YOUR friend."

   "Makes us sisters," Deena repeated her earlier statement.

   "It does.  I want to keep that.  I need a sister."

   "So do I," Deena replied.  "I thought Mom 'n' Harv would ...  Truth be
known, I think Harv would be happier if she didn't have ME."

   "Now that's a thought," I said.  I glanced at my Bill, who was listening
quietly.  "You're old enough to where the courts would listen to what you
wanted if you decided to move here..." I know this stuff.  One only has to
listen at school to hear all sorts of things bout 'blended families'.  Some
of 'em are still in the blender, whirling around, being torn apart.  Plus,
I know how to look things up.  Google can make you knowledgeable.  'Smart',
though, you need to bring with you.

   Bill, though ...  The corners of his mouth turned up just a little.  A
sign.  Of course, there goes that Haley and Bill closing all the blinds and
running around naked.  Except weekends that Deena would spend with her mom.

   I kept my mouth shut on that option, instead saying, "That's one thing
Mister Steve's always tried to do - keep me like I was his daughter." I
gained one of those clarifying moments of thought.  Mister Steve DID, as
best he could.  Yeah, if you look up 'redneck' in the dictionary, they use
HIS picture, but really, he's a decent, hard-working guy who puts
everything he has into his family.

   Deena didn't let the thread drop, though.  "I mean, you know we talked
about it, me' n' you, but I thought we'd be, like, neighbors then, me 'n my
dad, and my sister next door.  Now, I dunno ...  weird ...  What do YOU
think?"

   Oh, shit...  "Uh, big decision.  Sounds good up front, but let's talk
with your dad." I looked at MY Bill.  He's still got that little bit of a
smile.  I don't know how much of that is afterglow and how much of that is
naked Haley and how much of that is 'we're getting married' and how much of
it is 'Full-time Deena'.  I need clarification.

   "Do YOU hate it?  I mean, okay, right now, you 'n' Dad, you've been good
friends, but you don't LIVE there..."

   I stifled a gulp.

   " ...  but when you're married, you WILL live there.  And we'd all be in
the same house.  Weird." She sighed.  "Before I knew you were marryin' 'im,
I really thought a lot about if I moved in.  Now, I dunno.  I still kinda
want to, but that's a lot of changes."

   "Why don't we get you Friday after school and you spend the night with
us.  Me 'n' you, we can hash this out, then by Saturday we'll have some
answers." I looked at Bill again.  Still smiling.  'OMG!' I thought.  I've
rendered him catatonic.

   A little squeeze told me he was still sentient.

   "You don't mind?  I mean, wedding ...  I sort of suspect some things
now..."

   "Suspect all you want with your ol' evil mind," I laughed.  "Me 'n' you,
your bedroom, just like we've BEEN doing."

   "Okay, sister..." giggle.  " ...  Mom.  Whatever."

   "I dunno if I want such an evil stepchild," I laughed.  "I love you. 
Bye."

   I put the phone on the nightstand and turned to my Bill.  "You show
amazing self-restraint," I said.  "And inscrutability." I slid up and
kissed him.  "Now.  Honest thoughts for right now.  Before we really have
time to think."

   "Why does my life have to be so complicated," he sighed.  "I just wanted
to be married to YOU, little darlin', and we'd have our neat little life
together and Deena would bop in and out at regularly scheduled intervals.
You seem to have softened a lot of the 'teenaged daughter' angst that
fathers are supposed to see..."

   "My sister is a good girl, baby.  She's had one less sexual partner than
me.  Makes her a slightly better girl, I guess," I stated.  "She loves her
parents.  That little 'I wanna come live with Dad' speech tonight?  I guess
I should've prepared you for it.  Not the first time it's come up between
me and her."

   "So you kind of expected..."

   "One more thing I knew before you did - like when I fell in love with
you."

   "But what about our life together?"

   "Are you kidding?  You think this is gonna change MY mind?  Hardly."

   "Angel," he said softly, his fingertips tracing my cheekbones.  "You're
always such an angel."

   "And I will always be your angel."

   "So you think this could work?"

   He should KNOW better.  I read.  I LOVE to read.  And just like I knew
about the history of marriage in America, I also know about the idea of
families living together.  "Sir," I said, preparing him for a 'Haley'
lesson, "the idea of people having so much space in their lives is very
new. It was once common for multiple generations to live under one roof. 
And there's that 'family bed' thing..."

   "Okay, okay," he folded quickly.  "One roof, that I can buy.  That
family bed thing, though..."

   "You never seemed against it in the mornings before."

   "I never could do THIS before," he smirked as he rolled over, covering
me, trying to force himself between my thighs.  That was an impossibility
because my thighs started spreading the minute he began moving.

   I giggled.  "And we'll STILL do that, except I'll already BE in bed with
you and we have to remember not to make Deena lie in the sticky spots."

   He made me squeal and giggle.  That part I love.  The next part, his
hardness pushing into my still slick pussy, I love that even more.

   Train of thought?  What train of thought?

   I have my mouth practically welded to his when I start coming.  The last
thing I remember is him slamming deeper into me, that first surge of HIS,
and then...

   Kisses.  Tiny little loving soft kisses.  My bangs pushed aside, kisses
on my forehead.  I open my eyes.  He'd rolled off me, was holding me.

   "This will not stop, Bill.  Deena's bedroom is at the other end of the
house.  She might KNOW this is what we're doing..."

   "Her daddy doing her best friend."

   "Making love to his wife, thank you..."

   "It'll work."

   "You sound confident."

   I rolled back over on top of him.  "I've been confident ever since the
second day we made love."

   "Not the first?"

   I shook my head.  That's cheating.  He's got this thing about my hair. I
can't figure it out, but I know I take advantage of it.  "Nope.  You know
that.  The first time, I thought the next day your house would've been up
for sale and you'd left the state."

   "You're so bad.  You knew I loved you."

   "Yeah..."

   "Look," I said, "let's take this from a different angle.  S'pose
you'd've met somebody YOUR age and married 'er."

   "Okay..."

   "And Deena still comes to live with you..."

   "Okay..."

   "All of a sudden the fact that you're having sex isn't a problem?"

   "Well I don't know if this hypothetical wife has spent so many evenings
sitting on the bed with Deena talking about everything..."

   "I love you, darlin'," I said, "But you're being silly." Then thought
occurred to me.  "Uhhh ...  is this about if I'm having sex, then Deena's
gonna think it's okay for HER to have sex?" I watched his face.  Squealed.
"It IS!"

   He said nothing.  I hugged him.  "You're a father of a teenaged
daughter. That's gotta be hard.  You know that she and I have talked about
all that.  You have a good daughter, remember?  I told you..."

   "I know."

   "You and me, we're a positive influence.  I told her I was NOT a slut. I
told her that I would have ONE mate for my whole life.  Of course, after
our announcement, she may not assume I'm a virgin any more."

   "Probably not.  At least you're sixteen now..."

   "Still statutory rape, baby," I said.  "Unless we're married."

   "I know.  You're my favorite felony."

   "Two more nights after this one," I said.  "Tomorrow, we'll commit
another felony.  At least YOU will," I laughed.  "I'm all sweet 'n'
innocent." I gave his softened dick a squeeze to emphasize my innocence. 
"Friday night, me 'n' my step-daughter will sleep in her room and we'll
talk."

   "Yeah..."

   "And Saturday night ...  First night of our legal marriage.  I may get
you to do me on the front lawn, just because we'll be legal..."

   "You're nuts."

   Giggle.  "No, Your nuts." I cupped the parts I mentioned.  "And now
they're mine.  Even if my evil step-daughter lives here.  Even if she has
bigger tits than me."

   That's a development that caused a bit of conversation, not between him
and Deena, naturally, because dads seldom discuss their daughters' breasts.
Me, though..."She's passing me up, baby."

   "Her mom had some larger ones."

   "And I'm disappointingly flat."

   "You're NOT flat, you're just not showy, and I adore yours.  Don't I
worship them every chance I get?"

   "You do.  I still worry."

   "I adore you.  Every inch.  Every facet."

   That's the way he treats me, even, to a certain extent, in public, where
we have to maintain that 'uncle-niece' or 'dad-daughter' distance.  After
Saturday, though, I can hold his hand and put my arm around his waist or
even grab his butt, although I probably won't do that.  I have a sense of
propriety.

   So when Saturday comes, I'll be two inches shorter and two bra cup sizes
smaller than my new step-daughter.

   "Compact," Bill says.  I'm good with it.

   The next day is school.  I'm just about 'old news' now.  I'm sure that
when word got out, circles were made on calendars to see when I'd start
showing.  People can be so stupid.  I'm pretty sure I know several girls
who've gotten abortions.  Rumor has it that one particularly ambitious one
has had THREE.  I know more pregnancies than I care to count, ONE of those
has a baby already and she's pregnant again.  You'd think she'd figure it
out.

   Haley ain't one of those.  First, Bill's fixed, to use his term.  I
don't care.  I wasn't marrying him for his reproductive capacity.  First,
I'm sixteen.  I have college to do.  I don't want to struggle like Mom did,
trying to juggle a baby - me - and a job, and I think college would be
that, even though if Bill and I did have a baby, I think he'd shoulder a
lot of the load for caring and raising.  Honestly, though ...  No!  No
babies.  Not right now, probably not ever.

   I'm sixteen.  Driver's license.  Bill's little SUV provides me wheels to
get to school and back.  That means I get home a lot earlier than I used to
do when I rode the bus.  I was taking care of a few household chores, not
that we have many.  Bill and I keep a clean, neat house.  Anyway, vacuuming
is always in order.  When I shut it down, though, I had a missed call on my
phone.

   Deena.

   I hit the button to call her.  She answered right away.

   "Hang on," she said.  "I'm heading to my room."

   In a few moments, she said, "Okay.  No sense in Mom listening in.  Just
wanna talk to you."

   "Okay.  What's up?  School?"

   "No, you 'n' Dad.  Did y'all talk?"

   "Yeah.  We did."

   "And..."

   He's kinda worried.  He thinks that we're a bad example for you."

   "Why?"

   "'Cuz he's your DAD.  You're his precious little girl.  Need another
reason?"

   "Noooo.  Did you tell 'im..."

   "I told him that his daughter was a GOOD girl."

   "And he doesn't think that just because you're married to him and you
two are sleeping together in HIS bedroom..."

   "OUR bedroom," I corrected.

   Giggle.  "Okay.  My mistake.  Y'ALL's bedroom at the other end of the
house, that's different than me knowing that y'all are sleeping together
while I live with Mom?"

   "I guess," I said.  "He thinks that this might corrupt you."

   "Uh, any worse than Mom moving in with Harv before the divorce was
final?"

   "He's your dad.  He worries."

   "And you told him he was kinda silly?"

   "Exactly what I told him."

   "Haley," Deena said, "I promise I won't do that 'jealous daughter'
thing. I think we can still be friends even if we live in the same house
and you're married to Dad."

   "I believe that," I replied honestly.  "But this isn't gonna happen
instantly.  You have to convince your mom and your dad.  I can help with
your dad.  I don't think your mom is going to give me much credibility."

   Deena giggled.  "No, you're probably right, there."

   "Do you seriously think she'd do it?  I mean, I've talked with Bill
about it, and he says that child custody cases are a good way to pay
lawyers a lot of money if the parents don't agree and it goes to court."

   "I sort of looked into that," Deena revealed.  "I can see that.  But if
both parents agree, then they can get a lawyer to draw up papers and it's
pretty easy.  If it goes to court, I know what the deal's gonna be."

   "What's that?  I can imagine..."

   "Oh, yeah ...  He's married to you and you're almost the same age as
me."

   "I'm sorry..."

   "No, Haley.  Not EVEN!  You NEED to marry Dad.  That's just the way it
IS!  We'll work this out, okay?"

   "I didn't mean to come between you and your dad, Deena..."

   "You're NOT.  I think we can get this where we want it to go.  Just
takes time.  Maybe by Christmas or something." She let loose a little
giggle.  "Y'all need some time together without a kid around, y'know."

   "Deena!"

   "Well, you DO!"

   "Now, not only do you know me 'n' your dad are goin' to bed, but you're
encouraging it."

   "I know what people do, sis," she said.  "And some of 'em are even
married.  Mom says it's part of an adult relationship."

   "That's what my mom said," I told her.  "We've had The Talk.  Several
times, actually.  Since I told her I was gonna marry your dad, we had a
pretty good one."

   "Explicit?" Deena asked.

   "Mom told me that all that was natural and your dad was experienced and
he'd ...  gosh!  I can't believe I'm telling you this..."

   "I get it, anyway," Deena giggled.  "You are corrupting me."

   "Am not.  You started it."

   Giggle.  "I guess I did.  But you never ...  nobody else?"

   "Never.  Saving myself for HIM."

   "You know how rare that is?" Deena queried.

   "We talked.  I know how rare it is.  But that's the way I want it to
be."

   "Me too," she said.  "Although I have had many offers for help in
relieving myself of my virginity."

   "Oh yeah, even me ...  Flat 'n' all..."

   "Oh, crap, Haley.  You're cute.  Dad ...  I saw how he looked at you for
a long time."

   "You weren't supposed to notice that."

   Giggle.  "Kinda didn't, but when I found out YOU were getting married, I
kinda KNEW it would be Dad.  It all comes together.  I should've noticed."

   "It would've squicked you out," I told her.

   "I don't think so.  I'm good with it now.  Really happy about it,
actually.  Dad deserves to be happy.  You deserve to be happy.  I love my
dad.  I love you, you know, friends, sisters, okay?  So that's the way it
is."

   "And you want to come live with US."

   Giggle.  "See?!?  You already say 'us'.  You got it bad."

   "I admit that.  Saturday I will admit it in front of a preacher and in
front of my family and Bill's daughter."

   "And that's serious stuff, y'know," Deena stated.  "I remember when Mom
left Dad.  It was terrible for him..."

   "I will never leave him."

   "I believe you," she retorted.  "But you don't think it's too weird?  I
mean, you and me, we go to the same school, and everybody will know that
you're married to my dad and I live with y'all."

   "Yeah, I know ...  D'you think you can put up with that crap?"

   "Uh-huh.  I can do that.  Nobody'll care, anyway.  You know how school
is.  Always one kind of drama or another."

   "So we kind of have a plan then?" I asked.

   "Yep," she answered.  "You work your end and I'll work mine." Then she
giggled.  "D'ya know what I just said?!?

   "Evil stepchild," I laughed.  My phone buzzed an incoming call.  "That's
your dad," I told her.

   "Okay, Mom," she tittered.  "Talk to you later."

   "'Kay.  Bye." I punched up the incoming call.  "Hi, babe."

   "Hello, sweetness.  How was your day?"

   "Pretty good.  I can't wait for Saturday.  And me 'n' Deena talked.  You
and me, we need to have some more discussion."





   Chapter 4

   Bill's turn:

   Surprises.  That's what I need in my life.  More surprises.  Marrying
Haley?  Not a surprise.  It's going to happen.  The little brown-haired
darlin' treats it as inevitable.  Since she's got me wrapped around her
little finger, I guess it really is inevitable.

   She's the one that broke the news to Deena in a roundabout manner.  When
I called Deena to talk with her about us getting married, she launched into
me about what she'd heard at school.

   So, okay - daughter's good with it.  Deena's always been a quirky kid, a
little spoiled because I had the tendency to do everything she wanted to
compensate for being the absent dad, right up until I moved next door to
Haley and SHE got involved in my life.  From that point on, I colored my
actions with Deena a bit to make room for Haley.  I think Haley was a good
influence on Deena.

   The news about me marrying Haley, that was received as good news by
Deena.  Her mom, on the other hand, well, Laney and I have NOT been
friends. Out of sight and hearing of Deena, I regarded Laney as a whore of
the gravest sort.

   She launched into me viciously, threatening to keep Deena from me
because of my moral lapse of marrying a girl only two years older than my
daughter.  That was her first kick out of the gate.  However, after a bit
of me NOT going off on her the way I desperately wanted to, she started
coming down off her rage.  That got me the permission Haley and I wanted
for Deena, Haley's best friend, to be at the Saturday informal wedding.

   The surprise, though, is that somewhere in the previous night's
conversation, Deena announced that she had wanted to move in with me.  That
she'd been thinking about it before she found out - officially - that Haley
and I were getting married.

   Turns out that she'd suspected.  I don't have a stupid daughter.  But
she was STILL considering moving to my house, even when she suspected that
there was something going on between her best friend and me.

   That news makes me nervous as a cat.

   Child custody.  My attorney during the divorce told me, "Bill, you could
have videos of her giving free blowjobs in front of the courthouse every
Friday and the family court judge would award custody to her.  We can fight
it.  Cost you money because when you lose, the judge is going to rule that
you pay HER fees, too."

   "Sucks," I'd said then.

   Now?  Deena said that her step-dad, cheesy lawyer that he is, in her
words, 'would be happier if she didn't have ME, ' so maybe there's the
possibility that I could gain custody without an expensive court battle.

   So that's a plus.

   The minus, of course, is that she and my new wife are two years apart in
age and have treated each other like sisters or best friends or a
combination of both for a few years.  Since I moved into this house and
somehow ended up with Haley in my life, I cannot remember a weekend
excursion or a longer trip that I've taken with Deena that didn't include
Haley.

   And I'm marrying Haley, an act which means that the status changes. 
Instead of Haley and Deena sitting up at night, giggling and talking about
things I probably didn't want to know about, Haley will be in MY bed and
Deena will be in her room at the other end of the house, knowing that her
dad and her friend were up the hall having, among other possibilities, SEX.

   I'm a dad, the saddest variety of a dad, in fact, a dad with a not
unlovely teenaged daughter.  A dad who's supposed to, along with her mom,
present an example of the sanctity of sex within the proper boundaries of
love and marriage.  Oh, yeah, I'm a hypocrite, but at least I thought I was
hiding it.  When Laney left me, she and her lawyer gigolo were cohabiting
immediately.

   Matters not.  As they say, the optics are not optimal.

   I voiced my concerns to my partner.  Well, she dragged some of it out of
me.  She knows me, okay?

   "Let me get this straight," she said.  "You're worried that she'd be
HERE and know that we're doin' it in the same house?"

   "Yeah," I nodded.

   "But you're okay with her staying with her mom and knowing that you 'n'
me are doin' it here while she's there, an' her mom is doing her stepdad in
THAT house?" Giggle.  "Do you have a geography problem?  Proximity issues?"

   I rolled her over and kissed her.  "Just love a girl who knows the word
'proximity'."

   "Stoppit!" she squealed.  "We're trying to figure out something.  You
have a GOOD girl for a daughter, baby.  She's had sex with one fewer guys
than me.  So she's a nicer girl than I am."

   "The guy you marry doesn't count," I said.

   "Then I'm a nice girl, too," she smiled.

   "Very nicest girl."

   "I feel like it, baby," she returned.  "I never did think I was being
nasty for doing that 'forbidden fruit' thing.  I knew I loved you and I
wanted to love you in every way I could."

   I kissed the crown of her head.

   "Doesn't mean I didn't giggle inside sometimes when I thought about it.
I mean, all those girls talking about sneakin' around and how experienced
they were and how nasty and all.  And every night I was curling up in our
bed, making love, enjoying way more sex than they ever dreamed." She kissed
me.  "And neither of us could say a thing about what was going on."

   "And Saturday it changes, sweetness," I said.

   "It does.  And then I'll have a step-daughter in an unusual family
arrangement."

   "Yeah," I said.  "So what are your thoughts?  How would that work?"

   She smiled.  "Just like any other family.  Husband and wife, daughter."

   "There are interesting details."

   "I know," she said, "but honestly, babe, what're the other options?  You
say 'no', how's that going to play out?  You chose your new wife over your
daughter?  Her mom says 'no', the courts agree, which they might or might
not, she stays there, unhappy about the situation.  Choose carefully."

   "Did I ever tell you that I adore you because you can THINK?"

   "Yeah, uh-huh," she giggled.  "All that thinkin' is messing up a set of
bedsheets right now."

   "Didn't say it was the ONLY reason I adore you."

   Giggle and a flurry of kisses.  "Seriously, babe," she said, "All I'm
saying is that one thing I see you do that just melts me is the way you
treat your daughter and I never want to stop that if there's any earthly
way possible.  So if she wants to come live here, we'll make it work. 
It'll take all three of us sometimes, but if there's a problem, we can fix
it.  Family.  We'll be a family."

   Deena's turn:

   Dad's getting married.  That's a good thing.

   Okay, I'm Deena Simon.  I know, everybody else in America thinks that's
pronounced 'Seye-mun' like in 'Simon says' but Dad's roots are Cajun and so
it's 'SEE-moan' but I'll answer to either one in school, but I reserve the
right to correct the pronunciation.  Politely, of course.

   I'm like so many of the kids my age - parents divorced.  Mom's
remarried. Sad story.  I was seven.  Mom worked at a law firm.  Dad's an
engineer.  He spends some time on the road from time to time.  Mom started
leaving me with her sister when Dad was out of town.  Next thing I knew,
Mom and Dad split up.  Dad moved out.  Divorce.  Mom sold the house when
she moved in with Harv.

   Dad cried over me.  I don't think he cried much over Mom after he found
out about her and Harv.  I dunno.  Like I said, I was seven.

   Mom remarried.  Dad didn't.  For a while he rented an apartment and he
got me every other weekend and he sometimes got me during the week, and he
took vacation in the summer so we could go off an adventure together.

   When I was nine, he bought this house.  There was a girl living next
door.  The first time that Mom saw that house next to Dad's, she said
something about rednecks and trailer trash.  I guess for a while some of
that rubbed off on me, because I met the girl, Haley, and she's two years
older than me and there are no other kids on the street that are even close
to our ages.

   She tried to be my friend and I tried to like her, but like I said, Mom
rubbed off on me.  It took a while, but Dad rubbed off, too.  Haley was
sort of my friend, then, but when you're two years apart in age and one of
you is ten, that's a big gap.  Still, Dad kinda pushed, so a lot of times
when I was there on weekends, if we went to a movie or something, Haley
came with us.

   When I went home after every visit, Mom always asked me if Dad met a
girlfriend.  She even asked me to get a peek at Dad's bathroom to see if
there were extra things like shampoos or extra toothbrushes.

   I thought about that.  I mean, other friends at school in similar
circumstances tell about going out to eat or to a movie or more with their
parent's new significant other.  Five years.  Dad never showed me a
significant other.

   Dad has this explanation about reality.  He says reality is like it's
inside a box and everybody gets to poke a hole in the box and look at
reality, but a person can only see through his little hole, so I can see
some things that the person looking into the box from another hole can't
see, and vice versa.  I listen.  Dad's not stupid and I love him, so I
listened to that.

   Now I realize that what he said was true.

   You see, I kept waiting for the girl who would be my dad's mate to show
up one day, and there she was, right there beside me.

   It all started to add up.  We'd go to a movie with Dad, she started
sitting on one side of him with me on the other.  Same thing at home
watching TV.  If we talked him into sitting on the sofa with us, he'd end
up in the middle, with me leaning into him from one side, Haley from the
other.

   Same thing when he was in his recliner.  I know we're teenaged girls
now, but I still love my daddy, so I'd go sit on one arm of his recliner
and when I did that, Haley'd get on the other, then we'd giggle and fall in
on him until he hollered that he couldn't breathe.

   Goodnight kiss?  I got one.  Haley didn't get left out.  Same thing, in
the morning.  I always loved crawling into Dad's bed, snuggling against him
in the morning.  Haley did that with me, too.

   I should've paid attention to what I was seeing right in front of me
sooner, but it slowly dawned on me.  When I spent the night on my weekends
with Dad, Haley would come over sometimes and we called it our two-girl
slumber party.  We'd sit in bed and talk, and when I talked about Dad, her
face sort of lit up.  I realized I'd seen that look before when one of my
classmates 'fell in love'.

   But it was Haley.  And my dad.

   And it all fell into place when I heard from one of the girls I used to
go to school with.  Her sister's in high school and heard a rumor that
Haley was getting married, that she was engaged to a guy a lot older than
her.

   I was about to call Dad when he called me to tell me.

   "I heard that Haley's engaged to some older guy, Dad.  If it's not you
I'm going to be very mad."

   That's the way I felt about it.  Why shouldn't Dad be happy?  I wished
he would find somebody for years.  I guess he did.  I need to get details
from Haley.

   Mom came unglued, though.  "She's YOUR age, Deena.  He's a child
molester.  Has he ever..."

   "Mo-ommmm.  Get real.  And she's TWO years older than me.  It's legal
for her to get married."

   "That's it!  I'm done!  He's not gonna have YOU in the house while he's
doin' some teenaged bimbo!"

   "Mom, Haley's sort of my big sister and best friend.  She's NOT a bimbo.
She's very smart.  Straight A student.  Like me.  I'm not a bimbo either."

   "I didn't say you were, Deena," Mom fumed.

   "Well, according to what I know about Haley, who you just called a
bimbo, I could be.  We're a lot alike."

   "You're not going over there." She grabbed her cellphone, called Dad,
and launched into him.  When she told him I wasn't going to be allowed over
there, I started tearing up.

   "Mom, he's my DADDY!"

   Tears don't often work on Mom, but she started softening up.  "Sometimes
I really hate you," she told him.

   I guess he told her that he wanted me at the wedding.

   "Deena says Saturday." She paused.  "Deena tells me not to go off the
deep end." She paused again.  "Okay.  I'll get over this.  I might wake up
in a cold sweat later, but she can go." Then, "Shit!  Just shit, Bill. 
Here, she wants to talk to you," and she handed me her phone.

   "Hi, Dad," I told him.  "I tried to tell 'er not to go off the deep
end."

   "I just heard the splash."

   "This'll work out.  I know it will.  I'll go to the wedding, then you
can drop me off back home and go off together.  Are you gonna be back in
time for me to come over next weekend?" Already I'm thinking about how
that's gonna work, me in my bedroom - yes, I have MY bedroom at his house -
and him and Haley in their bedroom at night and I know that they might be
doing things.

   "We will.  We're saving our honeymoon trip for later when it won't
interfere with Haley's school."

   That's part of what makes this so weird.  Haley's in HIGH school.  I
giggled.  "My dad marrying a high school student.  Shouldn't you be living
in a trailer park somewhere?"

   "Where'd you get that evil streak?"

   "'S not evil.  Just harsh observation.  And I got it from my dad."

   "I love you, punkin."

   "I love you, too, Dad.  And hug my step-mom for me."

   "I'll do that.  Bye, sweetie."

   When I hung up Mom's phone, I was smiling.  Mom saw it.

   "What are you smiling about, Deena?"

   "Mom, two people are getting married.  That's a good thing."

   "Your dad..."

   "Mom, you 'n' Dad have been divorced for seven years now.  You
remarried. Why shouldn't Dad?  He needs a partner too, you know."

   "She's a kid."

   "And maybe she's not.  Do I act like all the other teenaged girls you
know?"

   "Thankfully, no, you don't."

   "Part of that's Haley's fault.  You 'n' Dad, y'all try to be the best
parents you can, but Haley's almost my age, and SHE isn't like all those
other teenaged girls either." I sighed.  "And she deserves to be happy,
too."

   I pulled my iPhone out of my pocket.  "Lemme show you some pictures of
Haley.  You'll see..." I have some that Dad took of her and me.  I pulled
them up.  The most recent ones are telling.

   Mom looked.  "She's shorter than you ...  And ...  not as developed."

   "Physical things, Mom.  You 'n' Dad both say to look past the physical
appearances.  I can't show you her personality."

   She zoomed in on Haley's face.  "She doesn't wear a lot of make-up."

   "Neither do I," I replied.  "I guess that bimbos are supposed to wear
lots of make-up." I sort of shocked myself, popping out like that.  Mom
spends quite a bit of time fixing her face, especially if she and Harv are
going out.

   "That's not what I'm saying.  She's kind of plain..."

   "Dad says she's a standard brown-haired girl.  She punches him in the
arm when he says it."

   "Deena baby, You don't have to be okay with this, you know..."

   "Mom, I AM okay with this.  Why shouldn't Dad be happy?  Or Haley.  Or
both?"

   "You're still young, baby.  You look at things differently."

   "Maybe so, Mom, but I love you and I love Dad." I hugged her, ending the
conversation.  She left me to go join Harv in his study.

   I headed to the bedroom with my iPhone, dialed Haley.  She answered.  I
could HEAR the smile.

   "This wedding stuff is stressful," I said.

   We talked for just a little bit.  Okay, she let on that she was sitting
beside Dad, so they were together.  She's sixteen.  It's illegal for him to
DO anything to her.  Funny how the law works.  One day, it's a crime for a
guy like Dad to touch a teen.  Next day, they're married, and anything
goes.

   I was in my bedroom.  I pulled out my iPad, Dad's gift to me, and I
opened up a book I was reading.  My mind kept wandering off the story.

   I did an inventory of my feelings.  Mom seems to think I should see
something wrong.  I just have trouble working myself up to that idea.  The
best I could do was maybe a little bit of jealousy because Haley married
Dad, that meant that she'd be living there with him.

   Which was something I'd been thinking about doing.  No, don't be silly,
not the kind of 'living with him' that Haley's gonna be doing.  I wanted to
move in with him because I think that Harv and Mom might be happier if I
was out of the way.

   Mom had never said anything to me.  Neither did Harv.  But I've heard
them talking about it before.  I hadn't talked to Dad about it, either.

   I tried reading some more.  Finally I decided to call my best friend
again.

   "We talked about it," I said.  "I always thought that you and I would be
like sisters who lived in separate houses.  I still kind of want to move in
with Dad, but this is a little weird.  Do you hate it?"

   "Uh, no," she said.  "But it's a big decision.  We need to talk with
your dad.  He loves you, though..."

   "Last thing I want to do is come between you and him, though, Haley.  I
really want y'all happy."

   "Your dad's a happy person, Deena..."

   "He wasn't during the divorce, Haley.  It was bad.  That's why I
wondered for so long why there was no other woman in his life.  I mean, I
thought he would've dated."

   "He did.  Just wasn't who he was looking for," Haley told me.  "And he
said he wasn't about to present a stream of women to his daughter..."

   "But he moved in next door to you..."

   "And we are friends.  Right from the beginning - friends.  You know how
smart your dad is.  He helped me in school.  Still does, from time to
time."

   "What do you think Dad would say if I asked him about moving in?"

   "I'm almost certain that your dad would buy it.  He's MY husband, well,
gonna be, come Saturday, and I think I know how he thinks."

   "Privacy," I said.  "That's what Harv said to Mom.  Something about
privacy."

   "I know," Haley sighed.  "But your bedroom's way down the hall from your
dad's bedroom, and we all know how to close doors and not open them
uninvited, huh?"

   "We do," I affirmed.

   "Is it gonna freak you out, knowing that me and your dad..."

   "It doesn't freak me out that my mom and Harv do it.  I know they do."

   We decided that on the Friday evening before they got married, I'd come
over and Haley and I would have our last two-girl slumber party.  That's
what I said.

   "It won't be, Deena.  Your dad still has to work out of town every now
and then.  We can do our slumber parties while he's gone."

   "But if I live there..."

   Haley's got a cute giggle.  Now I know that she giggled a lot for Dad.
Probably pushed him over the edge, not that I think about it.  Anyway... 
"We'll do exactly the same thing when he's gone.  I'm sixteen.  I can take
care of myself.  And if YOU'RE here ...  Besides, Mom and Mister Steve live
right next door."

   I was distracted the next day at school, to say the least.

   Nope.  Still couldn't come up with a reason to be upset with Dad 'n'
Haley.  The fact is that I was sort of peeved at Mom for thinking that I
should be mad.  I pushed the unhappy thoughts out of my mind.

   Other thing.  Next door neighbor owns, among other things, a flower
shop. Haley and I talked.  It's going to be a very plain wedding, just her
folks and me with her and Dad, but she NEEDS something.  I envisioned my
brown-haired sister in a simple dress with a wreath of little flowers on
her head.  A quick phone call after school got that lined up.  Somebody can
pick it up Saturday morning.

   There's a bit of time between the end of school and the time Dad gets
home, so I know I won't be interfering with him and Haley's time together
if I call.

   Now there's a thought for you.  I wonder exactly how MUCH time they
spend together.  I smile to myself.  Maybe it's best not to know.  After
all, Dad 'n' Haley are the formula for a felony, at least until Saturday.

   I do know, though, that Dad gave her the keys to his personal car.  He
drives a company minivan back and forth to work.  No more school bus for
Haley.  I'm thinking that if I live there, Haley and I can ride to school
together.  She could drop me at the middle school and pick me up in the
afternoon.  And just maybe, when I got old enough, a car of my own.

   So anyway, I called Haley.  "I got your flowers lined up," I said.

   "Okay.  Mom 'n' Steve can pick 'em up Saturday morning."

   "That'll work," I said.  "I used Mom's credit card.  It comes out of my
allowance, though."

   "It's very special to me, Deena.  I so much wanted for you to be okay
with this."

   "I'm very okay, Haley.  It's a good thing."





   Chapter 5

   Bill's turn:

   Friday, the day before the wedding.  When I pulled my company car (they
gave me a sedan instead of a mini-van, last time around) into my driveway,
my little SUV was already there.  Haley's driving it now.  Insurance? 
Screw 'em.  Tomorrow I'll send 'em a notification that I'm married and my
WIFE is driving it.  I've seen Haley's driving.  She's careful.  Thought we
could risk it.

   I walk in to see Haley and Deena sitting on the sofa.  That's not an
unusual thing.  I've had the two of them together in my living room dozens
of times.  Make that 'hundreds'.  That Deena and Haley are friends is a
happy development.

   This time, it's different, though.  They both stand for greetings. 
Deena gets a hug and a daddy kiss.  Haley gets a hug and ...  Wow!  Not
quite a 'take me to bed and screw me silly' kiss, but a definite change
from the innocent little kisses I used to get from her in Deena's
proximity.

   Deena squealed.  "Now that's the kind of kiss I expected you to give
'im, Haley!"

   "Told ya, Deena.  It's real.  It's REALLY gonna happen."

   That statement got Deena wrapped around both me AND Haley, then the two
of them pushed me bodily into my recliner.  Haley pulled the handle,
tilting me back, and they each grabbed a shoe.

   "Wow," I said.  "I could LIKE this."

   "We're bribing you," Haley giggled.  "We want a nice dinner."

   "I noticed no cooking was going on," I said.

   Deena named a restaurant.  It wasn't an expensive restaurant, just a bit
above the middle of the scale.

   I laughed.  "I was hoping you weren't planning on ordering pizza.  Don't
you think I just might have intended on a special dinner tonight?" Then I
stopped talking.  Foot rub.  Second only to sex with Haley on that 'best
feeling in the world' list.

   The foot rub ended in what almost was a common thing from when the girls
were much younger.  Deena perched on one arm of my recliner, Haley on the
other.

   Giggle.  "You can sit in his lap, Haley.  I know you've sat in his lap
by now."

   I'm thinking 'and she knows exactly the effect that move has one me',
but Haley just sort of slumped off the arm of the recliner and into my
arms.

   She looked up at me with those big brown eyes.  Smiled.  "Our daughter
says to sit in your lap."

   "Our daughter is crazy."

   "Not crazy, Dad.  Happy.  It's all clear to me now.  How long have you
loved each other?  I know Haley didn't walk in here on her birthday and say
"I love you, let's get married" an' you said "Sure!  Great idea!"

   Haley looked at me, smiled, then looked at Deena.  "Your dad's sort of
been my best friend ever since he moved into this house.  It's just
inevitable.  We sort of talked about being married before ...  quite a
while ago, really."

   Giggle.  "I could tell.  Didn't know what I was seeing, but now it's all
so clear."

   "Oh, stop gloating, baby," I told Deena.  "You could've said something."

   "Only if I thought one of you would get hurt.  I wasn't SURE sure,
anyway." She kept on.  "So all those times we jumped in bed with you in the
morning, I guess that was a lot stranger than I thought, huh?"

   Haley smiled demurely.  "I guess I could've said it was just too weird
for me to do that, but it really was nice to snuggle with 'im."

   "Uh-huh," Deena said.

   "Kinda got me to thinking that I LIKED 'im more than just friends,"
Haley said.  "But I couldn't do anything because it's against the law."

   I just kept my mouth shut.  Haley and I have had plenty of talks about
what she couldn't say about us, which was basically nothing past 'good
friend' and absolutely nothing past 'friendly kiss'.  I suppose that one
day in the future, Deena might find out a bit more of the truth, but for
right now, Haley's little white lie was plenty enough.

   I dunno.  I think Deena's a little happier than normal.  We trekked off
to dinner.  Deena relinquished her normal front seat slot, the seat she
normally took when the three of us went anywhere before.  Haley accepted it
with a smile.

   Dinner was delightful.  I'm beginning to think that things will work out
as planned.  Me and Haley married, Deena still happy daughter.

   "So, Dad," Deena started, "Have you given any more thought about me
coming to live with y'all?"

   I definitely noted the 'y'all' instead of 'you'.  "Haley says you two
can work it out."

   "But what do YOU say?"

   "I love you.  I love Haley.  You're my daughter.  She's gonna be my
wife. And if you two think you can live together under one roof, then I'd
be a fool not to say yes."

   Deena smiled at Haley.  "How hard was he to convince?"

   "Biggest problem," Haley returned, "was getting him to understand that I
was FOR it.  He's very protective of me and you both.  Wrong choice would
have hurt all three of us.  There was only one right choice."

   "Dad," Deena said, then smirking, "Mom.  I'll be a good daughter."

   "You'll be my evil stepchild," Haley laughed.

   "And I'll hate it," Deena retorted.  She looked at me.  "Dad, I really
am gonna talk to Mom.  I'll wait, though.  How long?"

   "A week or two," Haley injected.

   "Baby," I said, "you have no guarantee that your mom will buy into
this."

   I watched Deena's head bob.  "Don't be surprised, Dad.  Seriously."

   "Look, baby, you'll always be my daughter.  If you can live here and you
and I and Haley can have a harmonious family with her being my wife and
your sister at the same time, that's a good thing."

   We finished a good meal and headed home.  Once home, we all attended to
showers, me in my own, the two girls using the shower in the hall bathroom.
There was a lot of undecipherable talking going on in Deena's bedroom, then
I heard them coming up the hall.  Deena was wearing a blue dress.

   My eyes popped.  It was exactly the same dress that I'd bought for Haley
on her last birthday.  To my knowledge, Deena had not seen that dress.

   "What do you think, baby?" Haley asked.

   "Did you show her YOUR dress?"

   Haley nodded.  "Just now.  This is freaky."

   "How long have you had that dress, Deena?"

   "Mom bought it for me two weeks ago."

   "A week before my birthday, baby," Haley added.

   "I can get another one, but I need to go to Mom's," Deena offered.

   "Nope," Haley asserted.  "This is a sign."

   "Too many signs, Dad," Deena smiled.  "This is supposed to happen.  The
marriage, I mean.  And me being part of this family.  Here."

   I shook my head.  "Just crazy.  We're going to the courthouse and you
two are dressed like sisters and I'm marrying one of you.  Oughta raise
eyebrows, for sure."

   Haley giggled.  "My name's on the marriage license, so we don't lose
track of who's what.  And Mom and Mister Steve'll push me up front."

   I sat back in my recliner.  Same as when I got home, daughter on one
side, Haley on the other.  Deena reached over and gave Haley a friendly tug
sideways, dumping her in my lap.  Different from this afternoon, though,
was that earlier I had the jeans on that I wore many workdays, and Haley
had her school uniform khaki slacks.

   Now, I was wearing light cotton pajamas and Haley was in her nightshirt
and panties and she put her arms around my neck and melted into me,
something she has a knack for from the earliest days of our relationship.
It felt too good the first time she did it.  It still feels too good, but
I'm not going to complain.

   Tomorrow she's going to be mine.

   Tonight, though...

   "As much as I love this, it's not a good way to watch TV."

   "Okay, Dad," Deena grinned.  "I'll move.  Maybe Haley doesn't wanna move
just yet."

   Haley smiled demurely.  "If you don't mind, Bill."

   I smiled.  "I could get used to this."

   "You'd better not," Haley returned.  "You'd better regard every instance
as a rare treasure."

   Deena was paying attention.  "Dad, you might have bitten off more than
you can chew.  Haley's mind is a lot quicker than Mom's, I think."

   Haley kissed me on the nose.  "And don't you forget it." And thankfully,
in the interests of decorum, she slid off me.  I was able to mostly hide an
erection and the flash of those brown eyes told me that she knew I had one.

   At bedtime, I got a daddy-daughter kiss from Deena and a much hotter
kiss from Haley.  They went off to Deena's room.  I crawled into my own bed
alone, hopefully for the last time.

   As was more or less the standard, I was drifting along between sleep and
awake the next morning when I was disturbed by a pair of teen girls, one on
each side.  I turned one way, kissed Deena on her nose, turned the other
direction, ran into Haley's lips.

   "Excuse us, Deena," Haley said.  "All of a sudden this is REALLY good."
She wrapped her arms around me.  I half-responded, holding Haley against
me, trying to project some idea that this was new and exciting to both of
us.

   Really, though?  Deena's no dummy.  I'm sure she surmises that this
isn't the first time Haley and I have been in this bed in a hot embrace,
she's just too polite to say so.

   Haley wiggled back.  "STOP, you!  We're not married.  I'm a good girl!"

   "Okay," I said.  "You two get dressed enough for us to go up the road
for breakfast."

   "You could stay in bed and we'll make you breakfast," Haley said. 
They'd done that more than once.  I saw it as a demonstration of the girls'
burgeoning domestic skills.

   "Let's not," I said.  "Kitchen's clean.  Haley and I won't be back here
until Sunday evening."

   "Okay," Deena said.  She started out of the bed.  So did Haley, whose
eyes twinkled as she gave my erection a little squeeze.

   By the time I was sitting in the living room, putting my shoes on, the
two of them came in, both dressed in jeans and sneakers, giggling.

   "What's so funny?"

   "Deena says this is our last time as equals.  Next time she stays here,
I'll be her stepmom."

   I looked past Haley to Deena.  She was grinning.

   "Dad, I know you're still worrying.  I can read your face," Deena said.
"Look at us!" she said, standing beside Haley.  "Does this look like two
people who aren't going to get along?  I mean, really?"

   "Yeah, Bill.  Really," Haley added.

   "Okay, okayyyy," I said.  I stood, wiggling one foot to seat it in a
shoe.  "Let's go eat breakfast."

   In the car and up the road, the local diner does a fine job of
breakfast. Even the coffee's good.  Driving back to the house, though, I
had to make another minor adjustment to my seat.  Moving it from what was
comfortable for six foot two me to five foot three Haley was a big switch
that I seldom got right on the first try.  I'm thinking Haley gets her own
car soon.  Either that, or she starts driving when she and I are out and
about together.

   We played around the house until ten, then it was time.  Haley went to
her house to get dressed.  She'd ride to the courthouse with her family. 
I'd take Deena there myself.

   Deena and I both showered.  I shaved carefully, splashed on the
aftershave that Haley favored.  'Favored'?  She'd chosen it for me.  "Baby,
if I had the money I'd've bought it for you as a present," she'd said. 
That's good enough for me.

   I came out wearing one of my suits.  Deena eyed me up and down,
carefully.

   "You look good, Dad."

   "Baby," I said.  "Are you really okay with this?"

   "Gee, Dad.  What if I said 'NO!' and broke into tears?  Kinda late,
huh?!?"

   "I love you, sweetie.  I want you to be happy, too."

   She turned those blue eyes on me.  "Great, Dad.  Then marry my best
friend and the two of you just be happy and make room for me.  I'm serious.
I told Mom that.  Watched 'er change colors an' everything." She smiled,
the same smile that brought me joy from her being my daughter for fourteen
years.  "How'd'ya like my dress?"

   I laughed.  "I better like it.  Haley's got the same one."

   "I know, right?!?" Deena laughed.  "A total accident, too.  It's a sign,
Dad.  You have the two of us to love in your life, just that Haley's gonna
be your wife." She thought for a second, then, "Honest, now, Dad.  You'n
Haley.  This morning wasn't the first time she hugged you like that in your
bed, was it?"

   I was kind of stunned at the directness of Deena's question.  I said
nothing, just gazed at her.

   She smirked.  "That's okay, Dad.  After today, it won't matter anyway.
But Dad, I'm not stupid, okay?"

   "Never thought you were stupid, puddin'," I said, using a pet name from
her early childhood.

   She smiled.  "One plus one equals two.  Where there's friction, there's
heat, okay?  The fact that the two of you are so obviously happy with each
other means that it's real, nobody's being exploited, right?"

   "What kind of animal could exploit Haley?" I posited.

   "Dad, me 'n' you both know there are all kinds of animals out there,
masquerading as human beings.  Sometimes we have to live quite close to
them."

   "Sadly, that's true," I answered.

   She looked at me with a sudden seriousness.  "One of the reasons I wanna
move in here."

   "Wha???"

   "Nothing's happened yet, but I get a feeling ...  Dad, I don't let
myself be alone with Harv."

   "Baby!" I blurted.  "Seriously?"

   "He hasn't said anything.  Done anything.  But I sort of stopped hugging
him like I did when I was little.  Before I started growing up, you
know..."

   Now my mind's a blur.  A man protects his daughter.  That's the way it
IS.  "What makes you think that?"

   "I dunno.  Looks.  Little turns of phrase when Mom's not paying
attention.  Dad, I don't think he's gonna FORCE me, but I just won't be
alone with 'im.  And I can't exactly tell Mom, you know, because I don't
have proof."

   "But you moving here with me and my WIFE..."

   She smiled a bit.  "Yeah, I know it'll be kinda strange, but we'll make
it work, you 'n' me 'n' Haley.  And I won't have to worry about Haley
wanting to grab my tits."

   "Look, baby," I said.  "You work on your mom about moving in here just
as soon as you can.  Haley and I will figure this out.  We'll all fit
together."

   "'Kay, Dad.  Now don't go beatin' the shit out of Harv, okay?"

   "Not unless he lays a hand on you.  Then he's fair game.  And he won't
know who or what hit 'im."

   "I love you, Dad.  You've been the best dad I can imagine, given the way
we have to live." She sighed.  "Now let's go get you married."

   I hugged her hard.

   "I love you, Dad," she repeated.  "I'd say Haley doesn't know what she's
getting, but really?  I believe she does."

   When we walked out to the car, I saw Haley's bunch in Steve's big pickup
truck, backing out of their driveway.

   "Don't look, Dad!" Deena squeaked.  "You're not s'posed to see the bride
before the wedding."

   "You and the bride were in my bed this morning," I retorted, laughing.

   "In ONE sense of the word," Deena giggled.  "I'm quite sure that will
change, if it hasn't already."

   "Deena!"

   "I know.  Felony.  I'll shut up now," she continued snickering.

   Haley's contingent had to stop at the florist's shop, so we were in the
judge's office waiting when they got there, exchanging pleasantries with
the parish judge who'd be the officiant.  His eyes widened when Haley and
her family walked in and he saw Haley in a dress identical to my
daughter's.

   "We didn't KNOW," Deena squeaked.  "Honest.  I bought mine two weeks
before she bought hers."

   The judge nodded, watched as Marie and Deena took a little tiara of
orange blossoms out of the box and put it on Haley's head.  Haley had a
little nosegay of colorful flowers clasped in her hands, as well.

   I was almost in tears, she looked so perfect, so simple, so beautiful.

   Deena sidled up to me.  "A girl should be beautiful on her wedding day,
don't you think, Dad?"

   Two words to my daughter.  "She's perfect."

   Vows.  Rings.  A simple kiss.  Tears.  Signatures to the certificate of
marriage.  It's over.

   We walked out to my SUV.  Oops.  Momentous change.  OUR SUV.  Unusual
for honeymooners leaving, though, Deena's in the back seat because we need
to drop her off at her mom's.

   That's giggle-worthy between my daughter and her brand new step-mom.

   "Take me home first, Dad," Deena giggled.  "I know y'all're gonna go
home and change clothes, and there's no tellin' what kind of stuff will
happen.  I don't wanna be there for all the screaming."

   "I would never scream, Deena," Haley said.

   "No, but Dad might."

   "Hon," Haley addressed me, "your daughter's evil.  Admonish her."

   "Deena, be nice to your step-mom.  She's gonna be here, like,
forever..."

   "Yes, Mother," Deena said, exaggerating.  "This is gonna be soooo good."

   We dropped Deena off.  "Seriously, baby, if you need ANYTHING, call us,
okay?"

   "Only for an emergency, Dad." She kissed my cheek, then ran around to
Haley's side of the car, whispered, giggled, and kissed her.  "Bye, y'all."

   She was correct.  Haley and I went home first.  You know, of course,
that in order to CHANGE clothes, you have to get OUT of clothes.  I was
carefully rehanging my suit when I turned around.  Haley was stark naked,
her arms folded, smiling.

   "Just keep on undressing, Bill."

   "Yes, ma'am."

   "We have to have an official consummation of our marriage.  This is the
proper place for that." Giggle.  "And the proper time."

   So familiar, our mating, yet somehow different.  Hot.  Fiery hot.  My
little mate came as I struggled to hold off my own to give her time.  Her
first eye-clinched squeak was all I needed to let go.

   I kept her atop me, savoring.

   Finally she spoke.  "That one was brought to you by that hug this
morning."

   "All those times you and Deena joined me in the morning..."

   "Different now.  But we are still people of decorum around Deena," she
said.  "Nothing explicit.  She's seen us kiss now, though.  And loving
couples kiss."

   "Now that I won't go to jail, you may expect more public kisses," I
stated.

   "I expect that.  I would like to NOT have to act like your daughter on
our weekend forays."

   We lay there for a bit, basking in the afterglow, then got up and got
dressed.  Out the door, our destination was a hotel in Galveston that she
had particularly enjoyed on our trips together.  "Just get one of the rooms
overlooking the Gulf," she said.

   "Honeymoon suite?"

   "You 'n' me, we'll honeymoon just fine in a room like we usually get. 
Unless the honeymoon suite, has, like a trapeze or something."

   "You and a trapeze, you'd kill me," I laughed.

   "Regular room, overlooking the water.  Balcony," she said.  "And this
time we'll USE that balcony."

   "I'm assuming that observing the scenery is not what you have in mind."

   "You know how I am when I come," she smirked.  "I can't see when my eyes
squeeze closed."

   So that's where we're heading.

   "We did it!" she giggled.  "We REALLY did it!"

   "I always thought it was inevitable, baby."

   "Me too, Bill, ever since the first time.  But it's REAL!" She reached
over.  I gave her my hand.  "My husband.  Neat!"

   "My wife.  Neat and cute and smart and sexy as hell..."

   "We DID it," she said again.

   "Trying to convince yourself?"

   "I know we did it.  I just ...  I can't get over it.  We did it!"

   "Are you happy?"

   "Baby, I'm delirious."

   "Good.  I'd be delirious too, but one of us has to drive."





   Chapter 6

   Haley's turn:

   I can't tell you how many times I've been sitting in OUR SUV heading out
for an overnight with my Bill.  I was nervous the first time, I mean, after
all, going out of town with a guy to stay at a hotel, you just KNOW you're
gonna go to bed with him, and when it's me and my Bill, that's a felony.

   This time, though, I'm not nervous.  I'm giddy.  The difference?  One
more time I hold my left hand up, looking at the gold band around my ring
finger.  I'm married.  Sixteen.  Married.  And our honeymoon's gonna be
this ONE night, at least for right now.  If things stay on track, we will
do something spectacular later, maybe a cruise or something.

   Honestly?  I'd like to find an isolated cabin somewhere that Bill and I
could rent for a week or two, just me and him, in the woods or on a
mountainside, just us together.  Galveston will work for the time being,
though.  I turn to look at MY Bill.  He's paying attention to driving
because we're still on city streets.

   Some of the KIDS at school made fun of me this week: "She's in
luvvvvvv..."

   It's not an insult if it's true and I like it.  I'm in love.  Been like
that for years.

   And I kept my hands to myself until we got on the interstate, out past
the towns and traffic.  Open road?  Open season.

   "I'm s'posed to be the frightened little bride all afraid of what's
gonna happen on her wedding night."

   "My dear little Haley," Bill said, "I distinctly remember a freshly
de-virginated little girl giving me a lecture on marriage validation in
19th century America."

   "You're right," I smiled.  I squeezed my thighs together remembering
THAT time.  "I wasn't scared that time, either."

   "I was the scared one.  Fourteen year old Haley is probably the most
delightful felony ever committed."

   I giggled.  My Bill really thinks so.  I know what I am to most of the
world.  I'm short and I have brown hair and brown eyes and little titties
and most people don't see me when they look at a bunch of girls or a bunch
of women.

   I think that Bill doesn't see those others, he just sees me.  He's
always made me feel like that.  That alone is worth marrying.  The guy
who's always talked to me and with me and not AT me, that's worth marrying.
The guy who treats me like I'm more than a sperm receptacle, that's worth
marrying.  The guy who treats Mom and Mister Steve and Little Steve like
decent people, that's worth marrying.

   So I married him.

   Now the miles are rolling by behind us.  We're gonna take the coast road
to Galveston.  That means more scenery and going as far as we can on the
Interstate, and it means a short ferry ride and we can get out of the car
for a little bit.  Sometimes we see porpoises.

   First time I saw them I got excited.  Then I thought about it.

   "I act like a kid.  I'm sorry, Bill."

   "You just go ahead and be happy, Haley.  Never lose your joy.  Never be
afraid to say you LIKE something."

   "'S neat."

   "It is."

   That was before we were married, of course, and I couldn't just fall
into his arms and kiss him and tell him how wonderful he makes me feel. 
Not any more.  I fingered that new ring.  He's mine.

   It was a pretty day for the drive, at least as long as you didn't have
to get out in the heat of late summer and move around much.  Bill and I
spend many a late afternoon under the tree in his yard - Oops!  OUR yard,
now - just reading or playing chess, but if we were doing yard work, it was
Sweat City.  Of course, after Mom figured out that we should just go ahead
and BE together, Bill and I showered together most of the time, so sweat
wasn't an issue.

   Today?  Air conditioned car.  Rolling along.  Took a us a little wait in
line for the Galveston ferry, but as soon as we got parked on it, we got
out, let the Gulf breeze, helped along by the ferry's motion, keep us cool.
And porpoises.

   And onto the streets of Galveston.  We know a great restaurant for
lunch. Did that.

   Giggle.  "It's time, baby," I told him.  "Hotel."

   "No walk down The Strand?"

   "Been there," I giggle.  "Ain't never been to a hotel room with a
married guy."

   "You're the youngest married woman I've ever been with," he said.

   Yeah, I know, I'm Wife #2.  Wife #1 has not a clue about what she gave
up.  She didn't see what I see.

   We parked the car and went into the hotel.  I stood there like a good
little wife, holding my bag while Bill attended to getting us checked in.

   I'm starting to get BUTTERFLIES!  Bill and I have been making love for
two years now and I'm getting butterflies just thinking about him and me in
that room.

   The room is sun-lit, fifth floor, overlooking the Gulf of Mexico from
the balcony.  Our bedroom back home is kind of dark.  A tree prevents us
from EVER having real sunlight come through the windows, not like that's a
bad thing, but I'm looking at a king-sized bed, white, brightly lit, and I
am Missus Bill Simon, here with my husband, and I intend to present myself
to him ON that bed, without reservation, gladly, ecstatically.

   "You're thinking, sweetie," he said.

   "I am." I stepped up to him and kissed him in a fashion that should
leave little doubt as to what (or who) was to come next.

   "Grab a corner," he said, stepping to the bed.  "Let's turn the covers
back."

   "Premeditated," I snickered.

   "A very measured approach, dear," he smiled.

   Covers back.  Clothes off.

   "Stand up for a second," I commanded.  "I wanna look."

   He did.  Erect.  Jutting out at a jaunty upward angle, just begging for
attention.  I crawled across the bed on all fours.

   "Closer," I said.

   He knew exactly how close.

   I can't do that 'deep throat' thing, but I can sure enjoy half of it in
my mouth all day, and I can bounce it deeper for a second.  And sucking.  I
love sucking my Bill.  He feels so alive in my mouth.

   This time it's just for a few moments as would be expected for a new
bride on her wedding bed.  When I pull away, he rolls me onto my back and
covers me.  I'm little.  He's big.  And when he does this, traps me under
him, I get the shakes, pure anticipation.

   "It's WET," I giggle.

   "Me or you?"

   Giggle.  "Both!" I squeak, throwing my arms around his neck, pulling him
in for kisses.  That's ONE move.  The other is my legs spreading.  I know
what we need.  So does Bill.  I can't stifle the moan of pleasure as he
enters me, filling me the way I'm meant to be filled.  Fulfilled.  I take
him like this for a bit, then I gently shove, signaling that I want to be
on top.

   I love being on top.  I sit back, rising, looking at his face, knowing
the rapture that's beginning to take it over is the 'us' that defines our
marriage.  Like I said - it has for two years prior to a judge signing our
marriage license.  I can change the angle I'm hitting him.  That's for my
benefit, and why not?  I know that he's trying NOT to come, but when I
start losing it, he's going to ...  A couple more pushes.  It's close for
me.  A couple more and the flames overcome me and through the heat and
light I feel the life pulse from him into me.

   I suppose I could've taken that opportunity to roll off him, but I don't
like to do that and neither does he, so I fold my arms on his chest, put my
chin on them, and gaze into those damned blue eyes that captivated me so
long ago.

   "You're this perfect little thing," he said.  "Wanna marry me?"

   "I'd love to, but I'm already given to this horrible guy who just
squirted all up in me."

   "If I promise to eat you, would you change your mind?"

   Giggle.  "Only if I had something to nibble on, myself."

   "Turn around, you," he grinned.

   I love 'im when he's just finished from coming in me.  He's sort of soft
and sticky and it's tasty and fun and honestly I'd say more about it but
his mouth forms over my pussy, his tongue starts working magic, and my
speech centers start shutting down.  The first time we ever did this, I
came.  This time, I came.  It's wonderful.  He rides me through my orgasm's
aftermath with little kisses until I trust myself to turn around to face
him.

   "You know I love you, don't you, Bill?"

   "Either that or you've been fooling the hell out of everybody for two
years, baby."

   "I can't fake that.  You KNOW I love you."

   "I do.  And I love you just as desperately." He's touching my face,
fingertips lightly brushing my hair back, gently caressing.

   I let a long sigh out, still feeling tingles and surges from that last
orgasm.  Stretched, kissed his face.  "You do know it's not just about sex,
huh?"

   "I know, little angel," he told me softly, "but after THAT, if it was
purely sex, you'd be the candidate."

   "Beast!" I squeaked, "But, yeahhhhh..."

   That got me a power cuddle as he swept me into his arms, letting me
giggle and form myself against him.  I felt the lump of his semi-hard dick
trapped between us.  Started tingling again, I did.  I feel protected.

   I know, I know ...  I've heard the party line about men being, in one
girl's words, 'superfluous'.  She's proud of her vocabulary and her
multicolor hair.  I wonder if she's as proud of that extra fifty pounds she
carries, and forgive me for saying it, but if she'd just experienced what I
just experienced, she'd be hunting some dude down and chaining herself to
him.

   I like feeling protected.  I've read some things, trying to understand
and analyze my feelings, and another theme shows up quite a bit about
females and horses.

   Okay, first off, Bill is NOT like a horse, not THERE.  Six inches.  I
know, because I've sat in the bed, him erect, me giggling, tape measure in
hand.  In this day of the Internet, it's easy to find information about
what 'big' is and what 'normal' is.  My Bill.  Normal.

   Back to that 'horse' thing.  How about the angle of having a powerful
beast between one's thighs?  I smile when I think about that, because that
idea hits close to home.  I love being on top of Bill.  Powerful?  He's not
one of those ripped bodybuilder types, but I've seen muscles ripple on him,
not because he's in a gym, straining on some machine, but because he's
trying to clear up a fallen branch after a bad thunderstorm, you know, REAL
work.

   Yeah, I want my thighs around THAT.  Powerful?  Uh-huh, PLENTY powerful.
And I'm in control.

   Subject of conversation.  "You're trying to analyze this?" he asked me
when we were talking AFTER one of those sessions.

   "Of course, silly," I said.  "You're the one that made me all analytical
'n' stuff.  I'm trying to understand why I am so affected by YOU."

   "S'pose you find out you're not supposed to be affected by me?"

   Giggled at him.  "Science has its limits.  They used to think there were
only four elements, didn't they?  So if I'm not supposed to be googly-eyed
in love, according to science, then science is just WRONG."

   Is he a 'daddy' substitute?  No.  Actually, when you get right down to
it, Mister Steve has done a pretty good job of being a step-dad.  Mom got
lucky.  Yeah, he's like the centerfold in Redneck Monthly, beer gut,
cigarettes, perpetual Bud Lite, but he stepped up to provide a home for me
'n' Mom when Mom got pregnant with little Stevie, and he's NEVER been mean
to me, nor has he ever looked at me the way Deena says her stepdad has
started doing.

   So I have a 'daddy'.  I needed Bill for so many things, but 'daddy'
wasn't on the list.  I could account for friend, teacher, opponent (chess
and other games), challenger, companion, and yes, for two years, lover. 
That last one?  In every sense of the word, he's my 'lover' because he
LOVES me.

   So, 'protected'?  Darned straight.  And I 'protect' right back.  When he
tells me that I put the color and joy back in his life, I believe him.  I
know, of course, that Deena's there too.  I'm quite happy to be part of the
joy of Deena in his life because she's in my life, too.  He says that
before I entered the picture, he just really didn't know how to handle
Deena.  When I came along, waaaay before he and I became intimate, he
handled Deena and me as a unit.

   That's a bit of a sticky point now, because while I won't end my
friendship with Deena, our statuses are no longer quite as equal.  Deena's
turned out to be a good friend, even though she kind of started out snotty
at first.  She says she's good with me and her dad getting married and
wants to live with us, and I believe her.

   Personally, I think it'll happen, and sooner rather than later.  She and
I talked about stepdads.  That conversation sort of put my Mister Steve
into proper perspective.  Her stepdad, Mister Harv, might be a physically
fit, well-educated lawyer, but Steve's always been proper with me.  Mister
Harv's causing Deena some worry.

   But right now I'm being protected.  Completely nude, completely wrapped
up in strong arms, feeling Bill breathing deeply because he's got this
thing about my hair, my drastically plain brown hair.  His nose is in it
and when he breathes in, it's like he's trying to inhale ALL of me.

   Surely, if his nose is in my hair, there's some of him near enough to
... I turn my head, lick my lips, fasten on his shoulder.  Bite.  Not too
hard.  But bite.

   "Mmmmmggggahhhhh, Haley..."

   "I wanna just eat you up, Bill."

   "Lovely idea.  Can I eat you up at the same time?"

   "Oh, you want THAT?" I giggled.

   "Of course I want that.  It's a day ending in 'y', isn't it?"

   "It is.  And it's our wedding day, and we're both still able to move."

   Two more for me.  One when he ate me, the second when he got his while
doing me doggy-style.  I like that variation.  It's just on the edge of
violence.  I'm NOT in control here and I really feel the strength aspect of
our mating.  Bill gets going, I feel his balls bounce against my pussy with
each stroke, he's as deep as he can get in me and that's plenty deep
because I feel the head of his dick pushing my cervix deep inside me and
that adds to all the other sensations I have until I feel him pull me back
onto him, hear his breathing change, feel throbbing deep inside me, then a
flood.

   Triggered.  It's a catchword today for a lot of things, but it perfectly
describes what happens to me with Bill inside me at that moment.

   That's it until after dinner.  I'm dead.  Moribund.  Deceased.  Pining
for the fjords.  The guy next to me, he's equally gone.

   Post-major-coitus nap.  Lassitude shoved along by twinges of a very well
serviced set of genitalia.  Yes, Bill likes it when I say 'pussy' and he
likes it when I use the clinical terms as well, because he knows it's
something I do to tease him and Bill's put on this earth for me to tease
and love.

   And doze with.

   After a short nap, he took me to the shower.  We cleaned each other up,
deciding that decorum requires that we DON'T walk into the restaurant
smelling like refugees from an orgy.  We both get dressed, casual dress,
because hey!  Galveston on a late summer weekend.

   When we woke up the next morning I REALLY didn't want the weekend to
end. There's something different.  Before, it was a matter of us needing to
go back home so we could maintain the appearance of the facades we lived
behind, where our relationship was taboo.  Now, this morning, today when we
woke up, it was into a new world where nobody could ever pull us apart.

   "I know, baby," Bill said.  "I promise ...  Get school going, I'll get
work going, we'll find a spot where we can take off and do something
spectacular."

   I kissed him.  "I've been doing something spectacular for two years,
baby."

   "I know what you mean."

   Neither of us wanted to go but we did, loading up our luggage, heading
back home under blue skies punctuated with popcorn cumulus clouds.  This
time the ferry ride had a couple of porpoises bow-surfing.  Sometimes I
sound like a little girl.  This was one of 'em.  Bill was laughing.

   "You think I'm silly."

   "I think you're beautiful when you laugh.  Big difference."

   He wrapped his arms around me from behind, kissed the top of my head. 
Right there in the sunlight, outdoors, where any and all could see.  That's
one of the differences in our lives.  We're legal.

   We timed our trip home to put us at a favorite Mexican restaurant at
lunchtime.  On Sunday.  So we had to wait just a little bit.  This place is
worth the wait.  From there it's an hour home.

   We didn't do it yesterday - the 'carry the bride across the threshold'
thing.  Bill opened the door, slung me over his shoulder like a sack of
potatoes, hauled me through it, flipped me, squealing, over, cradled me in
his arms and kissed me.

   "It's OUR home now."

   "Forever," I said.  "Let's drag the bags in."

   Next thing - call Mom and tell 'er we're home.  Then text Deena. 
Everybody knows now that they don't have to send out a search party.

   Our first night at home as an officially married couple was sooooo
boringly like so many other nights I spent with Bill before we stood in
front of that judge.  I mean, just a lot of sex, and a lot of cuddling and
a shower together and, yeah ...  I'm sooo bored.

   Monday morning I hate getting up, but I have school and Bill has work. I
really don't need to get up at the same time as he does because I'm driving
his car, which is now OUR car, to school.

   Naturally I call Deena after giving Bill a 'go to work' kiss as he's
leaving.

   "Hi, Haley," she answers.

   "Hey.  Don't catch the bus.  I'm coming to get you."

   "'Kay," she said.  "Dad doesn't mind?"

   "Course not," I said.  I giggle.  His auto insurance got a photo of our
marriage license, signed, after the wedding.  I'm insured to drive his car.
Our car.  Milestone, you know.

   A bit later I pull into her driveway and she comes out, book bag in
hand, jumps into the car, and off we go.

   "Mom's ...  well, she didn't expect us to be going to school together."

   "Is she mad?"

   "No, I guess not.  Shocked, maybe." She bounced sideways in the seat. 
"So tell me..."

   "Tell you what?"

   "You.  Dad.  Honeymoon."

   "It was wonderful.  We went to Galveston.  Stayed on the beachfront in a
hotel - balcony overlooking the water.  Ate at those two restaurants he
took us to that weekend..."

   She looked at me with a steady gaze.  "Wasn't talking about restaurants,
Haley."

   "What else?"

   "You know..."

   "Deena Simon, I am NOT going to discuss the details of my sex life with
you!"

   "Okay, just general terms.  Did it hurt?"

   "No."

   "Was it fun?"

   "Yes."

   "Dad's kinda old.  I heard that old guys..."

   "They're wrong.  I love your dad.  He loves me.  We match up very well,"
I said, trying not to just openly grin.

   "I just want y'all to be happy, is all," Deena said.

   "We are.  I can't see that ever changing."

   "Got room for me?  At home, I mean..."

   "Yeah.  When?"

   "I dunno.  I might talk to 'er this week..."

   "Deena, I'll be glad to have you.  Your dad loves his daughter."

   "But he loves his new wife, too.  And y'all've had two nights together."

   "Can you keep a secret?"

   "Sisters keep each other's secrets," Deena said.  "What?"

   "Your dad and I, this weekend sorta wasn't our first night together."

   Squeal!  "I knew it!  I just KNEW it!  I love bein' right!"

   "Don't gloat.  And Deena, never ever breathe this to another soul.  I
love your dad and he loves me and we've sort of known that for a while..."

   "So you've been sleeping with 'im?  How long?"

   "AIn't telling that.  Maybe one day, but not today.  But it's not like
we can't have you around because it interferes with our privacy."

   "You BAD girl..."

   "I'm NOT bad.  If YOU'RE telling me the truth, I've slept with one more
guy than you have."

   "I never have.  No guys.  Not me.  Gonna be the guy that I marry.  Might
make 'im wait until the wedding night, though."

   "I always wanted more for my daughter than I had," I smirked.

   Snicker.  "I'll make you proud, Mom," she picked.

   Driving my contentious daughter to school, I see that I have to learn
some things about the traffic patterns.  I'm not the only mom dropping a
kid off.  Anyway, I just barely make it to my own school in time for home
room.

   And one of the girls who knew of my impending marriage caught me.  "So
you got married Saturday?  What are you DOING at school?"

   "Being a responsible young wife," I smiled.





   Chapter 7

   Bill's turn:

   I walked into the office at my normal time, that is, half an hour before
the 'official' start time.  Hey, I'm a staff engineer with field functions,
so I don't exactly have to punch a timeclock.  I just like to get there
early enough to have a cup of coffee, talk with people as they come in,
check my email, clean out my distribution box...

   And answer personal questions.

   "So, buddy, you actually DID it?" Chuck Reisner, another engineer,
asked.

   "Yep.  See?  Appropriate jewelry." I waved my new wedding band.  "I got
pictures."

   "G-rated?"

   I snickered.  "She's sixteen.  You can go to jail for the other ones,
married or not." I plugged my iPhone into my docked laptop, pulled up a
good picture of me and Haley at the wedding.

   "Oh, shit, Bill.  She's precious.  "Who's the old bastard standing there
with 'er?"

   "Asshole.  But yes, that's my new wife." Haley standing there, serene
little smile, that blue dress, the wreath of tiny white flowers crowning
the perfectly brushed, shiny brown hair.

   "I wanna see!" came a feminine voice as one of our analysts comes in on
the conversation.

   "That's her," I told Gwen.

   "Beautiful.  Just the way a bride should look," Gwen said.  "So sweet.
So natural." Gwen eyeballed me.  "You're gonna be good to THIS one, right?"

   "I was good to the LAST one," I said.  But I was thinking to myself,
'Haley?  How could you possibly do something to make that face cry?'

   By lunchtime everybody who cared had come by to see the pictures.  I'd
done the proper things with human resources to attach myself and Haley
together for various insurances and programs, steps that seem to solidify
and legitimize a marriage.

   Somebody slowed time down.  The day went on forever before I could see
myself heading out the door for home.  To my wife.

   Our SUV was in the driveway.  I pulled my company car in beside it. 
Thought I was going to have to unlock the door, but I was wrong.  It flew
open, Haley dashed out, catching me in the middle of the driveway for one
of THOSE kinds of kisses.

   Giggle.  "We can kiss in public," she smiled.  "And I love it!"

   "That answers THAT question," I laughed.

   "What question?"

   "Whether you'd be sitting at your Mom's, crying about the horrible
mistake you've made."

   "Hmmphhhh!  Mom told me that I'd better recognize which side my bread's
buttered on."

   "She did?"

   "Yeah, two years ago she told me that if we could stand each other, we'd
be stupid NOT to get married, and if I did something to screw it up, she
was disowning me." She tossed her arms around me as soon as I got in the
door.  "And sooooo, to protect my huge inheritance, I have resigned myself
to the misery of marrying you."

   "The horrors you must endure," I smiled.

   "Horrors," she repeated, kissing me.

   "So how was your first day at school with your wedding band on?"

   "I am soooooo much pregnant, apparently."

   "Oh, that's nice," I said.

   "Like that's the only reason to get married, you know," she said.

   "Come sit on my lap and tell me about it."

   Giggle.  "That's how this all got started."

   "Uh, yeah, okay.  But whose idea was it to do that?"

   "You don't think it was a good idea?"

   "I do now.  Back then, I figured prison was a real possibility."

   "It ended up the way I wanted, though."

   "All we have is an eternity, little one.  Incidentally, your picture
made quite the splash.  You're apparently quite the cutie in our wedding
pic."

   She smiled.  "To most of the world I'm just a little brown-haired girl.
You think I'm beautiful."

   "And so very perfect on our wedding day."

   Aside from the knowledge that we were finally legally married, a
satisfying feeling, to be sure, the biggest change to our lives was that
now we were open with our affection in public.  For the past two years,
we'd been reluctant to even hold hands, much less kiss or sit too close to
each other.  No more.

   Realistically, though, we weren't intending on public displays past the
point of the holding of hands, the hugs, the little kisses that a happy
couple might wish.  We could relax.  A sudden burst of happiness from
Haley, where she'd had to control the urge to grab me for happy kisses, no
longer had to be suppressed.

   We made four days like this.

   Naturally Laney called while I was at work.  I hated this when I was in
the office because I don't like holding personal conversations where they
might be overheard.  Fortunately, I was on the road, visiting a site an
hour's drive away.

   Caller ID gave me the opportunity to steel myself.  I never knew what
the subject of one of Laney's calls might be.

   "Hello, Laney," I said.

   "Bill, we need to have a serious talk about Deena."

   "What's up now?" I asked.  "She seemed fine when we dropped her off
Saturday."

   "Uh, it's ...  Well, she seems to think that Harv's ...  It's bullshit,
Bill.  Pure bullshit.  Harv would never..." She blurted.  I don't know who
she wanted to convince more, me or herself.

   "Slow down, Laney," I said soothingly.  "Now, what about Deena and
Harv?"

   "Deena says Harv is perving on 'er.  I think Deena's got an overactive
imagination, but she told me that if he so much as laid a finger on her,
she was going straight to the police, and you KNOW what that would mean if
it hit the news.  Harv's reputation..."

   I'm thinking that ol' Harv's chickens are coming home to roost as far as
his reputation is concerned, tagging Laney when she was a paralegal in his
law firm, but saying that again wouldn't help the present situation.

   "I can imagine what it would do," I said, dredging up as much compassion
as I could fake.  "So what am I expected to do here?"

   "Look," she stated, "Deena's been talking about moving in with you. 
Even with your new bride..." That last clause had a thick coat of sarcasm.
I ignored it.

   "I haven't encouraged Deena to do that.  She's asked.  I explained to
her about custody and how much hassle it would be if you and I got in a
battle over it."

   "There won't be a battle," she said tersely.

   "How fast do you want this to happen?"

   "I told her that I would talk to you today before your new wife..."

   "Haley.  Her name is Haley, Laney."

   "Okay..." she huffed.  " ...  When Haley picked her up for school. 
Deena's under the impression that you won't have a problem with it."

   "She's right.  She asked Haley if it would be a problem.  They're good
friends.  Haley said they'd be like sisters.  Just like they've sort of
been since I moved into this house and they met."

   "You're sleeping with Haley," Laney stated.

   "Uh, yeah.  She's my wife, you know."

   "She's sixteen."

   "That's a fact, too."

   "And you're gonna tell me that Saturday night was the first time she's
been in your bed."

   "Laney, first, that's none of your business.  I don't make comments
about you and Harv..."

   "I wasn't a teenaged girl."

   "I know, Laney.  And love leads where it may.  Haley's my wife."

   "And if Deena's there..."

   "Deena will be Deena.  My daughter.  Haley's friend.  I doubt that Haley
wants to change her relationship with Deena at all.  Only difference is
where she sleeps at night."

   "Then if I send Deena home with your wife this afternoon..."

   "Make sure she has clothes for school.  We'll figure out the rest."

   "Bill, you haven't even mentioned the child support or the custody
agreement."

   "This is about Deena, our daughter and a real human being.  I'm more
concerned about her than I am about the stupid money or some legal crap. 
But if she's living with me, I expect..."

   "I'll have Harv recommend an attorney," she said.

   "Oh, I think I'd rather use somebody that Harv didn't recommend.  I know
a few ...  I'm not getting crazy with this crap, Laney.  Just standard
stuff.  Joint custody?  We keep that.  I'm the custodial parent.  We just
cut the child support off.  I'll take care of her from here on out,
financially."

   "You think this is rich, don't you?" she spat.

   "Laney, no I don't.  Deena needs to know her mom loves her and her dad
loves her.  We need to keep that going."

   "I suppose," she conceded.  "How will we work this?  They're in school,"
Laney said.

   "I'll text Haley.  She'll tell Deena after school."

   "She can get what she needs for the time being," Laney said.  "In case
she changes her mind..."

   I'm wondering what kind of mind change Laney's expecting, but I don't
comment.

   "Okay, then," I said.  "We'll do it that way.  If she makes two weeks,
we'll go ahead and treat it as permanent, don't you think?"

   "I suppose," she said.  The phone clicked in my ear.

   Now I have those thoughts to entertain me for the rest of the day.  Oh
sure, I knew that the day was coming.  I'm ready for it.  Haley talks like
it's a done deal, almost looking forward to it, as does Deena.

   That leaves me.  It's not like Haley and I haven't ever spent time
together.  We had two years, more or less, of wonderful time together
already.  Yes, I would have loved to have more days of being able to run
around the house naked or semi-naked, chasing a giggling Haley, but we've
had those already, and no, I am NOT about to tell my daughter that I don't
want her living with me because I've got a new wife.

   Especially when my wife is good with it.

   As soon as I got parked at my destination, I texted the message to
Haley. Got a reply a bit later - "OK!!!!  J"

   That's a load off my mind.

   When I was heading home, I knew that Haley would be done with school.  I
called her.

   "Where're you at, punkin?"

   "Me 'n' Deena, we just left her old house."

   "Got some clothes?"

   "We got as much as we can carry.  We're gonna have to make several
trips."

   "How'd Laney treat you?"

   "Very proper.  We'll talk."

   "How's Deena?"

   "She's good.  Wanna talk with 'er?"

   "Sure."

   "Here she is."

   "Hi, Dad.  Shocker, huh?"

   "Yes it is, baby," I said, "but we sort of figured, sooner or later..."

   "Is this too soon?" she queried.  I could hear the apprehension in her
voice.

   Time to be a father.  "No, baby.  It's your home, too."

   "You 'n' Haley..."

   "Haley's my wife.  You're my daughter.  She knew about this, probably
before I did, right?"

   "I ...  she and I talked a bunch.  Before I knew you were marryin' 'er."

   "I figured."

   "She told you, huh?"

   "Some of it."

   "I have to be a good daughter, otherwise my step-mom will beat me," she
said.

   "Oh, there you go," I chuckled.  "I was feeling sorry for you, for all
the turmoil in your life, and you lay THAT comment on me."

   She giggled.  "Dad?  Seriously..."

   "Yes, my daughter?"

   "We'll make this work.  Really.  Haley and I have plans."

   "Okay.  We have to be adults about it."

   "But I'm only fourteen..." in her most manipulative 'little girl' voice.

   "Gotta grow up sometime," I answered.

   "'Kay, Dad.  See you in a bit."

   Haley's voice.  "I love you, babe..."

   A background giggle.  Deena's muffled voice.  "I gotta get used to y'all
bein' married.  Callin' Dad 'babe'."

   "I may have to beat your daughter."

   "No visible bruises," I said.  "Bye, little love."

   I drove home happy - apprehensive, but happy.

   I walked in to find the two of them in the kitchen.

   "We're making a casserole for dinner," Haley said.  "A mom has to
present a good example of domestic skills for her daughter to emulate."

   Deena whacked her on the butt with a wooden spoon.

   "Eek!  Don't abuse your mom!" Haley squeaked.  She spun around, tossed
her arms around my waist, pulled.  We kissed.  Perfect kiss for the moment.
Said 'I love you' and tagged on a promise.

   Deena's kiss was on my cheek, the perfect 'dad-daughter' kiss.  "We put
my stuff in my room.  Haley and I can haul a little bit every day until we
get it all," she said.

   "Your mom seems to think this isn't permanent," I said.

   Deena's face got serious.  "Look, Dad, I want Mom to be happy.  I'm glad
she's got Harv.  There's no telling what kind of life I'd've had with her
NOT tied to 'im.  But he's ...  I'm NOT going back.  Might visit, but
definitely not living where he thinks he's got time for a little
hanky-panky.  Not with me.  I'd run away first." She paused.  "She TOLD you
that?"

   "Yeah, she called me while I was on the road.  Told me that she thought
two weeks would be enough for you to cool down.  If you didn't, we'd make
things legal."

   "Then I'll just keep my mouth shut for two weeks," Deena said, "Then
when she asks, I'll say 'no'."

   "Less talk.  More onion chop," Haley interrupted.  "And we're a family.
Nobody fights alone here."

   Deena returned to the cutting board, muttering "Slavedriver" under her
breath.

   Haley giggled.  "Just remember how you enjoyed the story of Cinderella."

   "Yeah.  The evil step-mother gets hers in the end..."

   I had to leave.  I can make myself useful, running the vacuum, emptying
trash cans, something.  The conversation changed to whispers in my absence.

   I made it to my recliner, kicked off my work shoes and angled back to
rest a bit.  I heard soft footsteps padding up, then Haley flopped back
into my lap.

   "I get your lap first," she said, kissing me.

   "You're my refuge," I said.

   "Am I your refuge, too?" Deena's voice pushed through the reverie.

   "In a slightly different but quite wonderful fashion, yes, you are..."

   "Daddy.  Always using so many words," she tittered.

   "I married 'im because he's a silver-tongued devil," Haley chuckled.

   "Ewwwwww!  I don't wanna KNOW!" Deena squealed.

   "Not like THAT!" Haley retorted.  "He's just poetic sometimes.  Girls
aren't supposed to be swayed by pretty words, but it helps..."

   "You got swayed?" I asked.

   "Just like a lullabye.  The bough breaks..." she kissed me lightly. 
"Homework," she said, jumping up.

   "Yeah," Deena said.  "Homework.  Gotta keep my grades up.  Didn't know I
was competing for grades with my MOM!"

   The two of them grabbed backpacks and the next scene was two teen girls
in the middle of the floor, books open.  Haley was stretched out prone. 
Deena was cross-legged.

   Gotta admit it.  Deena's benefited from her mom's long-legged genes.

   "It's really not that hard, huh?" she asked to nobody in specific.

   Haley answered, "Not really.  Repetition.  Stuff WE got the first time
around.  The teachers keep repeating and repeating, hoping that the rest of
the class gets it."

   Haley sighed.  "Some will, some won't.  And some will get it long enough
to pass the tests but will never understand what they're doing."

   "That's math for you," Deena said.  "Dad actually USES some of it.  Most
people don't.  Harv just has to know how to extract thirty percent for his
fees."

   "And he's probably got a secretary to do THAT for him," I said.  I was
actually thinking 'a cute paralegal' but there's no sense in scratching
THAT sore spot, especially when the result of that pain was the little
brown-headed pleasure stretched out on the floor, propped up enough for her
to write out solutions to her worksheet.

   The subject of that thought looked up at me.  "You're staring, baby."

   "Forgive me."

   Deena's eyes flicked back and forth between Haley and me.  "Don't make
me gag, y'all."

   "Hush, Deena," Haley laughed.  "We've been married a week..."

   "Yeah, riiiiight," Deena snickered.

   "Uh," Haley huffed.  "You were THERE!"

   "Oh, yeah, I remember now.  My best friend magically became my stepmom."
She sighed.  "So apparently my dear father sees something in you..." She
turned bright red when she realized what her words could mean.  "Uh, that's
NOT what I meant."

   Haley giggled.  "And you make it worse, trying to disclaim it."

   "I still have episodes," Deena admitted.  "Y'all are having sex..."

   "Making love," Haley corrected.

   "Whatevs," Deena returned.  "So when I sit in Dad's lap, it's daddy and
his 'growing but still wants her daddy' daughter, but when YOU..." She gave
a little gasp.  "All those times that I sat in 'is lap, then YOU sat in 'is
lap and you acted like you were being silly..."

   Haley smiled demurely.  "Got less and less silly as time went on."

   "Dad," Deena said.  "She was my best friend.  YOUR best friend.  MY
buddy."

   "I know," I said.  "My friend, too.  Her company kept me going for a
long time.  Sort of realized that it could be more.  And here we are."

   Haley's math book slammed closed.  "History's different.  I have to
listen to what the teacher says is important and feed it back to 'er."

   "That's RIGHT!" Deena said.  "History.  Literature.  Even science.  Find
out what they want, then give it to 'em."

   "Yeah," Haley replied.  "Science isn't really science.  Sad."

   "You can ask Dad, right?"

   Haley's eyes twinkled.  "Yeah, but be careful what you start when you do
that."

   "I'm NOT that bad," I said.  "You, Haley.  It's YOUR fault.  I tried
giving you simple answers and got the famous, 'But Mister Bill, there's
MORE to it than that, isn't there?', so what was I supposed to do?"

   Deena giggled.  "Yeah, he's not one of those people who go through life
without a clue."

   "Except when it comes to teenaged girls," I said.

   "Oh, we're simple," Haley said.

   "Yeah, just do what we tell you.  We'll keep you out of trouble, right,
Haley?"

   Haley grinned.  "Worked before.  Mostly.  Then you married me."

   "I thought that was part of the grand plan," I said.

   Giggle.  "MY grand plan," Haley said.  "Kinda caught Deena off guard,
though."

   "But I've recovered."

   I watched the interaction between the two of them.  I guess I was
expecting friction, maybe jealousy.  I saw a couple of happy girls.

   The happy girls finished homework, looked at the possibilities for TV
for the evening, then opted for early showers.

   I took that as a cue - time to push the reality into the situation.  I
joined Haley in the shower.

   "It's gonna work," she told me.  "And..." Her fingers cupped my balls,
causing the erection I already had to jump to a higher level of hardness.
She knelt.  "Mmmmm." Then she stood.  "Later.  And I guess we need to be
kinda quiet, huh?"

   "Yeah, I guess."

   She left the bathroom first, her head wrapped in a big towel.  I had
shaving to perform.  When I got back into the living room, Deena was
identically clad, big cotton nightshirt, I assume over panties.  That was
Haley's normal style.  Well, okay, Haley omitted the panties quite often.

   Haley took her towel off, ran a brush though her wet hair, gave her head
a shake.  She looked at me and winked.  I know what she's doing and even
more dangerous, SHE knows what she's doing.

   Deena looked at Haley's hair, then at me.  "Dad, Mom never would let me
get mine cut that short.  Can I?"

   "Let's get through your two week trial period."

   "That's MOM's words, not mine."

   Haley jumped in.  "I'm due for a trim.  I can call and make an
appointment for both of us."

   "Your mom will have a fit," I said.

   "She can have one.  I think I'm old enough to make a decision on hair
styles.  At least I don't dye it pink like some girls I know.  Or
piercings. I'm conservative." She tilted her head to show an ear with a
little ear stud in it.

   "And I appreciate that.  Haley, go with your plan."

   "Thank you, master," she simpered for effect.

   Deena had the remote control.  The TV popped on, she punched at buttons,
then...  "Okay.  This is what we watch."

   "Ends kind of late, don't you think?" I posed.

   "Ten.  I can stay up until ten, right, Mom?"

   "If you promise go straight to bed after you brush your teeth," Haley
tittered.

   So we watched a re-run of an animated feature we'd all seen before. 
Midway through, I acquired a lapful of Haley and a Deena on the arm of my
recliner with me.

   "Neat little family," I said.

   "Yeah," Deena said.  "Used to think Haley in your lap was all
innocent..."

   "It is innocent," Haley said.  "I really did miss getting cuddles.  I
was jealous when YOU got 'em."

   Deena's head was on my shoulder.  "Dad, you really do love 'er, huh?"

   "My Haley.  Different than you being my Deena.  But yes, love her."

   Haley wiggled a little bit.  She knows what that does.  Has known how
she affects me.  She pulled my free arm around herself.  Funny how my hand
landed briefly on a cotton-covered, pert breast, then was chastely moved
away.  My other arm was holding Deena against me.

   "I like when you laugh, Bill," Haley said.  "You jiggle me."

   "Good to know."

   Small talk went with the movie.  Bedtime came with the closing credits.
I obtained a kiss on the cheek from Deena, as did Haley.

   "G'night, Mom," Deena picked.  "G'nite, Dad." And she went to her room.

   That left me and Haley to go to ours.  She closed the door behind us.

   "At least we don't share a wall," she said.

   "Yeah."

   "Feels kinda strange," she said.  Giggle.  "A little bit naughty."

   I kissed her.

   "No, a REAL kiss," she said, her lips meeting my ramping the heat level
way up, her hand checking ...  Yes I was erect.

   "I would like to be eaten, Bill."

   "Wonderful.  So would I."

   Giggle.  "Okay.  Little ride first?"

   "Not too long, or..."

   "Maybe I WANT that.  Then a long, slow..."

   "You're a fantasy, aren't you?"

   "I will never know, Bill.  It'll only be with you, forever and ever."

   I peeled her nightshirt over her head.

   "What if our daughter walks in on us?"

   "I trust she's got better sense.  I kinda like being naked with you."

   Giggle.  "Me too.  Still feels a little naughty, though ...  You KNOW
she knows now."

   "And that's the way it is."





   Chapter 8

   Deena's turn:

   They did it!  Married.

   I did it!  Left Mom's and moved in with Dad 'n' Haley.

   Momentous.  That's Dad rubbing off on me.  Dad actually has a vocabulary
and likes to use it.  Exercise it.  I get that from him and I get odd looks
and little remarks from my contemporaries (another 'Dad' word, okay?) and
sometimes strange looks from adults, especially my teachers.

   When Haley picked me up after school, she gave me the news.  "Your mom
talked with your dad.  We're supposed to go get you some stuff so you can
come live with us."

   I was sure about what I wanted to happen before this, but now I was
conflicted.  I thought honestly that I'd be there by Thanksgiving,
Christmas at the latest, but this soon?  Maybe I laid it on Mom a bit
thick. And My Dad and Haley hadn't even had a week of being married.  I was
walking into the middle of their honeymoon.

   I said so.

   "You can't breathe a word, Deena," Haley said.  "Your dad and I ... 
almost two years..."

   "When you were FOURTEEN?" I squeaked.

   "And I promised him and he promised me that there would never be
another. That's when real marriage happens."

   "But you just moved in Sunday, right?"

   She glanced sideways to see how badly I was coming unglued.  "Not
exactly.  Mom sort of figured out what was going on.  She and your dad had
a talk.  I got to spend the night with him a lot...

   "I never suspected, you know..."

   "I worried.  Your dad worried.  He loves you, Deena, and he was worried
you'd die if you found out."

   "All I knew was that he smiled at you a lot and he never objected to you
going with us anywhere."

   "That was me, a lot, you know," Haley said.  "I liked you as a friend. I
knew that you and I could have a better time, we could get your dad to have
a better time, if it was the both of us.  I think it worked."

   "And all that time, he loved you..."

   "And I loved him.  And you were my best friend."

   "I guess I don't feel like I'm interrupting your honeymoon, then, at
least maybe not as much.  So your Mom knew?"

   "And Mister Steve.  Nobody else.  And you KNOW how we were in public. 
Now I can kinda hold his hand better.  We're legal.  It's out in the open."

   "I'll never tell a soul, Haley," I said.  "I wondered all along when Dad
was gonna finally meet somebody and get married and be happy.  I wanted
that for him, soooo bad.  It's crazy, but I really am happy it's you."

   "Thank you, Deena."

   "No, really!  If I'd moved in and you 'n' Dad weren't, you know ... 
I'd've really had you for a big sister.  I thought about that a lot, too.
We talked, huh?"

   Haley smiled for me.  I know it's genuine.

   She drove me to Mom's house.  I didn't know what to expect when we got
there.

   "I'm going in with you," Haley announced.

   "I dunno if that's a good idea, Haley.  Mom, when she gets on a roll,
she can get mouthy."

   "I can stand it.  Besides, I'm just helping YOU, and what claim does she
want to have on your dad?  They're divorced."

   "You know there's more to it than that.  She has to justify the divorce
in her mind.  Part of that is tearing Dad down.  I ...  She's tried that
with me because I keep WANTING to go spend time with 'im."

   "There's nothing she can say to me," Haley said.  "I personally feel
sorry for her, that she didn't' see what I see in your dad."

   "I know, right?!?" I said.  "I mean, okay, Harv's an attorney.  That's a
big deal, I guess, but Dad's an engineer, and I think that's a bigger deal.
Don't even get me started on personalities..."

   "Don't ask me about personalities," Haley chuckled.  "I don't know Harv,
and with your dad, I'm kinda prejudiced."

   I smiled.  "Yeah, you kinda WOULD be, huh?"

   Okay, we're in Harv's neighborhood now.  I have to admit, there's a huge
difference between Dad's house and Harv's.  Dad went for 'home'.  Harv went
for 'impress the RIGHT people'.  I'm thinking an order of magnitude in
costs, and Harv doesn't have Haley's mom and Mister Steve for neighbors,
with the twenty year old RV under the tree in the front yard.

   I grew to understand the difference between a house and a home.  I
prefer the second one.  Dad's provided it.  Like when we did a Christmas
tree - we went and bought a tree, me 'n' Haley (yeah, now that I think of
it, Haley DID help) decorated it, Dad hung a couple of geeky ornaments. 
Looked like a FAMILY tree, not a display in the lobby of a business.  Dad's
house is like that.  It's HOME.  So after this little thing with Mom, I'm
going HOME.

   We parked in the driveway.  Haley and I walked to the door.  I opened
it.

   "Mom, I'm here!" I said loudly.  "Got Haley with me."

   Mom had seen Haley ONCE before, one time when she and Harv came to get
me at Dad's for some 'family' social event.  That was almost two years ago.
She came around the corner, stopped, scanned Haley from head to foot.

   "Hello, Haley.  I guess congratulations are in order, dear."

   "Thank you Mizz Pettifer," Haley said with that little smile.  I
personally think you'd have to be a demon spawn of Satan hisownself not to
be moved by that smile.  I know it's a lot of what pushed me away from
being a bitchy spoiled brat when I first met 'er.  But would it work on
Mom?

   There!  It did.  Mom smiled just a vestigial amount.  Then, "Uh, could
you have a seat for a few minutes?  I need to talk with Deena."

   "Yes, Ma'am," Haley said.  "May I sit in here?"

   "Certainly, dear.  We'll be finished shortly."

   'Here it comes', I thought.  I followed Mom to my bedroom.  Was
surprised to see my bed covered with folded stacks of my clothes and a pile
of clothes on hangers.

   "I thought I would make this as easy for you as I can, Deena."

   "Thanks, Mom."

   "I don't think you're right about Harv..."

   "Mooo-oommm," I said.  "Let's not get into it again."

   She took a deep breath, a move I've known all my life as her way of
keeping her mouth from blurting out who knows what.  "Okay.  I won't. 
You've made your opinion known and you've proposed a solution."

   "Yes, Mom."

   "And battling it out, you, me, Harv, your dad, that would get very
nasty, no matter who's right or wrong, and Harv's professional status would
suffer.  This is the easiest solution for us all."

   "Yes, Mom."

   "Darlin', I love you.  You're the only child I'll ever have.  I tried to
give you everything you needed."

   "You did, Mom.  And I'm not sailing for the New World, you know..."

   I saw her lips straighten.  I know what I did and I did it on purpose.
That 'sailing for the New World' is a 100% 'dadism'.  I know she caught it
because of her change in facial expression.

   "I'll keep in touch.  We'll go do things.  Really.  I love you, Mom. 
You know that."

   "I do, Deena," she said, gathering me in for a hug.  When she let me go,
I saw tears.

   "Mom, this'll be better for all of us.  Me.  You.  Even Harv."

   "Your dad..."

   I smiled.  "Dad's got a wife, Mom, just like you have a husband.  Cool
thing is that Haley and I have known each other for years.  Her marryin'
Dad is a bit of a shocker (another Dadism) but we've talked.  I know we can
handle this."

   And there's the unsaid part - I don't have to worry about Haley seeing
me as an interesting sex object.

   "Okay, baby," Mom said softly.  There was still moisture in the corners
of her eyes.  "I hope I'm doing the right thing."

   I was thinking 'staying with Dad would've been the right thing' but then
I wouldn't have Haley and even worse, Dad wouldn't have Haley and with
every passing hour I'm realizing more and more that what I saw but didn't
understand was Dad and Haley learning how to be very happy with each other.

   She pointed out the obvious.  "Those boxes ...  I didn't fill 'em.  You
can do that so you'll have things organized the way you want them to make
it easier to put things away at your dad's."

   "I'll get Haley to help me, Mom."

   "She's not very flashy, is she?" Mom said softly.

   "Nope.  Dad says 'standard brown-haired girl'.  That's Haley.  Smart,
though.  VERY smart.  Funny.  Mom, she's just NICE.  I'm glad for both of
'em."

   "I'll try to be," Mom said.  "Best for all of us.  Go get 'er."

   I brought Haley into my bedroom.

   "Wow!  Nice place," she said.

   "I'll leave you two to load this up," Mom said as she left us.

   Haley looked at me, softly said, "You okay?"

   "Yeah," I nodded.

   "Your mom okay?"

   "Yeah ...  Mostly.  We'll talk on the way home." I paused.  "On the way
HOME." For emphasis.

   We put all the stuff into boxes, hauled them out to Haley's SUV, then I
went back inside and hugged Mom.

   "If you decide to come back home, just say so, Deena," she said.

   "Thank you, Mom.  I love you, okay?" I said with a hug and a kiss.  She
was standing at the door when Haley backed us out of the driveway.

   "Well?"

   "She's conflicted..."

   "I would be.  Unless I was a total psychopath," Haley said.

   "Yeah, and I suppose Harv's conflicted, too," I said.  "I think Mom's as
close to genuine as she can be, for some of the right reasons, you know."

   "I imagine so.  This is a big step for both of you."

   "For ALL of us," I said.  "Me, you, Dad ...  for one set of reasons. 
Mom and Harv, for another set."

   "She say anything about me?"

   I smiled.  "Said you were kind of ...  not flashy."

   "I go out of my way to be 'not flashy'," she affirmed.  "I have
apparently succeeded."

   When we got home, we started hauling in boxes.

   "Deena, that was a NICE house.  This one's..."

   "Home," I said.  "This one is home.  Okay?"

   Haley looked at me.  "That place was like a castle..."

   "Yeah, in some ways.  But you know, I've been happier here.  Okay?"

   "Okay."

   "Seriously, would you trade the happiness you have here for living in a
McMansion without your ...  Without Dad?"

   "Nope.  Never.  No way," she said.

   "Dad could probably do a house like that.  I'm here, so he's not doin'
child support.  He could afford it."

   "But why?" Haley asked.

   "Status?" I posed.

   "Yeah, your dad's all about status, right?" she parried.

   I smiled.  "He's not.  I think that's one thing that ate Mom up about
him."

   "He just seems genuine, Deena.  That sort of got me.  I mean, Mom 'n'
Mister Steve ...  for NEIGHBORS.  I look around.  If there was ever a bunch
to look down on, my family would be there, but your dad never did.  Always
treated them with respect.  You know, when people are nice and don't have
to be ...  says something."

   "That's Dad all right," I said.  "But he wanted their daughter."

   "Uh, not at first.  I sort of forced that.  But he didn't have to be
nice to me, either."

   "Was, though," I said.  "First time he told me that you were coming with
us to go see a movie.  Or anyplace else.  I kind of kicked back.  He said
that it was what good people do."

   "That's him," Haley said.

   We made 'him' a casserole for dinner.  This was my first night in the
house knowing they were married.  Of all the nights I'd spent there since
Haley and I met, this was the first time we didn't crawl into bed together
and share inane chatter.  Oh, a lot of it was not that inane, mind you, but
isn't that what teen girls are supposed to be?

   Haley sort of nudged me away from that.

   Still, she's up the hall in the master bedroom, in bed with my DAD, and
I'm here sorting out thoughts.

   Number one thought?  This is going to be okay.

   Friday.  School.  Up with Dad and Haley.  Breakfast.  Haley dropped me
off at school.  Picked me up when it was over.  We went back to Mom's,
picked up another load of my stuff.  I have lots of stuff.

   We did the same thing Saturday.  I left a few things at my old room,
just to sort of mark my territory.  I could see myself coming back there to
spend the night from time to time, IF I could be sure that Harv wasn't EVER
going to be alone with me.  I was set on that.  I told Mom when she pressed
me on the matter.  Caused a bit of strain.

   Saturday evening we took in dinner and a movie, just like we used to do.
Except now I understand why Haley sat on one side of Dad and I sat on the
other.  It's okay.  Understanding makes all those happy times seem that
much happier.

   Monday.  We're home from school.  I'm in the living room, going over
some stupid worksheets for homework.

   "It's just ridiculous," I tell Haley.  "In a sane universe they'd let me
test out of this stuff.  I mean, it's exactly the same problem, ten times.
Geez, if I can work it once, I should be good.  Maybe twice, just to make
sure it's not a lucky guess."

   "I know your teacher.  Mizz Leatham.  This is her path of least
resistance," Haley told me.  "But you're right.  It's wasting time."

   I finished that stupid sheet.  It's easy.  Bill Simon's daughter is NOT
an idiot.  Once I saw what the deal was, I popped open Excel on my
computer, built a little form, punched the numbers in, got the answers out.

   Then it was time for social media.  NO, I don't get into the cliquey
stuff that goes around.  I ignore a lot of things.  And I'm careful about
what I post.  Still, it's interesting.  Grandpa's on my friends list, so
occasionally I'll get on a retro excursion off of something he links to.

   That's what I was doing today and BOINNNGGGGGG!!!!

   "Hey, Haley, come see this."

   "What?"

   "A picture.  It's YOU!"

   "My picture's on Facebook," she answered from the kitchen.  "Lemme wash
my hands."

   I heard the sink run for a second, then she was flopping down on the
floor beside me.  "Show me."

   I pushed my laptop to her.  "Tell me that's NOT you."

   "That's not me.  That's some singer from the 1960s.  Ancient history
almost."

   "Dad hates when you say that, you know."

   "I know.  But he's not even THAT old.  Who is she?"

   "Linda Ronstadt.  She's seventy now.  But that's YOU, babe..."

   "No."

   "Yes.  Same haircut.  Same eyes.  Little brown-haired girl.  You."

   "So?"

   "Just funny.  They say everybody's got a double somewhere."

   "Her hair's longer.  She wears eye makeup."

   "And you don't NEED eye makeup, but ...  Just a second.  Let me Google
'er." I tapped a few strokes, hit enter, pulled up images.  "There.  She's
older there.  Hair's more like yours.  You."

   "How'd you get that?" Haley questioned.

   "Just like everything else.  Followed a link to another link to another
link and there you were..." I rolled onto my side.  "Just interesting, is
all.  Speaking of short hair.  After school tomorrow?"

   "I got us appointments at 3:45."

   I giggled.  "I'm printing this picture.  That's what I want."

   "Your mom is gonna freak."

   "Yeah ...  but not for long."

   Haley giggled.  "That's almost a pun."

   "And I wasn't even trying," I chuckled back.

   "How about your math class?"

   "I think I have a handle on it.  I mean, they gave us the book, you
know. Has the ending in it."

   "So show me." It's interesting seeing what lies ahead.  Haley's good,
though.  She explains, ties what she's doing back into things I'm doing.

   "So pay attention because it's the foundation, the things you learn now
are the foundations for moving up."

   "I can already do this stuff, you know..."

   "I know.  I could, too, with your dad kind of guiding me, urging me
along.  Makes a difference when somebody cares whether or not you learn."

   "You're in high school," I said.  "If I were you, I'd talk with my
guidance counselor.  He's gotta be used to seein' 'Straight A Haley' by
now."

   "Why don't you talk to Mizz Hayman?" Haley replied.

   "She's a middle school counselor.  Yours is probably more apt to have
some bright ideas."

   "Maybe so.  Let's see where Himself is located," Haley said.  She said
"Hey, Siri" and asked for Dad.  Put the call on speaker.

   "Hey, punkin," he answered.

   "Hi, Dad," I inserted.

   "Hi, other punkin," Dad said.

   "Where are you?" Haley queried.

   "Oh, about half an hour out.  What's for dinner?"

   "Potatoes are baking.  Your daughter's gonna do a salad with me and we
have the steaks on the counter coming up to temperature.  We'll cook 'em
when you get here."

   "Did I tell you how much I love you both?"

   "Yeah, Dad," I said.  "And we love you, that's why we're doin' steaks
tonight."

   "That's gotta be one of the signs," Dad laughed.  "Let me drive.  I'll
be there soon."

   I looked at Haley.  Something occurred to me.  "You know, I need a place
to go sometimes ...  so you and Dad..."

   "Deena!"

   "Don't get all outraged.  I'm assuming that y'all are doin' it and
probably enjoying..."

   "Deena!"

   I giggled.  "That's TWO.  And having me here probably cuts into..." I
watched her face closely.  "It DOES!"

   "We're good, Deena.  Really.  I told you..."

   "Yeah, but that was then.  This is now.  I could lock myself in my room
and turn the TV up.  Put headphones on, listen to music..."

   "That's not right," Haley said.

   "Oh, I know ...  Extracurricular stuff at school.  Science club.  Math
club.  That kind of stuff.  I have a social life, you know."

   "You're fourteen," she said.  "Your dad's not gonna let you date."

   "Maybe go with a group, like to a movie or to the mall or to a football
game..."

   "He might go with that.  But he's protective of you."

   "Yeah," I smirked.  "Who knows what kind of things a fourteen year old
girl could get into."

   Haley turned colors.

   "Oh, don't get all upset.  I wouldn't do anything like that.  Neither
would YOU.  You got Dad.  I can see getting swayed by Dad.  He's, well, I
don't know of anybody else like him, certainly not my age."

   "Well, I didn't start out with that in mind," Haley said.  "It snuck up
on both of us."

   "Yeah.  And we both know girls who harbor no limits when it comes to
with whom and how often and where and whatever.  And there are plenty of
guys who're good with it."

   "I wasn't.  First time was with your dad.  Only man I'll ever have."

   "Figured, sis," I said.  "But you think Dad would be okay with me going
to movies or whatever."

   She smiled.  "When I tell 'im why, so he won't be all hurt that the
three of us aren't going together..."

   "Good point," I said.

   "But then he'll think that YOU'LL think he's turning his back on you for
me."

   "And that's something that you and I talked about.  We work together on
this.  He's gotta understand that I approve of you two doin' whatever
horrible things you do to each other and I want to give you a little space
to do it.  And he needs to know that I'm his daughter and you're his wife
and we understand the way things need to be."

   "It'd be easier if you were six, you know..." Haley laughed.

   "Yeah, then you could put me in my room with a video and say 'Mommy and
Daddy need to talk for a while.  Watch your Care Bears, ' instead of
wondering..."

   "You don't wonder..."

   "I kinda ...  No, not really.  I don't think about Mom and Harv.  I try
not to think about you 'n' Dad.  But you and I are kind of close in age."

   "We are.  But I MARRIED him, Deena.  That makes it right.  Even before
we stood in front of the guy and said the vows, we'd already vowed that we
were forever.  Your dad worried that I was too young to know what I wanted
out of 'forever'.  He wasn't easy to convince."

   "He's convinced now, isn't he?"

   "We both are.  But he's Mister Right, not Mister Right Now.  Don't ask
me why I ain't in the middle of that business about falling in love every
week to a different guy.  It just never happened for me."

   "I know what you're talking about.  I listen to the conversations.  I
know what 'shallow' is.  And just plain wrong and just plain stupid."

   She sighed, "And when you don't join in the games you're weird or
something."

   "Like making straight As isn't enough to make you weird," I said.  "I
had to talk to a teacher about calling on me already.  She KNOWS I know the
answers but I don't want to be ...  Well, if she calls on me too much, it
attracts the wrong kinds of attention."

   "Been there," Haley said.  "Last year I just kind of sat in the corner
in math class.  I still had to pay attention in the other classes in case a
teacher wanted to run off in an odd direction.  But they were onto me.  I'm
gonna talk to a counselor tomorrow if I get a chance, though.  For both of
us."

   "Yeah," I said.  "Smart kids are special, too."





   Chapter 9

   Bill's turn:

   Major disruption in The Force.  As if marrying a sixteen year old
neighbor wasn't enough.

   No, erase that.  Haley and I knew we were destined for marriage as soon
as she turned sixteen.  It was a vow we'd made to each other almost two
years ago.  The major disruption is that my daughter moved away from her
mom's house.  And she's fourteen.  And my wife's best friend, if I take
either of their word for it, and each has said so at different times.

   This is one of those times that I have to, as the saying goes, pull up
my 'big boy' pants and do what's right.

   Shouldn't be too hard.  The two loves of my life, Deena and Haley, had
already informed me that this was going to happen.

   The surprise is that it happened so soon.  I would've loved having a few
weeks of me and Haley married, the house to ourselves, but to be honest,
we've been sort of doing that for almost that same two years.  Basically,
ever since Haley's mom informed me that not only did she know, but she
approved, Haley's spent most of her nights in our bed.  Fact is, the only
times she didn't was when Deena was over for her alternate weekends with
Dad, and that month in the summer.

   A whole month.  During that month, Haley spent a few nights at her
parents' house, but most of those nights she spent with Deena.

   Now it's full-time Haley in my bed.  With Deena in her bedroom up the
hall.  I miss the naked Haley between the time we showered together and we
went to bed, even if going to bed meant a happy bounce, then up to watch TV
or something, then back to bed.  Not with Deena here.

   I could make a case for being a bit despondent, really.  That goes away,
though, when I call the house on my way home from work and Haley says,
"You're on speaker, baby." And I hear both of them in the kitchen laughing
together.  They really are best friends.  Just that one of 'em's my wife.

   The three of us were learning how to live together.  It takes some
doing. For me and Haley, not so much, but including Deena, well, a bit. 
Haley's got this delightful habit of coming up behind me and hugging me.  I
like it.  Deena adopted it.  Haley's hands roam a bit.  Thankfully, Deena's
don't.

   Haley and I are circumspect about dressing when we come out of the
bedroom after showering in the master bath together.

   "Do y'all ALWAYS shower together?" Deena queried.

   I had no powers of speech.

   Haley did.  "Uh-huh.  Saves water."

   Deena's mouth made a smirk.  "Uh, yeah.  THAT'S the reason."

   Haley snickered.  "It's ONE reason."

   "Deena," I managed to squeak.

   "Oh, Dad, you know I'm just picking."

   Haley reinforced the statement.  "My chain is being jerked, baby.  Since
you're attached to me, you get jerked around, too.  I must manage my
daughter better."

   Said daughter stuck her tongue out at her stepmom.

   We ended up sitting on the floor around the coffee table playing
dominoes this evening.  Deena won.  Gloated a bit.

   She kissed me and Haley good night and headed to her own bedroom.  Haley
took my hand and tugged.  Yeah, like I NEED encouragement.

   Haley's turn:

   "Mizz Dasson, here's my dilemma," I said.  Mizz Dasson is one of the
high school guidance counselors.  She had the kids with last names of A
through L.  She kept me even though I changed my name from Buckley to
Simon.

   "Go ahead, Haley.  I'm listening."

   "I'm idling.  I haven't been challenged in class yet this year."

   She regarded me carefully.  I wonder how many kids come in and say
something like that.

   "I've heard that one before, Haley.  Just that the last one who tried
wasn't running a straight A average for the last four years.  I suppose you
have some ideas..."

   "I want to go to college."

   "You're sixteen."

   "Do you think I'm not up to college-level work?"

   She shook her head.  "No, Haley, I think back on some of my own college
classes and I fear you'll idle there as well."

   "But it will be college, at least," I inserted.  "Degree."

   "Major?"

   "Engineering."

   "Huh?"

   "Husband's an engineer.  I'm imprinted."

   She smiled.  "Yes.  A married Haley." A sigh.  "I've seen more than a
few high school marriages, you know.  None of them look like yours.  None
of them seemed to end up with a participant wanting to jump into college.
Matter of fact, I can't think of one where the female wasn't pregnant."

   "Not pregnant," I said.  "Not gonna be.  Too young.  Gotta get college
out of the way." I didn't feel I needed to explain about Bill's vasectomy,
that I had a step-daughter who was almost my age and an only child.

   I was, however, paying close attention to this conversation with Deena's
situation clearly in mind.

   "Okay, here's what we're going to do."

   "I'm listening," I said.

   "October, we get you into an SAT session.  That's the Scholastic..."

   "Scholastic Aptitude Test," I finished for her.  "Okay.  I'm good with
that." And I knew that it was legitimately called 'SAT' now.  Too many
problems with what the words in the full title meant.  Political football
and all that.  But no sense in arguing with somebody who wants to help me.

   "ACT, too?" I asked.

   "We can do that.  I'll get the schedules and the forms.  Let's get you
some scores, look at them, and then see what our next step will be."

   "Sounds good," I said.

   She looked at me, said softly, "You're correct, Haley.  You can be much
further along.  I actually think you ARE much further along."

   "I don't want to be strange," I said.  "I just want to get on with
life."

   She smiled again.  "You seem to be doing that quite well."

   "I do try," I said.

   "I'll let you know something as soon as I find information."

   "Thank you, Mizz Dasson."

   I walked into World History class, handed my hall pass to the teacher.

   "We're re-reading the chapter on the Protestant Reformation, Haley," she
said.

   "Yes ma'am.  I read it.  Quite interesting the way that the Catholic
Church fought against its loss of control..."

   "Yes.  Go sit down.  I know this is wasting your time."

   "Oh, no ma'am," I said.  "It's very interesting."

   "But I suspect that you could already pass the test."

   "Yes, ma'am."

   The conversation was loud enough for the students in the front row to
hear it, in other words, by the end of the next hour, it would be general
knowledge.  However, my academic prowess is old news.  Haley with wedding
ring is still a subject of conversation, though.

   I ignore the malicious questions, and answer those that don't get too
personal or nosey.  I'm pretty tired of explaining that I am not pregnant
and my husband is older than me, has a job and house and yes, that's OUR
car I'm driving to school, but I find those much less tiring than the
stares.  At least the novelty is wearing off.

   That novelty is, anyway.

   The novelty of being married to Bill isn't.  Nor is the novelty of Deena
living with us.  We're three weeks into that little alteration of
lifestyle, a mere week longer than the marriage itself.

   It's working.

   Actually, I felt pangs of jealousy when Deena stayed with one of her
classmates for a Friday night sleepover.  I know, we talked about it.  I
knew she was trying her best to give me and her dad some running room in
our relationship.

   "Can you pick me up after school Friday and drop me off at Emily's
house?"

   "I can," I said.  "What the plan?"

   "I'm gonna ask Dad, but I wanna spend the night at her house.  Her mom's
gonna bring us to the movies, then we'll go home and spend the night
there..."

   "Okay.  If your dad..."

   "You KNOW he trusts me."

   "He does."

   "Emily's sort of one of my best friends.  That 'peer' thing we talk
about.  She's an honor roll student, too."

   "Uh, how about we wait until your dad gets home and let HIM drive us
over there.  He'll make a better impression than your sixteen year old
step-mom."

   She giggled.  "Yeah ...  I didn't think of that.  You know, when we go
to the school for 'open house' night, it's gonna be fun introducing you as
my mom."

   "You're soooo mean," I laughed.  "You sure your mom's not going to go
with you?"

   She shook her head.  "She's still mad.  She thought for sure I wasn't
serious about moving here for good."

   "But she signed the papers," I said.

   "Yeah.  Go figure.  Now she's ...  Well, I see that she and Harv are
having a much more active social life without me hindering them." She
scrutinized my expression.  "On the other hand, you 'n' Dad..."

   "Are completely happy, dear," I said.  "Don't even think about it."

   "I'm sorry, Haley.  I messed y'all up."

   "Deena ...  what're you talking about?  We talked about this a long
time. Me 'n' you.  Me 'n' you and your dad.  It's okay.  We LIKE it, don't
we?"

   "You sure?"

   "I'm not going to abandon my daughter," I said loftily.  "Just isn't
done." I ran a quick calculation in my head.  "Period," I said. 
"You're..."

   "Omigod ...  you're right.  I'm PMSing."

   "You're a little more sensitive," I said.  "I am, too.  Your dad
knows..."

   "But ...  I'm okay here, right?"

   "Not gonna abandon my daughter.  I already said that," I giggled.

   So Friday after school, I picked up Deena and her friend Emily.  Since I
was only two years ahead of them, leaving behind me the same school they
were currently attending, we talked about some of the teachers and the
facilities and such.  We went to our house, waited for Bill to get home,
then he drove us all to Emily's house.

   They're not 'McMansion' people either.  We all got out, Bill and I
introduced ourselves to Emily's mom, Amanda.

   "Oh, believe me," Amanda said, "I've heard everything about you two.  At
least what Emily knows."

   I smiled.  "Just a marriage," Bill said.  "Stranger things have
happened."

   "Oh, don't I know it," Amanda replied.  "Just making the effort to get
married, though, that says something these days."

   "That's what we decided."

   "Well, Emily 'n' Deena have been friends for years.  I heard the news,
sorta had to think about it, but I know Deena, and well, nothing to change
that."

   "I hope not," Bill replied.  "I want Deena to have as normal a life as
possible."

   Amanda smiled.  "That's what I want for Emily - as normal a life as
possible.  Hard to do these days."

   "I know," Bill said.  "Deena hanging out with Emily, though, that's a
good part of it."

   "We'll do the best we can.  Movie tonight.  I don't imagine those two
will get to sleep early after that.  We'll bring Deena home after they wake
up."

   Bill reached in his pocket for a card.  "My phone numbers, just in
case," he said, handing it to her.

   "I'll call, Dad," Deena said.  Then she put on an exaggerated smirk. 
"Mom."

   "Deena!" I squeaked.  Then to Amanda.  "Be careful with my
stepdaughter."

   Amanda looked at me, then Bill.  "How do you put up with that?"

   Bill grinned.  "Every day it's something new."

   We got in the car and left.

   "We don't have anything ready for dinner," I told him.

   "Let's go to a restaurant," he said.  "Me 'n' you, just like old times."

   "And then naked, every room in the house," I giggled.  "Just like old
times."

   "Yeah..." He mused.  "I may not live through the night."

   "Oh, you'll live.  We might both be walking funny tomorrow."

   "I'm looking forward to it," Bill smiled.

   "Me, too." Equally wide smile.

   Okay, I admit feeling a little bit guilty about being so happy about
Deena's absence.  Said so to Bill over dinner.

   "Baby," he said, "first, she absolutely NEEDS to have a social life
aside from family.  It's how she grows."

   I caught him.  "What about me?  You ARE my social life outside my
family."

   "The exception that proves the rule, smartie." He laughed.  "You know
what I'm trying to explain."

   "Yeah, but I can't let you just drop things like that on the table
without explanation."

   "One of the reasons I adore you ...  your brain."

   "Still bigger than my titties."

   "Both are perfect," he laughed.  "Anyway, she loves us and she's smart
enough to figure out a way that we have a bit of 'us' time.  Tell me she
didn't talk to you about this."

   "She did," I replied.  "Emily really is her friend.  They talk a lot in
the evenings.  And I think she's a safe choice for my daughter to hang
around with."

   "And so OUR daughter figured out a way for you and me to be ALONE and
you're going to get all morose about it."

   "I work harder when I feel guilty," I smiled.

   "Hadn't noticed that," he grinned.  "You'll have to show me."

   I did.  He did.  Several times.

   After the last one he was holding me in his arms, showering tender
little kisses on my face.  "Exuberant," he told me.  "So perfect..."

   "You've elevated me, baby," I said softly.  "This was definitely one of
the best ones." I kissed him.  "Maybe saving it up to cut loose like this
is good..."

   "Considering I don't think I can move now..."

   "Don't move.  I'll reach the light." I turned the reading lamp off. 
Snuggled into his arms.  One more kiss.  "I love you, Bill."

   We woke up to the ringing of my cellphone - Deena's ringtone.

   "Hi, Deena," I answered.  I saw Bill prop up on one elbow, covers down
to his waist.  We're both happily naked.

   "Hi, Haley.  Tell me you're not still lounging around in bed."

   "Slept late," I said.

   She giggled.  "Good.  I have succeeded in my mission, then.  Have you
had breakfast?"

   "No ...  You?"

   "Yes.  We had cereal.  Fix you and Dad something.  I'll be along in
maybe an hour.  Maybe less."

   "'Kay," I said.  "We'll be here."

   "'Kay.  Bye."

   I turned to Bill.  "We need a shower.  Then you strip the bed and I'll
get things started in the kitchen.  Our daughter's coming home."

   When she walked in, her nostrils flared.  "Freshly showered.  Check.  At
least you weren't sitting there in your PJs, eating cereal."

   "Don't be catty," I said.  "Did you have a good time?"

   "Actually did, thank you." Deena said.  Her eyes started twinkling. 
"You?"

   "Catty."

   "I love this family." She hung on Bill for a kiss.  "Yard day today,
huh, Dad?"

   "Yep."

   Domesticity ensued.  Laundry.  Yard work.  House work.  Those things are
just part of life.  I'm happy to report that Deena stepped up and grabbed a
part of the chores.  And windows, at that.  Truth is, that's the ONE chore
I've been putting off.

   "Flip you for who does outside," Deena said.  "We can work together."

   Bill saw me trooping out to the window nearest the door.  "What's up?"

   "Me 'n' Deena're doing the windows.  I lost the toss.  Your daughter
cheats at coin tosses."

   "Get 'er back.  Do the outside with a squeegee and hose."

   "Show me," I said.

   He laughed.  "That's how this got started."

   I grinned back at him.  "You KNOW better than that."

   He showed me the trick to doing windows outside.  I finished the first
one while Deena was only halfway through the inside.  I stuck my tongue at
her.  Got an appropriate response.

   We were rewarded by the master of the house who took his minions out for
dinner.

   A month and a half passed.  Deena did spend a weekend with her mom every
other week, and she made a habit of going out with her school friends to
the mall for a movie on the other Friday and Saturday nights and Bill and I
took advantage of both opportunities.

   We also did a weekend trip, having found a cultural event worth trying.

   Hotel.  Two queen beds, just like we'd done on many a previous trip,
except this time I slept in bed with Bill.  Catcalls from my evil
stepdaughter.  Had to mark that trip down as the first time that I and Bill
were in bed together and NEITHER of us had an orgasm.  I mean, even when
I'm on my period, Bill gets one.  Not this weekend.  We did manage a few
under-cover caresses after the lights were out, but no further.  Decorum
must be maintained.

   Sleep comes sweetly for my Bill while he's being tenderly stroked by my
hand, decorum or no.  I like the feel of him.  Okay, that didn't work too
well.  Bill got hard.  Then he rolled over, scooped me into his arms, then
HIS finger...

   I think I succeeded in NOT moving around a lot and I definitely didn't
squeal.

   The next day, though...

   "I just KNOW y'all did something last night," Deena told me while Bill
was bringing the car around to the front of the hotel.

   "What makes you think that?" I questioned.

   "Your breathing, Dad's breathing, changed."

   "You shouldn't be paying that much attention."

   "Couldn't help it.  I was in the same room."

   "We didn't DO it ...  Besides, I'm married to him.  It feels good when
he holds me."

   "Uh-huh..."

   "This isn't a problem, is it?"

   "Noooo," Deena said.  "Dad's been happier since you two got married than
I've ever seen him."

   "Thank you.  He's been very relaxed since YOU moved in, too, you
know..."

   "Really?"

   "We talk at night before we go to sleep."

   "Sure you do," Deena smirked.

   "No, really.  He worries about me.  I worry about him.  Your name comes
up."

   "I cramp y'all's privacy."

   "Deena," I said, "You think that you're the ONLY kid whose parents still
have sex?  I mean, Mom 'n' Steve..."

   "Yeah, I know ...  Mom and Mister Harv, too.  But you and me, we're
kinda different."

   "Forget the age thing..."

   "I can't.  You drop me off at school, then go to high school yourself."

   "And next year we'll be in the same school," I said.

   So we fast-forward a few weeks.  Yes, we got over the idea of the three
of us sharing hotel rooms.  Bill and I had a conversation about that.  You
KNOW we did.

   "We have to be adult about this," I said.

   "Said the sixteen year old girl."

   I stuck my tongue at him playfully.  "If I was a normal sixteen year old
girl we wouldn't be discussing integrating your daughter into our marriage
lifestyle," I countered.

   And school.  Fun stuff.  You see, I'm not the mom to a stupid girl. 
Deena got caught in one of those advanced academic screenings herself. 
What does that mean?  Simple.  We were BOTH waiting for ACT scores in
addition to my own SAT results.

   Also, I dragged Deena and Mizz Dasson together for a meeting as well.

   "I know she's got her own guidance counselor in the middle school," I
told Mizz Dasson, "But Deena's a lot smarter than the run-of-the-mill
middle-schooler."

   She gave me the eye.  "Like a certain Mizz Simon, right?"

   "Maybe smarter.  Seriously, Mizz Dasson, we do homework together.  She's
up with me on math, and the only reason she's not there in social studies
is that our books're different."

   "Oh my, Haley!  You sound like a proud parent."

   I snickered.  "Yeah, I inherited a pretty good kid.  You know we were
friends before I married Bill, don't you?"

   "No, I didn't know that."

   "It's a fact.  Deena and I hung around every weekend she spent at her
dad's house.  Would've been a lot more difficult if she wasn't as
intelligent.  Sometimes intelligence can lead to maturity." I watched her
face.

   She's not slow, either.  She met my gaze.  Her eyes twinkled.  "Yes, I
do think I've seen an example recently.  So there's no friction?"

   I shook my head.  "No.  None.  It's just that she wants to move with me
academically.  And you're probably in a better position to look at advanced
education options, early college entry programs, for instance."

   "Well, we'll keep this in the proper channels," she said.  "I'll talk
with her guidance counselor.  Maybe the four of us can get together."

   "I will appreciate any help you can give us," I said.

   She grinned.  "Haley Simon.  High school student.  Wife.  Proud and
responsible parent.  Speaking of parents - her dad ...  Your husband..."

   My turn to beam.  "He's all for it.  We keep 'im up to date on all of
this."

   "You really DO think that, don't you?"

   "I nodded.  "Yes, I do."

   "You have to understand all the things that went through my mind when
the news got to me of your engagement.  I knew 'Haley - one of my best and
brightest' and I knew so many poor girls who had the potential but who fell
off the track because of that whole love and sex thing."

   "Never was like that, Mizz Dasson.  He was my friend and tutor.  Friends
encourage each other and make each other better.  Then it was love.  Looks
strange, I know - that age thing, but we really do love each other.  And
he's behind me on this."

   "Good!  I'll shove some people around and see what we uncover."

   "Thank you so much, Mizz Dasson."

   A week later I'm back in her office.  ACT scores are in.

   "I wanted to talk with you about yours, personally, Haley."

   "I did THAT bad?"

   "Hardly.  You know better.  I know you could've gone online tonight and
gotten this, but I wanted to give it to you myself." She pushed a printed
page across her desk to me.

   I scanned quickly, looking for my composite score.  I saw it. 
"Thirty-three," I said.

   "Ninety-eight percent of the test takers scored lower than you, Haley,"
she said.  "You have access to any university in the country.  I don't
think I've ever seen one that high before."

   "Wow," I said.

   "Wow, indeed.  You need to consider some options, dear."

   "I will."

   I picked up Deena after I left my school that day.  She came to the car
squealing.

   "Score?" I asked.

   "Twenty-eight!  And I'm in freakin' MIDDLE SCHOOL!!!!" She paused. 
"Wait!  What'd you get?"

   "Thirty-three.  But I've got two years more school behind me." I
broadened my smile.  "And your dad has been tutoring me for four years,
almost every day."

   "Yeah, maybe that's it," she said.  "He's gonna FREAK!"

   "And we need to get serious about options, Deena.  There's NO reason for
us to wander around these schools until we graduate with the rest of the
herd.  Let's see what we can find..."





   Chapter 10

   Haley's turn:

   Add another happy student to our mix.  Deena's friend Emily, like I
said, was also no dummy.  She and Deena both took the tests as part of a
program by some university to spot gifted students.

   "How'd Emily do?" I asked Deena.

   "Twenty-seven," Deena replied.  "Her mom 'n' dad are gonna be proud."

   "So will yours, you know..."

   "Dad, for sure," she said.  "Mom will be excited because I'm excited,
but I don't think she sees all this school stuff as that important like Dad
does."

   I thought about that.  My Bill's up into his game.  I've heard him
talking on the phone when he gets calls at home about one issue or another.
I love listening to him discuss technical issues with others.  He's
confident and he's not one of those imperious-sounding, self-important
types.  When he's working with others, he's friendly, patient and helpful.

   Some of my teachers, the good ones, are like that most of the time, but
a classroom full of my contemporaries is enough to scratch through that
layer sometimes.  Still, seeing and hearing Bill like that, first, it's one
reason I'm attracted to him, and second, it's something I want people to
say about me.

   "I see that," Deena said, shaking me off the tracks of my train of
thought.

   "See what?"

   "The gears turning.  You're thinking."

   "Guilty," I said.

   "Whatcha thinkin' about?"

   "Your dad.  My husband.  How I got him to sort of help me with school
stuff..."

   Deena does these thoughtful moments.  "That's why you two'll last
forever.  It's deeper than just some sex fling."

   "Took us a long time to get here," I said.

   We got home and the laptops came out.  I had an essay to write for my AP
English class.  Deena denies the existence of homework, so she's surfing.

   "What're you looking for?" I asked.

   "Just started at the university's home page and seeing where I can get,"
she said.

   Our local university offered a pretty full slate of programs.  No, the
name wouldn't carry the weight of Ivy League or even second or third tier
universities but Bill's got a degree from here and a BSEE or whatever from
the place has put a lot of food on the tables for a lot of people.

   They do quite a few community programs, too, leisure learning, day camps
and summer programs and such.  I just haven't seen anything that grabbed
me, though.  Maybe it's because I was being too busy being grabbed by Bill.
Of course, I grab right back, don't I?

   I tapped away at the keyboard until I heard Bill's car in the driveway,
jumped up and met him at the door.  I like kissing him after he's been at
work for a day.

   "Are we going out like this?" he asked

   "Unless you want a coat and tie.  Deena 'n' I could wear ballgowns."

   "Nuh-uh," Deena laughed.  "I wanna wear a gym suit."

   The concern was that tonight was the 'open house' at the middle school.
Deena's in middle school and she expects to be there with her dad and her
step-mom.

   Bill had already discussed who'd attend on Deena's behalf with Deena's
mom.

   "She's not going," Bill told us.  "She says that since I'm going with
you, that should be enough."

   "You told her I was going, right?" I asked.

   "Yes, I did.  After all, it's your old school, too."

   "And..." I prodded.

   "I don't think she thinks that showing up with me and you is something
she wants to do."

   Privately, Bill and I had talked.  "Sad," I said.  "Her daughter..."
Inwardly I was thankful.  I didn't want a confrontation.  We had none up to
this point, Deena's fitting well in this, her new home, and I'd like to
keep things going along.

   "I told 'er we could switch off on family events, but..."

   "Let's just see what shakes out.  Gonna bother Deena a little, maybe."

   So today the three of us freshen up a bit and head out for a dinner
before the event.  Deena and I had already decided on a favorite Mexican
restaurant.  Bill didn't kick over it.  He likes the place, too.

   After the meal we headed to the middle school.  Bill's nervous.  I'm a
little nervous, too.  The news about Deena having her teenaged best friend
married to her dad is old now, but that just means that it's no longer the
hot topic of discussion.  A few of our contemporaries, both hers and mine,
have seen us out and about.  Unlike a lot of teens, Deena didn't
particularly mind being seen in public with a parent.

   That's one thing.  The other is that she and I have been seen every day
when I drop her off and pick her up at school, and occasionally we do trips
to the mall or we do grocery shopping, just her and me, and we bump into
classmates.  Or classmates and parents.

   Tonight, though, is a public appearance that is sure to get us exposure
to students, parents and faculty.  We're expecting everybody to be
civilized, but I've been wrong before.  Some kids can be just plain mean
and petty.

   I've gotten over some pretty snotty, nasty remarks because I consider
myself to be above that sort of thing now.  I'm thinking about Deena and my
husband.

   When we got to the school, the parking lot was almost full.  We grabbed
a spot.  It was far from the front of the school, but none of us gets
scared by a little walking.

   Of course, that puts the three of us walking through a crowded parking
area and a crowd at the entrance to the school and I'm holding one of
Bill's hands while Deena has the other.  That's kind of strange, really. 
No, not ME holding Bill's hand, but Deena holding her dad's hand.  Just
isn't cool, you know.  Parents are the peak of uncool and no middle
schooler would EVER deign a public expression of affection for a parent.

   We're watching the crowd and it's almost like there's a legal minimum
distance that must be maintained.  Oh, well, there ARE a few other cases
where that rule is violated, but we're exceptions, you know.

   Plus I have that little wedding band.  And I know a lot of kids know.

   Deena's into this.  She sees one girl looking at us, just short of
staring, really.  Deena waves.  We're walking towards the path into the
school auditorium as are they, so our paths merge.

   "Hi, Kaylee," Deena said.  "This is my Dad and my STEPMOM!"

   I didn't know she'd pull that.  I thought that we'd let people draw
their own conclusions.  Not with Deena around.  It's out on the table now.
Bill smiled.  Let's see how it plays out.

   The man stepped toward Bill, extended his hand.  "I'm Rick Zimmer.  This
is my wife Nicole.  And you've been introduced to Kaylee."

   "Happy to meet you," Bill said, shaking Mister Rick's hand, then Mizz
Nicole's.

   "Stepmom?" Mizz Nicole said to nobody in particular.

   "Yes, ma'am," I owned up.  "Married Deena's dad.  The title goes with
it. Also big sister, study buddy, friend to Deena."

   "Oh," she said.  Her eyes flicked toward Kaylee.  "You said..."

   "I know, Mom," Kaylee said.  "I told you..."

   "Problem?" Bill asked.

   "Nooo ...  noooo..." Mizz Nicole said.  "Just because somebody TELLS you
something doesn't mean that it isn't surprising in real life."

   "Just looks different," Mister Rick said.

   "I can imagine," Bill answered.

   "Kaylee says Deena's a straight A student..." Mister Rick said.

   "We're proud of 'er," Bill said.  I caught the 'we'.  "So's Haley."

   "Haley's ...  college?"

   "No sir.  High school.  Two years ahead of Kaylee and Deena.  But we're
looking at early college," I inserted.

   "We are," Bill said.  "Haley's ACT is in the 98th percentile.  Deena's
in the 88th, but she's two years behind in school."

   "Deena took the ACT?" Rick blurted.

   "Oh, hon," Mizz Nicole said, touching his arm.  "You remember - so did
Kaylee.  That gifted student program."

   "Oh, yeah."

   We continued walking, now a group, towards the doors.

   We met three other friends of Deena, one with her mom, two with both
parents.  I'm seeing a pattern here.  The ones who show up for this are, as
a general rule, among the better students.  I surmise that if a parent
cares enough to show up for a child's after-school functions, he's likely
to be engaged further in the child's education.

   I've discussed some of this with Bill before, after a letter was sent
home with each student ahead of a tax election.  'The school needs more
money, ' the letter said, 'for better facilities and more teachers.'

   "The school doesn't need better facilities, baby," he'd said.  "It needs
better students."

   We talked about what he meant.  I KNOW.  If I hadn't had a certain bit
of incentive, at first just me wanting to impress my friend, when Bill and
I were just friends, then I could've slipped into the middle of the pack as
a student.

   I knew kids who were whizzes at video games and who knew every fact
imaginable about one media star or another or the best place to score a
little bit of recreational chemistry.  I wasn't one, but I knew some.  And
they weren't the ones whose parents were joining them for the open house or
anything else school-related.

   We got inside the auditorium, found seats, Deena locating Emily and HER
parents, then sitting with them.  We sat through a short speech by the
principal and a school board member, listened to the school band and the
school chorus, then they cut us loose to go visit classrooms.

   This is where it got a little bit surreal.  You have to realize that two
years ago I was in this school and these were MY classrooms and MY teachers
and if you're a top-level student, teachers tend to remember you.

   Of course, being in the company of ANOTHER straight A student just adds
to the effect.

   Mizz Claussen - English teacher.  Mister Chessman - math.  Mizz Bateman
- science.  Mizz Solomon - history.  They all remembered me and they all
doted over Deena.

   "She's going places, Mister Simon," Mizz Bateman said.  "Of course,
Haley will be a couple of years ahead of her."

   "I'm proud of both of them," Bill said.  "Very proud."

   It's nice to be remembered by the principal, too.

   "Hello, Haley," Mizz Anderson said.  "I've heard that you're doing well
in high school."

   "Yes ma'am," I said.  "This is my husband, Bill Simon.  And you already
know Deena."

   "I do know Deena.  I haven't met Bill yet."

   At least she was still smiling.

   "Bill Simon," Bill said, offering his hand.  "Deena and Haley both speak
well of you, Mizz Anderson."

   "I've had both of them in my office, Mister Simon..."

   "Please, Bill," he said.

   "Okay.  Bill.  I have a lot of kids come through my office.  These two,
though, I was always happy to see."

   "I can imagine," Bill said.  "I'm father of a teenaged daughter..."

   "Daa-aadddd!" Deena squealed.

   "Oh, you didn't let me finish, babe," Bill said.  " ...  and I hear
horror stories.  Deena's not one of those..."

   "And you married this one..." Mizz Anderson said.

   I smiled, pushed up a little bit closer to him.

   "I did.  A man is lucky if he can marry his best friend."

   That was it.  The evening at school finished without incident, at least
nothing more serious than a few long-distance finger pointings.

   We made it back to the car, patiently worked our way out of the parking
lot and started for home.

   "Dad," Deena said, "What would you think about Haley in college?"

   "I've often thought of Haley in college.  I thought she'd get
scholarships when she graduated.  College is definitely an expectation."

   "No, I mean if she could sort of start now..."

   "Do you know something I don't know?" I asked Deena.

   "Well, Mizz Gonzalez, she's one of our music teachers, says she knows of
people we could talk with," Deena said.

   "About me going to college?" I queried.

   "Yeah, and maybe me, too.  She says it's not totally unheard of..."

   "She's right.  But it's rare.  And I don't know of anything like that
here," Bill said.

   "But it's okay if we look into it, right?" Deena said.

   "Sure.  Just don't get in too deep.  No making commitments and such. 
Information only."

   "We'll just look, okay?" I said.

   "Yeah, go ahead, but don't get your hopes up too high.  You're in the
system.  There's a structure.  Rules..."

   "Malum prohibitum, not malum in se," I said.

   "Huh?!?" Bill reacted.

   It's not often I get him.  I'm proud when I do.

   "Social studies.  Law.  Some things are just WRONG, like theft and
murder - malum in se - bad in and of themselves.  Other things are not
proper because of the rules - malum prohibitum - bad because somebody says
so.  Like rules that say twelve years of school, THEN college..."

   "My step-mom's smart, huh?" Deena tittered.  "And she's got a point."

   "Darlin'," Bill answered, "You're up against the bureaucracy.  Just so
you know..."

   "We're not going to BREAK rules, babe," I told him.  "We're gonna bend
'em, right up to the limit, just like you and me getting married.  Rules.
Right to the limit."

   "Yeah, Dad," Deena added.

   Back home, it was shower time, then the three of us showed up in the
living room for TV and socialization.

   Deena was sitting crossways in our overstuffed chair, her legs draped
over one arm, her back against the other, MacBook Air perched in her lap.
And a squeal.  "Mizz Rodriguez sent me an email."

   "You said she told you she had some information," I said.

   "Bunches of links." She buried herself for a second, then "Dad, this
one's an engineering company.  Why'd she send me that?"

   "She hopes I'll move away and take you and your misery out of her life
so she can go back to worrying about pubescent morons," Bill said.

   "Heyyyyy!" I squealed, kicking him playfully.  "I was one of those..."

   "Nope," he laughed.  "You were prepubescent and you were never a moron."

   "Was so, pubescent," I giggled.  "I was having periods when I met
you..."

   "Ewwwww!" Deena squealed.  "I don't wanna know..."

   "Do they have any names?  Client list?"

   "I'm clicking," Deena said.  "Oh, yeah.  Names.  Pictures.  They do some
work down here." She read off a couple of facilities that I knew of.  Bill
knew them, too.

   "That's certainly interesting," Bill said, "but what's that got to do
with college?"

   "I'm looking," Deena said.

   By this time, I had my iPad out.  "Gimme the URL," I said.  "I'll look
with you."

   "Scoot over here so I can see, too," Bill said.

   Like I need an excuse to snuggle close to Bill.  As a matter of fact, I
sort of used this excuse even before we did anything else.  I know it used
to bother him.  Well, maybe not 'bother'.  Let's just say he was affected.

   Tonight, though?  Wiggle.  Yeah, still affected.  I tapped at the
screen, bringing up the website.

   "Professionally done," Bill commented.  "There's a link that says 'Our
Staff'.  Click it."

   I did.  Page full of pictures and names.

   "I know that guy," he said.  "Alan Addison.  And Dan Richards.  Both of
'em.  We crossed paths somewhere along the line."

   There were females in among the males, too.  Similar surnames made me
think that there are married couples.  A Christina Addison.  A Cynthia
Richards.  Others, Jason and Susan Ellerbee.  Dan and Dominique Granger. 
So it's families, at least as much family as me and Bill and Deena.

   "She looks young," I said, pointing to the picture of Cynthia.  I
clicked on the 'more' link by her name.  My jaw dropped.

   Cynthia (Cindy) Richards received her Masters in Electrical Engineering
from Auburn University at the age of fifteen.  She became the youngest
doctoral candidate in the university's history, receiving her doctorate in
physics at the age of seventeen.  She is a research fellow at Los Alamos
National Laboratory as well as Auburn, Stanford and Texas A&M.

   "I'm behind, baby," I said.  "I'm sixteen and I'm still in high school."

   "And if I wanna catch up, I need a masters by next summer," Deena added.

   A little more reading and I found that Dominique Granger was 'Nikki' and
she was a year older than Cindy with the same credentials.

   "That's why Mizz Rodriguez gave us that link.  If these people can do
it, maybe WE can do it."

   I leaned back against Bill.  "Maybe there's a way." I looked at the
smiling faces on that page and thought of my own, with MY Bill.

   "Too late to call right now," Deena said, "But I'm sending an email."

   "Can't hurt," I said.  "Maybe one of 'em'll call us back."

   I kept looking around the website.  Oh, sure, some of it's that sort of
sterile "Look at what we can do" and "Look at what we did" material you'd
expect, but they'd put a whole lot more personality into their site than
any others I'd happened across.  Each of the principals had a mini-resume'
and a picture page.  Cindy's had a picture captioned "Barely fourteen.  Not
an engineer - yet!" and it showed her standing on top of a big concrete
block (Pump foundation, Bill said) with her arms raised in victory.  A
whole crowd of men in hard hats like hers were standing around the base. 
Cute.

   "I'm liking this," Deena said.  "These people seem to be into this
thing..." She pointed me to another link.

   "3Sigma Robotics," I said.  "Look at THIS!"

   Bill and I watched a video then scanned more of the splash page.  "Our
staff" it said.  It showed about a dozen people arrayed behind three
pre-teen girls and a similarly aged boy.  In front of them were several
robots including one that HAD to have been descended from Wall-E, holding a
backpack in his 'hands'.

   This was like opening an undiscovered tomb in The Valley of the Kings.
Everything was new and everything made us question what we knew.  I'm
hoping that we get a reply to the email.

   Bedtime.  After a long day, I give my evil stepdaughter a hug after she
gives her dad the obligatory kiss.  She heads up the hall to her room. 
Bill and I head to ours, closing the door behind us.

   It's that time.  You can tell from my narrative of the day's activities
that this marriage is a union based on other things besides sex, but
mmmmmm! Sex is definitely part of it.  I'm a supremely satisfied
participant.

   Since the word of my marriage came out, I have been asked about sex.  I
just write off and ignore the obvious rude and salacious comments and
questions, but if the person (Girl!  Always a GIRL!  I will NOT talk to a
boy about sex.) comes off as sincere, I'll talk.

   Last week - "Beck," I said (Her name's not 'Rebecca', it's 'Beckham'. 
Go figure.), "Sex is just PART of marriage, at least the GOOD ones.  Bill
and I are partners in a lot of other things like our house and my education
and his work."

   "So it's no big deal?" Beck prodded.

   "Wrong, girl," I retorted.  "It's a VERY big deal."

   "Same guy ...  Old guy..."

   "You've seen pictures.  Bill ain't ugly.  He's plenty healthy enough for
all I can handle."

   "Same guy ...  Every time."

   I sighed.  Beck's, in polite terms, 'easy'.  I guess a lot of girls that
age - MY age - are.  "Beck, you know how you say feelin' kinda naughty
makes it better?"

   "Uh-huh..."

   "I think the opposite is true, too.  Us, me and Bill, it's just right.
Correct.  Moral.  Expected.  And we KNOW things about each other..."

   "Uh..."

   "And you know what?  When the sex part is over, I still have my best
friend right there and we'll buzz off to do something, even if it's
something as dull as keeping the house and yard neat, or making dinner, or
going to a movie."

   "But his daughter..."

   "Deena?  She was my friend before I married her dad.  She's good with
it. Knows about closed doors and stuff, and me 'n' Bill, we don't slobber
and grope all over each other in public, anyway."

   "You make it sound good," Beck said.

   "It IS good, Beck.  Very good."

   "How do you find one like that?"

   "Like Bill?  That's a big mystery.  But look for maturity, look for
lifestyle, look for goals.  I didn't see anything like that at school, you
know..."

   "Yeah, I know ...  but you're, like, different."

   "I guess.  But I watch all the crap that's going on, and I WANT to be
different."

   "Like this calculus lesson ...  you get this?  I mean, REALLY?"

   Beck's a fellow advanced placement student, so she's NOT stupid.  "Yeah.
Now here's the deal..." and I went off into helping her understand, because
four years ago a guy told me, "Learn the principles, then you know ALL the
problems.





   Chapter 11

   Bill's turn:

   Things are getting strange.  When you understand that I'm starting from
a place where I live in a household with my sixteen year old wife and her
best friend, my fourteen year old daughter, and we call that 'normal', then
'strange' takes on new impact.

   Now it's academic.  Not 'academic' as a descriptive term to denote
something that doesn't affect reality, but rather 'academic' as in
pertaining to education.

   I considered myself to be pretty smart.  I mean, I AM an engineer, and
as a rule we've filtered out a lot of less intelligent participants. 
Trouble is, I've been beaten by the females in my life, daughter and wife.
My daughter has a better ACT score in the eighth grade than I did in high
school.  Well, Okay, not really.  I beat hers by a point.  She got a
twenty-eight, I got a twenty-nine.  Mine wasn't shabby, but Deena's was in
the eighth grade.  And Haley, my dear, sweet cutie of a wife, beats me by
four points.

   I don't NEED them to tell me that I need to take some serious steps to
make room for those intellects to grow to potential.  That didn't stop two
excited teens from telling me anyway.

   When I'm on the way home today, I do the customary phone call to Haley
and get the ring-beep denoting that she's on the phone.  I consider that to
be odd.  She gets the occasional call, usually about a school assignment,
so it's not big deal, just on the edge of unusual.

   I walk in, Deena jumps up to meet me.  "She's on the phone with Doctor
Richards in Alabama."

   "Oh," I said.

   "We emailed 'em.  Cindy called us."

   "Cindy?"

   "Doctor Richards.  She sounds nice.  Excited for us."

   Haley looked over her shoulder at me, made a kissy face, then, "Cindy,
my hubby's here.  Do you mind if I put you on speaker?"

   Apparently not.  A voice from the phone said, "Hi, Mister Bill.  Deena."

   "Hi, Doctor Richards," I said.

   "Puh-leeze, Mister Billl.  I'm Cindy.  Couple of years older than your
wife."

   "Then I'm Bill," I said.  "And I've met your husband a few years back."

   "Really?"

   "Yeah, he was the engineer on one of our substation projects.  Been some
years."

   "I'll ask him if he remembers.  Hang on."

   I heard her asking him off-mike, then "Hey, we're putting y'all on
speaker here, too."

   "Hey, Bill," I head a familiar voice.

   "Danster," I said.  "I'd ask what's up, but we're just sort of finding
out."

   "Know what you mean, buddy.  Cindy said you have a sixteen year old
wife?"

   "That's me!" Haley popped.

   "And a fourteen year old daughter," Deena injected.

   "It's about ACT scores, baby," Cindy said.  "These two are pretty
impressive," she told Dan.  "Bill, what're you doing with it?"

   "I'm just short of sitting in a dark closet, weeping softly," I said.

   "You are NOT!" Haley squealed.

   "The truth is, we are just getting into where this all goes.  I'm
without a clue.  Haley and Deena just started looking into it.  That's part
of why this call is happening."

   "I had a particularly good guidance counselor who helped me immensely,"
Cindy said.  "What're your guidance counselors there doing for you?"

   "They're trying, but I'm one of a thousand high school students, so I
don't expect much," Haley said.

   "And I'm in middle school, so mine is plowing new ground with me," Deena
added.

   "Now I'm gonna ask a question and I need honest answers," Cindy said. 
"Are you BOTH serious about this?  I mean, I was fourteen when I hit
college.  Nikki Granger and Dana Allen were fifteen.  Kara and Tina were
seventeen.  What we're talking about is certainly possible, but it's not
worth wasting effort if you're not going to put forth serious effort.  You
could pretty much coast through high school and take the traditional
college route."

   "I'm bored.  Stagnating," Haley sighed.  "I'm a serious student, but..."

   "Me, too," Deena said.  "Seriously!  You were fourteen?"

   "Yes.  I was three months shy of my fifteenth birthday.  Two years later
I had multiple bachelor's degrees and a master's in electrical engineering.
Now I have a PhD in physics."

   Me, I'm just keeping my mouth shut.  I never imagined this was possible
...  Finally I worked up to saying, "I guess we could talk with the local
university directly."

   "I can do better than that, I bet," Cindy said.  "We need to get you up
here to talk with somebody I know.  How're your schedules?  Could you miss
a couple of days?"

   "Not like we're gonna miss something important.  If we say we're going
to visit..."

   "Auburn University," Cindy said.  "I'll have an email sent to your
guidance counselors if you give me email addresses.  I got somebody on the
inside at Auburn.  I want you two to meet 'er."

   "That's a two-day drive," I said.

   "Bill, Bill, Bill," Cindy said.  "We grow wings here."

   "Wings?" Deena asked.  "I saw pictures of airplanes but I didn't pay
much attention."

   "You should, Deena.  Details.  I'm one of a herd of licensed pilots. 
Dan and I have our own plane, as do others, plus the corporation owns a
couple - a little trainer for teaching students and a bigger twin for
moving technicians and equipment around the country.  You're four hours
away in our plane.  I could pick you up there mid-morning, have you here by
mid-afternoon.  If you want to..."

   My young wife squealed.  "Yes!"

   "Next question," Cindy said.  "Deena?  You too?"

   "Absolutely," Deena said.

   "That leaves one more, Bill.  You gonna stay there and work while
they're gone, or are you coming with them?"

   "I go where she goes ...  THEY go," I said.

   "Okay, then that's settled.  I need to make sure a few things line up at
this end, but how about Thursday of next week?  And we get you home
Saturday or Sunday?"

   "Good!" Deena blurted.  She eyed me and Haley.  "Right?"

   "Tentatively," I said.  "I have to interface with a real job."

   Haley's turn:

   On a list of things that make high school legends, at least among the
faculty, is having the guidance counselor show the principal a letter from
a recruiter at a major university asking that I make myself present for
face to face interviews.

   There are a few students who work in the school offices during the day,
so word leaked out.

   "But you're just barely sixteen," was a common statement.

   My reply was standard.  "Straight As.  Highest ACT that they have at
this school this year.  Or last year.  Or the year before that."

   A few of the academically-minded expressed a bit of jealousy.  "An
Auburn recruiter?  Wow!"

   "I don't know if I'm going to Auburn.  I am married.  My husband has a
job here.  No way college is going to separate me and Bill."

   Yes, Deena informed her mom.  Deena's still a good kid (says me, a whole
TWO years older) and she talks with her mom almost every day, usually about
school and whatever trips we go on as a family or what happens when she
goes out with friends.

   She explained her glee over the ACT scores and the fact that Auburn
wanted to see us and we were going.  She side-stepped the part about how we
were getting there.

   "I can see Mom freaking out," Deena said.  "If it hits her when she's in
the wrong mood, it just gives 'er something to use against Dad."

   "She does, doesn't she?" I said.

   "Yeah.  I don't know how Dad put up with 'er long enough to create me,"
Deena giggled.  "You 'n' Dad, I can see.  Dad 'n' Mom ...  Nuh-uh."

   "People change sometimes.  Your dad is safe, sane..."

   "I'm surprised he consented to flying in a light plane.  Sometimes he's
soooo conventional."

   I knew ways he wasn't conventional, at least not within my experience,
but that's not the kind of thing one discusses with a man's teen daughter.

   "Safe.  Stable.  Steady.  Conservative," I told her.

   "That's Dad.  But Mom traded that for a lawyer..."

   "You never know what makes people happy, I guess."

   "I guess so.  I mean, I listen to some of the girls at school goin' on
and on about one boy or another and I know the boy who's the subject of the
conversation and I think that bag of rocks is smarter."

   "I see the same thing all the time," I answered.

   "You saw that and you looked at Dad and there's no comparison," Deena
said.

   "I knew I could talk to 'im about anything and if he didn't know, he had
this way of taking me along as we both learned, and when it became US,
before we decided to get married, I knew that if I treated him right, he'd
be by my side as long as he lived."

   "Romantic."

   "Practical, too.  Why should I waste my time with one of those
shit-kickers at school who'd use me for whatever he could get out of me and
when I wasn't exciting any more, he'd move on to the next one..." I paused,
"Not that short, flat-chested me is..."

   "You know better, Haley," Deena said.

   "Boobs, not brains, that's what they want.  Your dad treated me like
brains from the beginning."

   "So!" she said.  "Cindy?  Boobs or brains?"

   "That red hair.  I'm jealous.  But definitely brains first."

   "Her picture on their website.  Not a hint of make-up," Deena said. 
"You're like that.  I probably should be, too..."

   "You get to be YOU, Deena."

   So Thursday FINALLY got here.  I haven't anticipated anything like this
since I used to lie awake at night and imagine Bill's hands touching me,
before we actually mated.

   The three of us were waiting in the office at the airport, not the
terminal where all the airlines do their stuff, but a place that handles
general aviation.  That's something very new and interesting.  Little
planes.  One engine.  With propellers.

   They had the control tower radio on speaker in the office.  We'd already
gotten a cellphone call from Cindy telling us she was half an hour out,
just to coordinate things, and now we hear her voice talking to the control
tower like it was the most normal thing in the world.  Maybe it is, for
her.

   In a little bit, we see a little airplane taxiing up, doing slow curves,
the red head inside leaning one way then the other to see around the nose
of the airplane.

   A guy goes out there with a couple of orange wands in his hands and
guides her to a place to stop.  By this time, we're out there waiting. 
When the propeller stops turning, a door opens and Cindy gets out and she
makes me feel good because she's just barely taller than me.  Hugs happen.

   Bill's standing back, observing.

   "You get one, too, Bill," Cindy said.  She hugged MY husband.  I
watched.

   Bill's turn:

   "Now," she said.  "Bathroom.  Sorry." And she hurried off.  We followed
her back inside, grabbed our bags, waited.  Presently she came back, face
glistening.  "Four hour flight, four hour bladder," she said.  She surveyed
her prospective passengers.  "Anybody scared?"

   Deena and Haley both shook their heads, so I guess I'm on shaky ground
if I am.  "No," I said.

   "Let's get the bags loaded then," Cindy said.

   She moves with confidence.  Our bags were secured.  She borrowed a
ladder to check the fuel caps on her wing tanks, giving us a narrative as
she walked around the little aircraft.

   Deena's flown on commercial flights, as have I.  Haley has never been
off the ground and SHE is excited.

   She said so to Cindy.

   "First time I ever flew was in THIS plane.  I've never been on a
commercial airline."

   "Then this is perfect," Haley said.  She was almost giddy.

   We got ready to board.  I thought I'd get the front seat beside Cindy.
I'd be just wrong.

   "Cindy, can Bill ride in the back seat with Deena?" She asked Cindy, but
she watched MY face.

   "Sure.  Bill, you don't mind?" Cindy queried.

   "Nope.  She gets to say..." I said.

   "Thank you, baby," Haley said, kissing me.

   We got in and buckled up.  Cindy explained the headsets to us. 
"Intercom," she said.  "It's too loud for normal conversation without it.
Mine 'n' Haley's here in front can access the radio, but I'm disabling that
on Haley's.  Radio traffic gets priority, but once we get out away from the
airport, there won't be much."

   I guess I looked apprehensive.  "Bill, the most dangerous part of the
trip was the drive from your house to here."

   "Okay," I said.  "It's just new to me."

   "I'll hold your hand, Dad," Deena said, smirking.  "Be a big boy.  Don't
get scared."

   "You're not helping," I told Deena.

   "Okay.  Haley, you're my co-pilot.  Here's a checklist.  You read, I'll
do..." Cindy said.

   "How'd you get here without a co-pilot?  Deena asked.

   "This is a pretty simple airplane and I've got hundreds of hours in it.
I don't really NEED the checklist, but it's always a good idea to use it
anyway.  And if I've got somebody in the front seat, they get to play
co-pilot." She paused.  "And I'm an instructor and Haley's a student, so
she's learning things.  Y'all get to ask questions." She paused.  "I am a
licensed flight instructor, among other things."

   Yes, she's an apt teacher, explaining each step of the process.  I
followed along.  Deena followed along.  Haley was hanging on every word.

   "Okay, the last thing we do before we take off is called 'the run-up'.
Here's where we make a few simple checks of the engine and exercise the
propeller." Again, an explanation of each step.

   "Now we call the control tower on the radio to get permission to take
off.  They make sure we have no traffic coming in and there's nothing on
the runway.  Now, Haley, put your hands on the yoke and your feet on the
pedals and follow along.  When we start rolling we steer with our feet. 
When we get some speed, the tail will come up a little bit.  When that
happens, it's gonna pull to the left, so we need to keep it straight with
right rudder.  That's the pedal..."

   Noise.  Motion.  This thing vibrates a lot more than any airliner I've
ever been on, but I know the difference between pistons and turbines as far
as vibration is concerned.  We're in the air, headed south at first, then
swinging in a lazy arc to the east.  I'm watching the ground getting
further and further away below us and Haley's turning back, looking at me
with a broad grin.

   I look at Deena.  Deena's smiling.

   "I could get into this," Haley said.

   "I know, right?!?" Cindy replied.  "Sorry, Bill.  I've given Haley a
taste of the forbidden fruit."

   "Nothin' forbidden about it," Haley said.  "How old when you started?"

   "Fourteen," Cindy said.

   Deena's head snapped around.  I caught the inference.  So did Cindy. 
"But you can't officially be a student.  You have to be sixteen to get your
student license and seventeen to get your private license.  You can't
officially accumulate hours and training without the license."

   "I could look it up on line," Haley said.

   "Yep," Cindy replied.  "It's all there.  Plus, I have stuff at home."

   The flight went well, I guess.  There were some bumps, nothing violent.

   "We're at seventy-five hundred feet.  We get the updrafts and downdrafts
from uneven terrain heating.  We feel this sort of lazy movement.  The
faster you go, the sharper the bumps.  Like in a boat." Cindy being a
teacher.  I get the idea that she's good at it.

   It was Haley's first time crossing the Mississippi River, something she
noted with a grin and a comment.  "Me too," Cindy said.  "In this plane,
going to meet Dan's family for the first time." I could see the smile in
the corners of her mouth.  She continued, "They thought I was eighteen.  It
was quite an event when they discovered I was really fourteen."

   "That would do it," I said.  "Most places..."

   "Some things are meant to be," Haley said.  "That's what we found out
when we went for our marriage license.  We could've gotten a judge..."

   "Nikki did that.  She and her Dan lived south of you.  They met when he
rescued her after the hurricane.  A judge fixed 'em up.  She's a year
older'n me.  And Dana.  From around here.  Married at fifteen."

   I heard a giggle from my daughter.  I turned and gave her The Look.

   "What, Dad?!?" she tittered.

   "Don't even THINK about it," I said.

   "Oh, I'm NOT!" Deena giggled.  "It's just that there are some guys who
seem to find these rare gems of teenaged girls..." She used the term 'rare
gem' because I called her that many times as she was growing up.  Check
that.  She's STILL growing up.

   "Takes two people to make a marriage," Cindy said.  "You've probably
seen plenty where it was a pair of adults and it didn't work."

   "Guilty," I said.

   "Wasn't YOUR fault, Dad," Deena defended.  "Besides, it was the universe
lining things up so you'd be here for Haley."

   "By the way, Haley's flying right now."

   "What?!?" came three voices - mine, Deena's and Haley's.

   "I'm not touching the controls, Haley.  I told you what you needed to
do. I followed along with you.  Where are my hands right now?"

   Haley glanced over.  "Uh, in your lap..."

   "So YOU are doing it.  This is the easy part, but YOU are doing it."

   "You said it was tiny bits of pressure on the controls..." Haley said.
"I'm almost just thinking about doing things."

   "We're in a smooth patch.  We're trimmed up just perfect.  It's easy if
you don't let things get too far off ...  Now..." Cindy's hands went back
to the control yoke.  I felt an almost imperceptible change.

   "Airspeed's going up.  What do we do?"

   "Back pressure," Haley said.

   "Well, do it," Cindy said.

   Almost imperceptible change in sound.  Haley squeaked, "That works."

   Now I'm thinking of how I'm going to deal with a Haley that wants to
fly. Could be worse.  She could want to be a hip-hop backup dancer.

   We started our descent after a few hours in the air.  Haley was still
following Cindy on the controls.

   "Okay, Haley ...  Hold this heading and this speed.  Lemme make a phone
call," Cindy said.  "Tell 'em we're almost home." After the call, "I got
it. You're doing good.  Follow me while we land."

   We got everything short of red carpet.  Cindy's husband, Dan - Dan 1.0,
we were told, met us with a four-seat golf cart thing, let Cindy take us to
their house while he put the airplane away.  He looks like the older
version of the guy I knew from a shared job a few years ago.  He recognized
me, smiled broadly at my wife when I introduced her and my daughter.

   We dropped off luggage in a very nice, neat house in a neat community
with a street that took us from the apron at the airfield right back into
the community.

   "We don't usually have a big confab during the week, but you folks are
an event for us, so we're all having dinner at the pavilion."

   "Pavilion?" I asked.

   "They have a pavilion," Haley educated me.  "Community meeting place. 
Music venue.  Social.  Community kitchen."

   "Oh," I said.

   Okay, it sounds weird when it's explained, and believe me, It LOOKS
weird in real life.  Cindy, I guess somehow she's the de facto center of at
least some of this.  If I'd been just a little more introverted, this
would've been too much - so many people all at once - and I worried about
Haley and Deena, but I shouldn't have.  Those two, after all, go to school
every day and work their ways through crowds as a matter of daily life.

   I was introduced to a few more engineers - men my age - as well as
engineers closer to Haley's age.  And three girls and a boy who I'm told
are twelve and eleven, accompanied by a strange-looking robot who showed up
carrying a utility bag.

   The leader of THAT group is a blonde kid, daughter of Alan Addison.

   I'm absorbing bits and pieces of stories.  Like I said - almost too
much. Haley's off into the crowd meeting people.  Every now and then I
catch her pointing me out, smiling.

   Something was missing.  What?  I've been to many of these 'events' for
the company or for various of the vendors or whatever and I've seen
husbands and wives or men or women with their dates.  What's missing here?
Make-up.  Molded and nailed down hairdos.  Clothing of questionable
utility.

   This bunch was NOT that.  I was introduced, as I said, to everybody. 
Alan's wife, Tina.  Brown, auburn actually, hair.  Blue eyes.  With a
little toddler of a girl beside her.  Not a drop of makeup on Tina. 
Jason's wife Susan, a blonde beauty.  No makeup.  Peaches and cream
complexion.  Dana Allen - honey blonde.  Grey eyes.  Engineer husband. 
This list goes on...

   Conversations range widely.  I'm there with Dan (1.0) and Alan and
they're talking about projects they have on the tables.  They're busy.  And
nobody batted an eye when a brown-headed cutie came up behind me and
wrapped her arms around me, resting her chin on my shoulder.

   "What do you think of the place, Haley?" Alan asked.

   "The Magic Kingdom's a sad fake.  This is real." She turned her head. 
"Terri, bring Bot-bot."

   Later, sanity made its way back to us when we retired to the home of our
hosts.

   "It's kind of an overload, I know," Dan said.

   "Yeah ...  but not in a negative way."

   "Cindy's fault," he says.

   Cindy's eyes sparkle.  "I can't help it.  I guess I get really excited.
Haley, you 'n' Deena..."

   "I LOVE it!" Haley said.  "Shows me that PEOPLE can be like this."

   Deena's head bounced in affirmation.  "Yes, that's it.  The whole event
- nothing negative, nothing catty.  You all get along, don't you?"

   "We do," Cindy said.  "It just sort of grew this way.  All I wanted to
do was go to college and be an engineer like my Dan." She emphasized the
point by raising her hand, fingers interlaced with Dan's.

   "That's what I want," Haley said.  "College.  Like Bill."

   "Like Dad," Deena said.

   "And you're spinning your wheels where you are now," Cindy said. 
"Tomorrow you're going to meet with Mizz Aneeta.  That's Doctor Aneeta
Patel, patron saint of precocious engineers.  She'll talk with you.  Might
send you off for some assessment by some other people."

   "And while they're off on campus, you can hang around at the office with
us if you want.  Or go visit the 3Sigma Robotics lab."

   "I don't need to be there with them?" I asked.

   "Not really.  Cindy's certainly capable of handling this disruption in
the universe."

   And now I'm thinking 'Disruption?  What KIND of disruption?'





   Chapter 12

   Haley's turn:

   It was a nice office.  I've walked into a few offices at school, like
our guidance counselor's office.  Big desk.  Person sitting behind it. 
Position of authority is demonstrated and settled by first impression.  I
guess it makes some people more comfortable that way.

   Not this one.  Short, Indian (from INDIA) lady in a dress that was
elegant in understatement on her.  She came from around her desk, hugged
Cindy like a daughter, then turned to me.  "I am Doctor Aneeta Patel. 
Cindy calls me 'Mizz Aneeta' and I am satisfied with that.  And you are
Haley Simon, correct?" And she pronounced it 'See-moan' like it's
pronounced back home.

   "Yes, ma'am," I said.

   "Do not be nervous, Haley.  Cindy has given me much practice at this. 
You and I can talk for a bit, then I want you to meet some people."

   "Yes, ma'am."

   "Haley, I'll be up the hall for a bit.  When you finish, text me," Cindy
said.  "And you're in the very best of hands."

   Okay, I'm nervous.  I've gotten used to dealing with people in high
school, but this is college and Cindy took us around the campus to give us
a feel for the place.  I feel like it ain't high school and what in the
world is a redneck teenager doing in the office of a recruiter at Auburn
University?

   "So, Haley, you're running a 4.0 grade point average.  What else are you
doing at school?"

   "I sometimes help with some of the math classes, but not so much any
more."

   "What made you stop?"

   "I started catching a lot of bad comments from other students.  They
thought I had some scam going to get out of classwork."

   "Ah, yes," Mizz Aneeta said.  "I've heard this before."

   "The truth was more than they wanted to contemplate," I said.  "I don't
have to put forth much effort to understand high school math, even the
advanced placement materials.  The same goes with the other subjects.  I
get them without the exercises."

   "And your friend Deena?"

   "My evil stepchild," I said.  "She and I look at my high school
materials together.  She's there too, Mizz Aneeta.  We're in school because
the law requires us to attend school, but other than some socialization
gains, I don't see much more I'll get out of high school.  And I truly
think that the socialization is of the less profitable variety."

   Mizz Aneeta smiled.  "Cindy brought you in to see me.  You've met Cindy.
Four years ago she was telling me much the same, except she rescued a
football player and got the team to run interference for her to get past a
lot of the bullying."

   I giggled.  "Run interference.  Football player.  I see what you did
there."

   Mizz Aneeta smiled.  "You are fast, and I did not intentionally speak
thusly.  Now, Cindy tells me that your husband is not thinking of moving to
Auburn."

   "He's got a good job, Mizz Aneeta.  And Deena's got a mom who may throw
a fit if she tries to move out of the state."

   "I understand.  Hurdles.  I'm thinking, though, that perhaps we can do
our evaluations and perhaps arrange a program between Auburn and your local
university.  If they're amenable, we can see to it that we get you as much
consideration for advancement as possible while you maintain parallel
student status at home."

   "That's interesting.  From what I've seen of how Auburn has interfaced
with Cindy and 3Sigma I believe that you have their best interests in
mind."

   "And they have ours as well, Haley.  We are proud to have a part in some
of the developments that have come from 3Sigma.  I have glowing reports
from students and professors who've had mutually helpful relationships with
3Sigma."

   "Part of me wishes WE could move here, but I really don't see that
happening.  Of course, I may meet my husband this evening and find out
differently."

   "We would welcome that.  You and your friends have made me quite a name
on this campus.  Now, I want you to meet with the big hurdle in
engineering..."

   "Math," I said.  "I have that from several sources."

   Mizz Aneeta led me to a conference room.  Two men.  And I've been
warned.

   "You're Doctor Ramathani and you're Doctor Brendan," I said.  "Cindy
warned me." I shook their hands.

   "We are lost, then," Doctor Ramathani said.  "Call Me Ram, please,
Haley. And he's Bren."

   "So we're not going to ask if you were told what to study.  Cindy would
not do that," Bren said.

   "Cindy told me that if I didn't know it a week ago then a week's study
would not prepare me."

   "Did she give you some sort of pre-assessment?" asked Ram.

   "Yes, she did.  Said she didn't want to waste your time."

   "Are you going to waste our time?" Ram queried in a delightful lilt.

   "I hope not, but this is new ground to me.  I'm quite well past the
advanced placement curricula in our school.  I have been doing some on-line
studies.  My husband thinks I'm deranged."

   "And the other girl?  Deena?"

   "Two years younger," I grinned.  "My husband's daughter.  MY evil
stepchild.  If I can do it, she can do it."

   "That's it!" Bren said.  "We must stop Aneeta.  She was sending them to
us one at a time.  Now she's doubling up on us." He looked at me, laughing.
"I don't suppose you're going to major in mathematics, are you?"

   "Husband's an engineer," I said.  "I'm ruint."

   "Then let us proceed," Ram said with an exaggerated sigh.  "Doctor Patel
says we do not have time to do a full assessment as we have done with
others.  We will give you the abbreviated version and if you do well, we
will beg you to return for a bit more comprehensive workout."

   "Nikki Granger told me about your workouts."

   "Nikki Granger has one of our degrees," Ram said.

   "We wanted her to stay with us for advanced work," Bren added.  "Perhaps
you..."

   "College is back home, I'm afraid," I replied.  "But Mizz Aneeta says
she's going to make me a hybrid.  Let's do this."

   Two hours later I was in their office again, having called Cindy to come
rescue me.

   "Haley, two hours isn't enough," Bren said.  "We want you back here. 
Give us two days.  Please."

   "It would be very beneficial to your college aspirations, even if you
did Renaissance Literature, " Ram chuckled.  "If we get something on paper
that we think we see in our two hours of conversation at the whiteboard,
baccalaureate-level mathematics for you will be completed."

   "But we need something on paper," Bren reinforced.  Looking up he said,
"Well, Doctor Richards, it appears you have competition."

   "Hi, Cindy," I said.  "You said you knew where a good chocolate malt can
be found?"

   Cindy's head bounced in the affirmative.

   "I'm too young to drink alcohol.  A malt will work."

   "You guys got time?" Cindy asked the two mathematicians.  "We're
buying..."

   "Hamburgers too?" Ram asked.

   "I thought beef..." I started.

   "Oh, dear Haley, do not get caught up in stereotypes," he laughed. 
"That place makes a very good burger."

   "And I suspect we will need our strength this afternoon when we meet
Deena Simon," Bren inserted.  He pronounced it Sigh-mun'.

   "It's 'See-moan'.  She's Cajun.  Like me.  My fourteen year old
step-daughter."

   "A slip," Bren laughed.

   When we got into Cindy's SUV, I called Bill.

   "Well?" he said, "you don't sound particularly abused."

   "I WAS abused, but I'm over it.  If you wanna meet me 'n' Cindy and a
couple of math professors for lunch..."

   "I'm gonna see you later," he said, "but I see Nikki and Deena..."

   "Send 'em to meet us.  And you and I will have to celebrate later."

   Cindy giggled.  "I love those celebrations."

   "They are rather uplifting," I answered.

   We met Nikki and Deena at the burger joint with Ram and Bren close
behind us.

   The reviews do not do the place justice.  Burger.  Real onion rings.  A
chocolate malt of optimum viscosity, too thick to slam, just thin enough to
suck through a straw without causing yourself an aneurysm.  And good
conversation.

   "And you're not going to tell me ANYTHING, are you?" Deena asked, her
eyes flicking between me and Ram and Bren.

   "At this stage of the game there's nothing I could say that would do you
any good, Deena.  They said I did okay.  I know what YOU know, so you'll do
okay, too."

   "Nikki," Ram said, "how do you find these wĂĽnderkinder?"

   "We don't exactly troll for them," Nikki said.  "We have the corporate
website and it links to some of the activities and capabilities of the
community."

   "That's how we found this," I inserted.  "We talked with Nikki and Cindy
and..."

   "Dana," Deena inserted.  "They sort of interviewed us to see if we were
real or just some kids messin' around a website."

   "And here we are," I grinned.  "Are we messin' around?" I looked at
Bren.

   "Sadly," he said, "I have come to recognize the smug tone in Doctor
Patel's voice when she prepares to do this to us again."

   Nikki dropped Deena off into the shaking hands of Bren and Ram.  Cindy
took me back to the robotics lab.

   It is cause for wonder.  The 'adult' in the room is a sixty-something
old guy who's in the corner with machine tools making something.

   "Mister Gerald," Cindy said.  "Retired machinist.  LIKES what he does,
so he comes in a few days a week and gets a paycheck and gets to play
grand-dad to a bunch of college kids."

   "Neat," I said.  "I don't have a grand-dad.  Modern American family, you
know..."

   "I know," she said.  "Mom's dad is long gone.  Never knew who my
biological dad was, so that's a dead end, so I went out and adopted
grandfathers all over the place." She giggled.  "I think I'm gonna have to
pass out certificates." Giggle.  "Mom married one of 'em.  Family tree
looks like a briar patch."

   "Welcome to the Brave New World," I said.

   "Oh, don't get Terri started on that book.  She announced she'd read it
when she was ten.  Her and Rachel both, actually.  Poor Alan liked to have
lost it."

   "I read it.  I thought it was a little ...  you know ...  for me and I
was fifteen."

   "But you understood what was going on - the view from orbit."

   "Yeah.  I did.  But Terri?"

   "Oh, yeah.  Compared it to 1984.  And discussed inappropriate behaviors
as related to age, as well."

   "That's a sign of real learning," I said.  "That's what I'm trying to
do. School's, well, I show up, sit in a classroom, let the teacher fill my
head with the prescribed daily requirement of mush..."

   "And it's not enough, I know.  I did on-line courses ...  You have, too.
That math you showed Bren and Ram..."

   "My math teacher at school is a math TEACHER.  Heavy on the teaching. 
Light on the math.  I desire to find what Bill calls a 'subject matter
expert'."

   "You just sat through lunch with two of 'em."

   I smiled.  "I get the feeling that they're doing what they enjoy."

   "They'd almost have to be.  Otherwise why would any sane person work so
hard at college-level math?" Cindy smiled.  "I mean, we accept the
challenge..."

   "Sometimes you show up just to play the game," I replied.  "For the sake
of the game."

   She grinned and squeaked "Exactly!  You sure you can't get Bill to move
here?"

   "I'm flattered that you ask," I said, "but Mom's my next door neighbor,
too..."

   "Yeah ...  You had one of the good ones from the start..."

   "I dunno about that.  I guess in her own way she tried.  Saw through me
'n' Bill early on..."

   "Mom was oblivious.  It's a sad story.  Dan's the happy part, early on.
Now Mom's the happy part, too.  Sometimes people do change."

   I could sense a tale.  I mean, I'm pretty perceptive, right?  "Yeah, I
think Mom did ...  Now she's Mom and I dunno ...  It's not like some people
who haven't cut the umbilical cord yet, but still..."

   "I understand.  Just that you'd fit in here..."

   "Y'all BUILT this," I said.  "Maybe what I need to do is build my
own..."

   "Maybe so," Cindy said.  "You got you 'n' Deena, and I know somebody
who's IN that university.  Two of 'em, actually.  You might have to be
open-minded, though..."

   "Oh, I know gay people," I said.

   "This is a bit more complex.  Carlita Johnson and her husband Dave live
with a third, Brindy."

   "That could be completely innocent.  I live with Bill.  So does Deena."

   "Deena's Bill 's daughter.  I think Brindy's ...  Just a feeling.  Just
a little tiny bit of a warning.  We talk with 'em from time to time. 
They're good people.  Carlita's an immigrant from Guatemala.  She's, well,
sort of like YOU.  I think if you talk with her you'll get the true story.
It's her place to tell you, not mine."

   "Now you've got my curiosity piqued," I said.

   Cindy grinned.  "Curiosity is a good thing.  Let's go see what's going
on out in the shop."

   I saw Vicki and Rachel with a college student poking a cable into one of
the robotics platforms.  I saw people at workstations, tapping away.

   "Coding," Cindy said.  "We have a huge library of code blocks.  Much of
what we do is build a lattice that ties those blocks together.  Sometimes
we put a bunch of it in one big processor, sometimes we farm it out to
various sub-processors and let them handle their own set of functions. 
That was Terri's first foray.  It works well and it's famous.  Google.  A
few other places."

   "She's twelve and she's famous at Google and it's not for a cat video,"
I mused.  "I have catching up to do."

   Cindy smiled.  "It helps if you don't think of it as a race.  We all do
what we can.  When me 'n' Tina 'n' Susan 'n' Nikki first started teaming
up, we each played our strengths for the group.  That's sort of what Terri
figured out with her and Rachel and Vicki.  Now they added Derek."

   "And he makes goo-goo eyes at Rachel..."

   Cindy giggled.  "He's so obvious.  Her mom and dad are just relieved
he's Jewish."

   "Yeah, I guess that'd be a good thing.  But seriously ...  They're
twelve."

   "I was thirteen," Cindy said.  "Married at fourteen."

   I looked at her.  I sense she's somebody I can trust, so...  "I ...  Me
'n' Bill ...  Since I was fourteen.  I mean, there was never any doubt we
were getting officially married, but still..."

   "I beat you there, little sister.  I was thirteen, almost fourteen.  And
Dan was scared.  So scared.  But we knew ...  there's more to marriage than
a piece of paper.  Shut that door, if you would..."

   I stood and pushed the office door shut.

   "I don't talk about his with just anybody," Cindy said.  "My sisters
know.  Now you know."

   "It means a lot," I answered.  "Sometimes I just about want to explode
because I can't verbalize it."

   "Does Deena know?"

   "I suppose she suspects, but I've never admitted it.  I knew Deena four
years before I married her dad.  I used to go places with her and Bill when
he had her for visitation.  But when I turned fourteen, I couldn't stand it
any more.  I just about attacked the guy..."

   "So honest, trying so hard to be honorable and proper, right?"

   "Your Dan?  My Bill." I smiled thinking about it.

   "It's a common thread here.  Nikki.  Tina.  Dana.  Same thing with
variations."

   "I thought we were being all subtle.  Mom saw right through it. 
Confronted Bill, told him she'd rather HIM being with me that a string of
high school boys.  Mom wasn't the chastest girl in her younger days, by her
own words.  But I never could talk about this with anybody else."

   "The important thing is that you two are good for each other."

   "Yeah," I said.  "We really are.  That part I can tell everybody. 
Sometimes it's good to tell somebody how long it's been going on."

   "Dan never knew what hit 'im," Cindy smiled.

   "I bet you didn't either," I analyzed.  "I know I didn't.  One day I
sorta did an assessment and discovered that the guy had always been perfect
to me and I loved him."

   "I still just about die when I walk in and he starts smiling," Cindy
said.  "You probably heard 'people get tired of the same partner' from
people, right?"

   "Oh, yeah ...  a dozen times a week, usually from some girl who was
going through three exciting partners a month..." I could actually picture
the faces of some girls who'd offered me their relationship advice.

   My cellphone rang - Deena's ringtone.  I punched the 'answer' button,
then the 'speaker' button.  "Hey, Deena!  You're on the table between me
'n' Cindy..."

   "No I'm not.  I'm in the car with Nikki and I have endured apocalyptic
abuse..."

   "Weapons of math instruction," Cindy giggled.

   "Nikki said you'd work that comment in," Deena laughed.

   "So I assume you did well?"

   "They want us to come back for a week.  Mizz Patel came in and talked to
the four of us, me, Nikki, and those two BEASTS."

   "I assume you're at the robotics lab, right?"

   "Yeah," I said.  "Cindy and I are having a girl talk."

   "Well, I think my Dan's got ribeyes for dinner tonight.  Celebratory,"
Nikki said.  "You do like steak, right?"

   "Oh, yeah," I answered.  I'd had enough of the smug vegan crap, usually
from some girl and her androgynous 'boyfriend' who'd be back to hamburgers
in a couple of months.  Kale gets old fast and there's always a new fad, a
new bandwagon, something else socially significant to some people.

   "Good," Cindy grinned.  "One of our interns came to one of these.  We
knew ahead of time that she was in a vegan phase, so Dan tossed a couple of
thick slices of marinated eggplant on the grill for her." Another giggle.
"She had a ribeye on 'er plate by the end of the night."

   "Hard to get past the smell of meat grilling.  Does he do 'rare'?"

   "Yes he does.  I like mine just a little toward medium rare."

   "I want mine mildly miffed and inconvenienced." That's from Bill, of
course.  He introduced me to the joys of steak, properly prepared.  Among
other things that I REALLY enjoy, you know...

   The evening's sleeping arrangements had Deena in a slumber party with
Vicki, Rachel, Terri, and...

   "Derek's okay here until ten then he's going home," Dana said.

   I'm trying to get my head around a chaperone that's fifteen, a year
younger than me, but I'm told and I can see evidence that she's as
level-headed as any of the rest of us.  That leaves me and Bill in the
guest room at Cindy's place and she swears that they paid extra attention
to making walls soundproof when they had the place specced out for
construction.

   "Because we live close to the airfield, you know..." she advised me with
a theatrical wink.  "I know what I like to do when a day has been extra
successful, and I think you'd consider this day to be one of those, right?"

   I think my mouth dropped open.

   "Bill!" Cindy squealed, "your wife's blushing!"

   Saturday was a social day, although that evening's musicfest and
community feast was attended by Mizz Patel and her husband.

   "Haley, you and Deena really need to see fit to come spend a week here.
We want to do comprehensive assessments.  With a bit more solid data in
hand, I will do what we can to match Auburn's assessment to your local
university's programs."

   She said that with Bill and Deena present as well.  I looked at Bill. 
"Baby," I said, feasting on the incongruity of 'baby' with my husband's
forty-odd years, "Can we work on that?  I don't think school will have an
issue.  What about your work?"

   "Baby," he said back, smiling, "we'll make it happen.  There's a lot of
things going on here that I want to see you and Deena doing.  Maybe not
here, but I want to see you have the opportunity."

   And Sunday morning, we climbed back into Cindy's plane for the flight
back home.  Cindy put Bill in the pilot's seat, took the other front seat
herself.

   "Okay, Bill, consider this Lesson One."





   Chapter 13

   Bill's turn:

   Okay, I have to admit it.  That whole trip was an interesting
experience. The fact that for the trip home, I was ordered into the pilot's
seat of a light plane at the instruction of an eighteen year old redhead
with a doctorate in physics just added to the whole surreal experience.

   Okay, she's a CUTE redhead, and listening to her speak assuages any
fears you've ever had about geniuses being socially inept.  The fact the
two girls in the rear seat, my wife and my daughter, look upon her with awe
just short of worship, that says a lot.

   Okay, so there's that academic dimension that the girls explored.

   I explored something else.  As one of several engineers who seem to have
come from this corner of Louisiana, it was not too much of a stretch of
imagination that a couple of names and faces were familiar to me.

   We all went through a lot of the same paths that engineers go through -
the entry level jobs with engineering houses, the chasing of projects,
where we all thought that the best thing was to be out on the site where
the thing was being built - the pointy end of the spear, so to speak.  And
a couple of us had become domesticated, working as staff engineers for a
single employer.  That was me as I am right now - a little field work,
mainly to hold hands and to teach people, and a lot of office work, writing
procedures and policies and putting together project packages where the
best you could do was spec out good stuff and hope it lived up to
expectations.

   And they were doing it different.  Yes, it was an engineering house, but
they avoided a lot of the drudgery by keeping things small, letting each
engineer OWN a project and run it as he saw fit.  Clients apparently loved
the approach.  Of course I knew that a company's reputation was only as
good as the guy (or girl) who showed up on YOUR project, but these people
seemed to understand that as well.

   "That's how Dana ended up with us," Cindy said.  "Nikki and her Dan came
down here for a project, the client engineer was Ed, Dana's Ed.  Nikki 'n'
Dan took 'em out to eat, Nikki met Dana, the rest is..."

   "History," Haley said.

   "I know where Ed worked," I said.  "He left a job he could've had for
life."

   "So did Tim Duncan, Kim's husband," Cindy said.  "Kim said he was like a
tiger in a cage, getting fed regularly, being safe and protected, but
pacing the perimeter, dreaming of the jungles and the live prey."

   "Not fair, Cindy," Deena giggled.  "I know your poetry skills."

   "Prose," Haley laughed.

   "That too," Deena countered.

   "Just saying," Cindy said.  She checked the altimeter.  "Bill, if you
find you're starting to need a little pressure on the yoke to maintain
altitude, remember - you're burning off fuel.  The plane's dynamics change.
What can you do to get rid of the need for control pressure?"

   "Trim?" I said, remembering that THIS thing with the red hair next to me
is a teacher.

   "Right.  Your plane.  YOU trim it."

   "Yes ma'am," I said.  Like I said, she's a teacher with a bit of
finesse.

   "Straight and level flight isn't the best learning environment, but if
you're gonna learn, it's something you need to learn," she said.  "The
rest? If we had a month of an hour every afternoon, you'd be good to go."

   I'm thinking 'How do I get a MONTH in Auburn?' Especially with the two
girls in the back seat.

   Back home, we got back into a new routine.  I started paying a bit more
of a critical eye to my day to day activities.  This was a good company to
work for.  Would a new one be better?

   Naturally there was a conversation with the ex after Deena dutifully
(And probably a bit TOO gleefully) reported the results of her trip to
Auburn.

   "She had a good time, Laney.  And we're discovering some very happy
things about her intelligence."

   "I knew she was bright, but I have to admit, she seems to have blossomed
this year," Laney said.  "But college?  Bill, she's fourteen."

   "You saw her ACT scores.  She's spectacular."

   "She says that she and Haley..." a sigh, with added exasperation, "are
neck and neck.  Haley's two years further along."

   "Yeah.  Both of 'em.  But Auburn wants 'em back for a week.  A more
complete assessment."

   "In that little airplane?  I get scared."

   "Don't.  Completely safe.  Safer than driving.  And a LOT faster."

   "She says you're taking lessons..."

   "Why not?  That whole bunch we met, they all fly.  Makes getting around
the countryside a lot faster."

   "You're going up there with them, right?"

   "Of course.  Although I did toy with the idea of ...  But no ...  my
wife..."

   "And your daughter."

   "Both are bright, capable, independent young ladies, but I rather enjoy
having Haley by my side every..."

   " ...  night," she finished.  "Yes, I remember how you were.  Honestly,
I'm glad Haley meets your expectations."

   "Thank you," I said.  I knew that with Laney, the conversation was at a
crossroads and one path led to something unpleasant, so I tried to push in
another direction.  "But if Deena's a candidate for early entry into
college..."

   "We will cross that bridge when we come to it."

   "Be ready.  I have it on good authority that we have a daughter who may
well be in college after Christmas."

   "I just want her to be legal, Bill.  The attendance laws..."

   "I am aware," I said.  "We got letters from Auburn to the school telling
them that this was an academic excursion.  The next one will be, too."

   "Okay.  She's spending Saturday with me, right?"

   "Yeah.  Said y'all were running to Houston to shop..."

   "That's the idea."

   "Go for it."

   "If she wants to spend the night..." Laney started.  She knows what
Deena has said about Harv.

   "Her call.  I trust 'er."

   "Harv's got a couple of conventions on the horizon.  I'm not going with
'im.  I'd like to save that time for me and Deena."

   "I'm sure she'd love it," I said.

   "Okay, then.  We'll be flexible on her education options.  If she wants
it and you want it, I'm sure I'll want it."

   "Great!  Thanks, Laney." I clicked to end the call, turned and looked
into two pair of eyes.

   Deena was first.  "What'd she say?"

   "She says she has no idea how I fooled people into thinking my
hopelessly inept daughter had any remarkable academic worth."

   "She did NOT!" Haley squealed.  "I watched your face."

   "Me, too," Deena said.

   "Okay, she's on board with us on education.  I'm glad to hear that.  And
she said that Harv's going to a couple of conventions and she's staying
here to spend time with you," I said.

   "I like that idea." She sighed theatrically.  "Although I hate to be
gone so long.  Haley will be soooo bored..."

   Haley slid closer beside me.  Deena has no trouble with physical
affection, hugs and kisses, herself, but she knows that between me and
Haley things go a lot further than father and daughter.  In front of Deena,
Haley and I hug, and our kisses have a lingering quality that befits our
married status, but right now it was a family hug, me in the middle, my
arms holding Deena against me on one side, Haley on the other.

   The next two weeks.  My work went along tired old paths.  The girls
giggled about the queries concerning their excursion.

   I fielded several calls from one or another engineer at 3Sigma about
various projects that were within a day's drive of home.

   Dan Granger called.

   "Dan 2.0," I said, laughing.

   "I'm used to that," he countered.  "Did you look at that substation
proposal?" One of the local utility companies was making some
infrastructure upgrades.

   "Yeah.  Looks interesting.  Why?"

   "Keep telling you, bud," he said.  "If you want it, it's yours.  And
several others."

   "I am not moving to Auburn," I said.  "Deena's mom and I have got a
pretty good arrangement over Deena being here, but that's 'here' here, not
Auburn."

   "We understand that," Dan said.  "Look, we've talked.  There's gonna be
some good work in that area for the foreseeable future.  We can handle it
from here, but eventually we're going to need a local presence.  We think
you ought to do that for us."

   There it is.  Not a hint.  Not an allusion.  Not an impression.  A solid
offer.  "A presence," I repeated back to him.

   "Yeah.  Office space.  Some warehouse space.  Probably a couple or three
good technicians or an entry-level engineer.  An admin."

   "That's an operation," I mused.

   "You know you won't be on your own.  Nikki and I get back there every
now and then ...  Oh, you know the story.  We have family there - me, Alan,
Dan ...  so an excuse ...  Jason'll help you with getting the right
technicians."

   "Let me think about it, Dan.  It's worth the time to think."

   "Take your time.  Don't make me send Nikki and Cindy down there to
kidnap your girls..."

   "Look, the only thing that's keeping me from going up to Auburn right
now is the leash that the ex has on Deena."

   "So let 'er keep the leash short, you come to work for us, you stay
right where you are, get new business cards, and we'll roll with it."

   "The girls say we're going to go there in two weeks for them to have
another run at Auburn.  I'll have an answer for you then."

   "You know you're gonna do it, Bill.  Just turn in your notice and relax
about it.  We're the Borg.  You've been assimilated."

   I laughed.  "Oh, sure ...  geek me out over it."

   The next morning I did the very difficult task of breaking the news to
people I'd been working with, been friends with, for the last five years.
That was hard.  The boss had a hurt look on his face.  I almost backed
down, but then the vision of Haley glowed in my mind with Deena looking
over her shoulder.  Somehow I understand that changing jobs is changing
lives as well, and that for Haley and Deena to flower, it fell upon me to
provide the field.

   I had to field phone calls from TWO schools, one for Deena, one for
Haley.

   "Mister Simon..." the lady from the middle school, Deena's school, said.

   "See-moan," I corrected.  At least a petty government functionary could
get my name right.

   "Sorry.  Mister Simon," she said, correcting herself, "this is an
unusual letter.  We've never seen such a thing..."

   "I would imagine they're quite rare.  Still, it speaks for itself. 
Auburn University offers us an opportunity to evaluate Deena for a possible
accelerated entry into a college program." I paused.  "We need to have
official notation that this is an excused absence.  A copy will be included
in her student record, of course."

   "Along with this letter," she said.

   The call from Haley's school counselor was completely different.

   "Mister Simon?" Mizz Dasson asked, correctly pronouncing my name.

   "Yes, ma'am," I said.  "I assume you've gotten the letter from Auburn?"

   "They thought enough of it to send it Fed-Ex.  That's a completely
'Haley' thing, I guess."

   "I quit guessing," I laughed.  "My imagination can't come up with this
stuff."

   "Nobody here remembers anything like this before, either.  Haley's kind
of like our rockstar."

   "That'd be Haley, for sure," I said.

   "I imagine you would say as much.  Do you have any idea what most people
expected of her when she showed up with a wedding band?"

   "We've talked," I said.  "She and I, we talk about what goes on in our
lives.  She's not pregnant..."

   "She's not dropping out, either.  That's what I feared for Haley.  She's
been a bright star in a guidance counselor's heaven ever since I got
involved with her.  I've seen too many bright young girls get married, with
or without papers, and just drop out of school."

   "I knew Haley wouldn't do that, or we would have never gotten to the
part about marriage.  If I'm gonna be stigmatized for marrying a teenaged
girl, she's gonna be a trophy-grade teen girl."

   "Ah, soooo ...  Auburn?  Really?  Why Auburn?  Why not the local
university?"

   "I have a degree from the local university, but Haley and Deena found a
group who're associated with Auburn who have similar capabilities..."

   "Are you moving there?"

   "Not my intent right now.  But the recruiter who they've already spent
some time with, she seems to think that some sort of arrangement can be
worked out."

   "So if we're lucky, we get to keep 'er until the next semester?" Mizz
Dasson asked.

   "Maybe.  We'll find out."

   "I'm sure it will be something to behold," she said.  "We'll have a
release letter sent to you for the days missed."

   "Thank you," I said.

   I got home that day, got wrapped up in the arms of an excited
brown-haired teenaged girl.

   "Mizz Dasson caught me in the hall.  Said she talked to you."

   "She did.  Your school's okay with it, Deena's school is okay with
it..."

   "And I'm very excited." Her brown eyes flashed.  "In more ways than
one..."

   Today's the day that Deena remains after school for chorus practice. 
That means the house is a playground for Haley and me.

   Haley knows the schedule and she gets home a little before I do, so when
I open the door and step inside, I see a completely nude cutie standing in
the hall.

   "You carry that look off quite well," I smiled.

   "Our costumes need to match, you..."

   "Yes, ma'am." God, I love this girl.  And it's not JUST for the perky
teen body that's helping me undress.

   We ravish each other with abandon.  Just pure bouncy, happy coupling.  I
had two shuddering orgasms.

   "I lost count.  You know that thing you do with your tongue.  I lose
consciousness, I come back to my senses in time to catch another one,
and..."

   She was lying halfway across me, idly toying with my depleted dick.  She
moved, putting her cheek on my thigh so she could see my face.  Giggle. 
"There's a drop left." She made a big show of sucking my semi-hardness into
her mouth.

   The playful grin that followed that move, that's another of a million
things that I adore about her.  I tug gently.  She knows what I want
because now she's lying atop me.  We're nose to nose.

   "You're excited..." I say softly.

   "Well, yeah ...  We're naked ...  I'm excited." A little wiggle. 
Conversation's not what she wants and I love it when she's in a playful
mood.  "I wonder if there's any possibility that I can get myself eaten
again?"

   "I'd love it..."

   A bit later, she's back on top of me.  I brush my fingertips through
those brown bangs.

   "You love me, don't you?"

   "Every day.  All day.  You make me want to write sonnets."

   "You've written me those little notes I find in my books.  At least your
bookmarks are G-rated.  I had one fall out in class.  The girl in the next
desk picked it up and read it.  Makes us legends, baby."

   "Great thing to be a legend for ...  Having somebody love you."

   "But you're right.  Excited." She smiled.  It comes off looking shy,
like she almost doesn't want to show how she feels, but I've seen that
smile for years and I understand it.

   "I'm excited about going back to Alabama, and I just KNOW that something
will work out for me in college.  Deena, too.  Cindy says Mizz Aneeta's
magical."

   "She can't be more magical than you."

   "Different magic," my Haley giggled.  She kissed the tip of my nose. 
That communicates the fact that we have a daughter to pick up in a bit.

   "No, we don't," she said.  "She's got a ride home this week.  But we
STILL need showers.  When she gets here, we'll go get a late dinner."

   "Showers?  Plural?"

   "No ...  Come on."

   When Deena walked in, she started grinning.  "Smells like somebody just
got out the shower."

   "I practice good hygiene, thank you," Haley giggled.

   Giggle back.  "I'm sure you do." Deena's nostrils flared.  "I don't
smell dinner."

   "Choose.  You 'n' Haley pick a place."

   They both turned together.  "Mexican."

   I know the nearest one.  We eat there a lot.  It's a family-run joint
and most evenings we've visited, half the clients as well as all of the
staff ARE Mexican.  The food's good, cheap, and once they got past my
protests, they fix mine with a heat level a few bars higher than they do
for the girls, a fact we discovered when the girls had to sample some of my
burrito.

   That's where we ended up.  Got greeted as regulars, seated, a basket of
chips and some salsa found their way onto the table.

   "Run down your checklists," I told the girls.  "This is a week trip this
time."

   Giggle.  "We'll have plenty of room.  Cindy's flying the twin to a job
in central Texas and she's picking us up to dead-head back," Deena said.

   "You talked to her today?" Haley asked.

   Deena nodded.  "Yeah, between the last class and chorus practice, we
Skyped.  Nikki's coming with 'er, maybe.  Depends on the load-out for that
project."

   I'm thinking that here's a fourteen year old girl talking about
'load-out' on an airplane and I've only got the vaguest of ideas.  I
surmise that delving into that set of facts was infinitely preferable to
her being expert on the latest hip-hop artists.

   "Y'know, Dad, we need our own airplane..."

   "Huh?" I blurted.  I saw Deena grinning with self-satisfaction.  My eyes
shifted to Haley.  This line of conversation has apparently been settled
prior to my participation.

   "We do?  Who came up with THAT bright idea?"

   "Everybody," Deena said.

   "Since you're gonna be working with 3Sigma and we're going to be
involved with Auburn, it makes sense, doesn't it?" Haley injected.

   "Look, I've had exactly ONE lesson, and you two are already wanting a
plane."

   "Cindy says I can get my student license right now and get my private
license on my next birthday."

   "And I'll be a year behind," Deena informed me.  "But it makes sense,
you know ...  Our family situation and all that job stuff..."

   "We'll look into it," I succumbed.

   A few days later the three of us are at the airport again, baggage
stacked on a cart, waiting.

   The speaker in the FBO office (I know what an FBO is now) was tuned to
airport radio frequencies.  Female voice.  "Southland Tower, Twin Cessna
four seven five golf golf five miles north for landing.  We have
information Juliet."

   "Roger five golf golf.  Report in the pattern for runway one-five.  No
known traffic."

   "Five golf golf."

   "Nikki," Haley grinned.  "She said she was coming if she could."

   I have the picture in my head of Cindy and Nikki and that big
twin-engined airplane.  Nikki's nineteen, Cindy's eighteen.  "That's our
ride," I said.

   The older gentleman at the counter said, "Women pilots.  Used to be
rare."

   "Wait'll you see these two," Deena stated.

   "Two?" the guy questioned.

   "Yep," Haley filled in.  "And it's likely you haven't seen that much
education in the front seat since they stopped flying the space shuttle. 
Two PhDs in physics."

   "Wow.  I need to meet 'em."

   He got on the public address system, informed a guy to meet the incoming
plane.  Five minutes later that twin engine plane taxied into place, guided
by a guy in coveralls missing their sleeves.  The propellers stuttered to a
stop, the door opened, and first Nikki, then Cindy, got out.

   They collided with Haley and Deena, then each gave me a hug.

   "You're family now," Cindy laughed.

   "I've been assimilated, I think is the phrase."

   Four of them giggled at me in unison.

   Cindy turned to the guy standing behind us.  "Go ahead and top it off.
Hundred low lead.  We'll be inside AFTER we see the fuel truck."

   "After?"

   Nikki's head bounced.  "Not sayin' YOU'D make the mistake, but we know a
guy who tried to take off with a half tank of gas, half tank of Jet A."

   "I got a gas tanker and I got a Jet A tanker.  I'll bring the right
one."

   "Please do."

   We turned to walk towards the office.  When we got there, Cindy stopped.
"Yep.  Says 'avgas'."

   "She's a good ol' plane, but we need to feed 'er right," Cindy said.

   Back in the office, the guy at the counter had a bundle of questions for
Cindy and Nikki, a few of which pertained to paying for fuel.

   After the two of them had taken turns in the ladies' room, they were
back out.

   "C'mon," Cindy said to me.  "Lesson Two.  Preflight inspection."

   "Uh, I'm not gonna learn to fly in THIS."

   "Try again, Bill.  You're an engineer.  I show you stuff on this thing,
you take that data and translate it to another thing.  Inspection's
inspection.  They all look at the same general things.  You learn a few
details for each plane, but same general things.  This one's just got a few
more of 'em."

   "Okay," I said.

   "Hang on.  This one's got a checklist." She bounced up into the plane
and came back out with a laminated card.  "Now, we start right here..."

   Nikki, Deena and Haley watched with some amusement.

   We finished the preflight inspection.  While we were loading the
baggage, I got an overview of the effect of center of gravity on flight
characteristics.  The girl IS a teacher.

   We got on board.  "I'm gonna keep Nikki in front with me for this one,
y'all."

   "No sweat," I said.  "That's a lot to absorb."

   "It is," Cindy said, "And I guess I'm kind of having fun with you, but
the guys say you're one of the GOOD engineers, that you're not a cookbook
guy."

   "And you WILL learn to fly," Haley added.  "'Cuz I'm gonna be right
there with you."

   "I know," I said.  "In due time."

   Private conversation was out the door.  We all had headsets on,
everybody tied into the plane's intercom system.  Neat idea, because when
you removed them, the cabin was just a bit too noisy for normal
conversation.

   Nikki and Cindy did the normal 'tour-guide' thing again.  This time we
were a couple of thousand feet higher and fifty or sixty miles an hour
(gotta start thinking in 'knots', for heaven's sake) faster.

   I felt like Columbus in a hurry to get to the New World.





   Chapter 14

   Haley's turn:

   Maybe I never paid attention.  It's a possibility that I've seen them
out there and just never noticed.

   What am I talking about?  Geniuses.  Magical creatures.  People who
operate outside the normally expected boundaries.

   Like the pilot and co-pilot of the plane we're flying.  The pilot's
eighteen and the co-pilot's nineteen and they're both females and I
understand that women have been freed from the old stereotypes and all
that, but that's a theoretical 'I know' that you put in your head and then
go about your everyday life.

   Until you run into it in real life and 'real life' is a redhead or a
brunette with an astronomical IQ and a pilot's license and she's funny with
an undercurrent of seriousness and she looks at you and says "I think YOU
could do this --" where 'this' is be in college two years ahead of
schedule.

   Mom and Steve talked to me when I got back from the last trip.

   "You sure they're not blowin' smoke up your ass?" Mister Steve asked me.

   I smiled.  Mister Steve's been a GOOD stepdad.  Treats Mom well.  A
little unpolished, as Bill says, but totally worth loving and respecting.

   "Y'all have been looking at my report cards for the last four years.  I
have not made ONE single grade less than an 'A' since Bill started helping
me." I saw Mom smirk.  "Even BEFORE that, Mom.  That's just lagniappe."

   "You're smart, okay?" Mom said.  "I figured you'd graduate at the top of
your class now.  But you're saying that these people want you to take some
tests and step you right out of high school and into college.  Are you SURE
they're not running a scam?"

   I shook my head.  "Nope.  Been there.  Saw what they do with my own
eyes. Besides, what could they get out of me 'n' Bill 'n' Deena?  They came
and took us there in a private airplane.  That's just too much to fake."

   And it's too much to analyze, too.  I've been on a commercial airline
once, a trip to Disney World when Mom and Mister Steve were just married.
He'd gotten a chunk of insurance money when they sold his mom's house.

   Deena's been on several.  We both agree that THIS is better.  I don't
think Bill disagrees.  We've talked.  I think an airplane is in our future.

   I find that very satisfying.  Even more satisfying is that Bill got me
the introduction to this rather neat little sidetrack in life, and now I
get to share it with him and my closest best friend and stepdaughter,
Deena.

   You can bet that we have the books to study.  When Cindy was explaining
about weight and balance as relating to loading the plane, I already had a
picture in my head of what she was explaining.  Her mention of the term
immediately brought up what I'd read.  It's like that.  I read things, then
somewhere a bit further down the road I get to play with the application.

   The flight back to Alabama went faster this time.  Nikki informed us
that we were two thousand feet higher and fifty knots faster.  The previous
four-hour flight is now going to take less than three.

   "Of course that's costing a fortune in fuel," Cindy injected into the
conversation.  "I love flyin' this thing, but it's expensive.  Full load of
fuel's over four hundred bucks and we're burning almost forty gallons an
hour.  At four bucks a gallon."

   "Damn!" Bill said.

   "But it saves us a lot of long driving, a lot of lost days on the road,
we can get our people and equipment a long way, fast -- We have the
business case all figured out.  Songbird seldom flies empty."

   Nikki was turned sideways so she could see us.  "We fudged a teeny
little bit to let us be where we needed to be to fly you back with us in
this thing."

   "We coulda drove," Bill said.

   "Yeah, one looong day or two days with an overnight in a hotel.  Isn't
this better?" Nikki spoke.

   "Yeah," replied Bill.

   "I absolutely love it," Deena added.

   "So do I, Deena," Cindy giggled.  "I still enjoy the looks when I walk
into an FBO and they're waiting for the pilot to show up."

   "Like today?"

   "Well, they saw me on the last trip, but that was our little Cessna 180.
This time, this big ol' twin -- Stretches their ideas of possibilities,"
Cindy said.  "Haley, I need to get YOU checked out.  You're littler than
me, shorter, and you'll wow 'em for sure."

   "I'm all for that," I said.  "Like being a 4.0 in high school isn't
enough."

   Deena giggled.  It sounds a little strange on the airplane's intercom.
"She'll be a year ahead of me."

   "Everybody was ahead of me," Cindy said.  "I was fourteen when I married
Dan.  He introduced me to flying.  I could FLY, I just couldn't get a
license, so I always had to fly with a licensed pilot."

   "Really?" Bill questioned.

   "Yep!  When I finally got my student license and started logging time
and getting signed off, I had half a dozen aircraft I could fly."

   Nikki laughed.  "Thing is, she's the best flyer of the bunch.  Pay a
little attention and you'll hear stories about 'er."

   "Spill it," Deena said.  "What kind of stories?"

   "Can I?" Nikki asked Cindy.

   Cindy sighed.  "People, I'm NOT all that -- I was just in the wrong
place at the right time and I did what I could --"

   "A guy gave 'er a ride in a bizjet, hauling a bunch of lawyers to a
football game.  On the way back, he had a heart attack.  Cindy had to land
the plane.  She'd only had the one ride --"

   "Wow!" Bill blurted.  "Seriously?"

   "Was on the news," Nikki continued, "including the part where there
wasn't a big hole in the ground at the Birmingham airport.  And that big
yellow and blue plane at our airfield?"

   "Yeah," I said, leading.

   "Cindy's checked out.  Did a week as an ag pilot, helping Wally out when
his other pilot broke his foot."

   "Double wow," Bill said.  "That's some flying, there."

   "Oh," Nikki squealed, obviously getting into the conversation.  "Oh! 
And ask Jason - he's Susan's husband - about being Cindy's co-pilot when
this thing lost an engine on takeoff --"

   "This thing lost an engine?"

   "Happens," Cindy said.  "Runs like a top, usually.  Except that one
time. Had a partial loss.  Turbo controller quit."

   "And you handled that?"

   "We're flying it right now, ain't we?" she said as she turned, grinning.

   "Yeah, that means something," Deena said.

   "It's all just stuff you learn," Cindy said.  "You have the ability,
both of you.  If you want to learn, you'll learn.  Maybe not flying, but
whatever --"

   I know she read the look on my face.

   "Don't get caught up in the enormity of what's ahead.  Nobody's pushing
but you.  You decide how much, how fast."

   "Yeah," Deena said.  "You know how many people just WISH they'd be doing
what we're gonna do?"

   "I know," I admitted.  "Bill, I'll be okay."

   He squeezed my hand.  "I know you will.  You and me, we climb mountains
together."

   We landed in Alabama.  This time I paid just a little more attention to
that big yellow and blue airplane.  It was pulled off the side of the
runway, a tanker truck full of chemicals being pumped into it.  The pilot
was hitting a bottle of soft drink while they loaded him.  It's a BIG plane
and I'm thinking about Cindy, who's MY size.

   'Okay,' I tell myself, 'I can do ALL this.'

   After we landed, the dinner was a buffet and the socializing was a blur.
At the end of it, though, Bill and I were in the guest room at Dan and
Cindy's while Deena was dragged off to stay with Terri.

   Our shower was suitably comforting before bed.  Once in bed, Bill went
straight to the point.  "Punkin, you've been subdued all day.  What's up?"

   "I haven't been --" I countered with a whine.

   "Oh, you know you have.  Me and you.  Partners.  Tell me."

   I sighed.  "It's just so much, babe.  I don't know if I'm all this --"

   "What do you mean?"

   "Like Cindy.  A freakin' PhD and a pilot with hundreds of hours.  And
teaching at the university -- I'm not all that --"

   "First, I've talked to Dan Richards a lot.  Some of it was about Cindy.
She wasn't ANY of that when they met, just a C-average middle school girl.
I remember another middle school girl who wanted a little help.  Second,
right NOW you're a high school student with a clean 4.0 average.  The only
difference is that she found her path out earlier than you did.  But if
you're scared --"

   I looked into his eyes.  He's concerned.  It's genuine.

   "I don't want to disappoint you, Bill."

   "Sweetness," he said, kissing my forehead lightly.  "That's not going to
happen.  You could be right in the middle of the thundering herd in high
school straining for a C in math and banging your head over metaphors in
English and I would not be disappointed.  And if you want to back off,
we'll do that."

   "I really don't, I guess.  Just that sometimes all this catches up with
me.  Plus -- period should start in a day or two, so maybe I'm a little bit
on edge."

   He cuddled me.  For years now, that's been therapeutic - a good cuddle.
I feel safe.  Protected.  Accepted.  Wanted.  "Just take a mental step back
and look at things.  You know about making rash decisions."

   "I know.  And I really WANT this --" There I was, still in cuddle mode,
feeling loved and -- One hand.  "I really want THIS, too, you know --"

   Fitful dreams about papers with sentences in foreign languages. 
Awakened by a soft knock on the door.  Cindy's voice, announcing breakfast.

   I went into the guest bathroom, washed my face, brushed my teeth,
brushed my hair, caught Bill as soon as he was dressed.  We walked into the
kitchen together.  Dan was at one end doing something with milk and eggs
and stuff.  Cindy was tending some bacon in a cast-iron skillet.

   "I hope you're in a mood for French toast," Dan said.  "Cindy said you
had it here before --"

   "That'll work," Bill said.

   "I hope I understood you correctly," Cindy said to me.  "Some people
don't really want a big breakfast before a stressful day."

   "Last meal before the execution," I said, exaggerating the sadness.  "At
least I'll die with French toast on my breath."

   Dan laughed.  "Where have I heard drama like that before?  Next thing
you'll be talking about is weapons of math instruction --"

   I sighed.  "That was last time.  This time they're waiting for me."

   "They told me they thought you were pretty good," Cindy said helpfully.

   "Yeah, so when I show up this time, same ol' problems, except this time
solve them for solutions that would be correct in an adjacent universe
where two plus two equals five and there is a REAL square root of negative
numbers."

   "Day-ummm!" Dan laughed.  "Bill, you gonna put 'er on a leash?"

   "Nope," Bill laughed.  "I'm gonna give 'er to Cindy."

   "I'm gonna take her and Deena for the day.  Might call you for lunch,"
Cindy said.

   We took off out the door, ran into Nikki and Deena walking up the
street. Nikki and Cindy talked about some robotics business and then Deena
and Cindy and I got into Cindy's SUV and headed onto campus.

   She escorted the two of us into the math building.

   You know you're in the right place when the receptionist says "Hi,
Cindy! They're expecting, uh, Haley Simon."

   "See-mohn," Cindy smiled "More of those pesky Cajuns."

   "Looks easy," the receptionist said.  "After all the foreign names, I
thought that one was a gimme.  Sorry, Haley."

   "Not a big deal.  I'm used to it.  I don't mind."

   She smiled as she punched her phone.  "Doctor Bren, Haley's here."
Pause. "Yes, I'm sure they'll wait." She put the handset down.  He'll be
right out.  Doctor Ram's running late.  Pile-up at the donut shop, I
think."

   Doctor Bren walked out, saw Cindy, grinned.  "YOU!  This is YOUR doing."

   "Guilty," Cindy grinned.  "And Deena's turn tomorrow, right?"

   "Absolutely," he said.  "Haley?  Shall we?"

   "Yes, Doctor Bren."

   "I'm still just Bren, okay?"

   "Yessir," I said.

   "Nervous?"

   "I am nervous."

   "Were you nervous last time?"

   "Petrified."

   By the time we got to the little conference room, Ram was coming up the
hall with a box.  "Hello, Haley.  Do you like chocolate Ă(C)clairs?"

   "Yes."

   "Good!  This bakery makes great Ă(C)clairs.  I have a weakness.  Let us
get coffee and then get started."

   Life is better with good pastry, even if the coffee wasn't quite up to
the same standard.

   I think these two professors are onto the Community as a meal ticket. 
When we started wrapping up in the vicinity of lunch, they were fast to
jump on 'go to lunch together, we're paying'.

   Don't get me wrong.  I know what everybody says about high level
mathematicians, being indescribably weird and all, but Bren and Ram,
they're entertaining to talk with, especially when you're not cringing
about the next high-level function one of them's putting on the white
board.

   After lunch, though.  Ram's delightful accent.  "Here's a test we've
made up for you.  It's not as long as the one we gave Cindy or Nikki when
we worked with them.  We've learned not to waste your time nor ours.  Based
on what we've discussed and watched you perform, the first two pages will
be a walk in the park.  The next several will stretch you, but we need to
know."

   "How long do I have?" I asked.

   "We would like to leave at five, but if you need more time, we usually
have several TAs here until seven or so," Bren said.

   "Bathroom break," I said, "then let us commence."

   I was done by four-thirty.  I walked into their office, smiled at the
receptionist.  She smiled back.  "You girls amaze me," she said.  "I can
barely stand being their admin.  You walk in here and go toe to toe with
them."

   "One works with one's gift," I said, trying not to sound uppity.

   "I'm sure, Haley," she said.  "It's good to see one smile.  I see some
very stressed looks coming through here."

   Ram followed me into Bren's office.

   "How did you do?" Bren queried.

   "Better than a high school student," I said.

   "You were better than many college students in the interviews," Ram
lilted.  "We shall examine these and bring the results to your meeting
Thursday afternoon."

   "Thank you both.  This has been a very interesting experience.  It could
have been much more unpleasant.  You are good people to work with."

   "It was unpleasant?" Bren asked feigning shock.

   I saw what he was doing.  "Gentlemen," I said, laying a little layer of
obsequious sweetness for effect, "Outside this campus, nobody in his right
mind even believes that stuff exists, and I am personally not very sure
about it myself."

   "Dear, dear Mizz Haley," Ram answered mirroring my tone, "if you think
that you're unique in that feeling, you're wrong."

   "Really," I laughed, "it's been, well, kind of fun, in a 'summiting
Mount Everest' kind of way."

   "We're sure you're near the peak, Haley," Bren added.

   I walked out past the receptionist.  "You have a good evening, too," I
said.

   "Darlin'," she quipped, "I heard laughter and you came out of there
smiling.  That's cause for celebration."

   Deena's turn:

   "What possessed you to study the structures of language in this manner?"
Doctor Singleton asked me.  "I can easily understand your skills in grammar
and literature, based on your obvious love of reading, but you know much
more of the actual mechanics, the words, the phrasing, of literate English.
Enjoying a poem means you read and grasp the imagery.  It doesn't teach you
what anadiplosis is, once you've read it."

   "I understand," I said.  "I saw teachers, good ones, wanting to get into
some of this.  They told me of a world past the simple verbs and pronouns,
so I read -- It's easy to research things if you WANT to look and to learn
--" I observed a wry look on her face, so I continued, "and I find that
there are names for so many of the linguistic features that bring language
from dry technical writing to universes where feelings are stirred and
spirits soar." I smiled.  And anadiplosis - taking a word from the end of
one sentence and using it to start the next.  Like Saint Paul when he
writes

   We glory in tribulations also, knowing that tribulation worketh
patience, and patience, experience, and experience, hope, and hope maketh
man not ashamed.

   Okay, if you want to make a real teacher happy, tell one that you've
been inspired to learn by another real teacher.  Doctor Stanton continued
to smile.

   "I have junior classes in which I would literally faint were one of
those students to give forth what you just said.  Perhaps if I'd assigned
it as a task, some may get it, but to have one just roll it out into the
middle of casual conversation --"

   "I don't know how casual this conversation is --" I spoke.

   "It became casual some moments ago, Deena.  You're fourteen, almost
fifteen.  You have knowledge.  From the work you've sent me ahead of this
interview, you have talent.  I would say you've been schooled, but perhaps
that's an incorrect term.  You've been educated.  Likely there are some
teachers you should look after to send appreciative notes, but I see little
need of requiring further classwork for your pursuit of an engineering or
science degree."

   "I don't want to NOT further my education."

   She smiled and continued, "That is the answer I expected from you.  You
have talent and you have love for the subject, for the art.  Continue to
learn.  For your sake, search for courses that will take you further.  Know
this, though, my lady, when we meet on Thursday, I will repeat this.  You
do not NEED to take courses.  They may require that you take certain tests,
but you will have little problem with those."

   "I meet standards?"

   "Meet?  Deena, when I was your age, we learned Latin in high school. 
Now this university has remedial English classes on this very campus, and
sadly, much of what I learned in high school is now the first two years'
coursework in English.  Standards?  You meet the wrong standards."

   I released a sigh of relief.

   "Oh, you surely didn't imagine you'd do poorly, did you?"

   "I know what I know and I know what Haley knows.  We compare ourselves
to the high school coursework and we've looked at some online resources,
but that's like reading the recipes and checking your pantry.  None of that
means anything until somebody's fork cuts the cake."

   "It's a very good cake," she said.  "Now, since you broached the
subject, what am I to expect from Mizz Haley.  Sixteen?  Really?  And your
stepmother?"

   "Yes, and you must tell her that it is obvious from my patchy
performance that her patterns of punishment have prevented my progress."

   She smirked.  "No doubt I would have been truly amazed had she not
proved so much of an impediment."





   Chapter 15

   Bill's turn:

   By the time we got left on the apron back at our home airport, a lot of
life had changed.

   First, I was now an engineer with 3Sigma Engineering.  My first tasking
was to locate suitable facilities for a branch office.

   Second, I was in possession of a pair of 'almost' college students. 
Possession?  One daughter.  One wife.

   Third, I was issued instructions to obtain my medical certificate
preparatory to becoming a student pilot.

   That whole college thing for Haley and Deena, though, is confusing.

   First, we had conversations with both their schools - middle school for
Deena and high school for Haley.

   We ended up in Mister Rogers' - the principal's - office, me, Haley,
Mizz Dasson, her guidance counsellor and Ken Rogers.

   "I've never seen anything like this before," Mizz Dasson said.  "It's
hard to argue with, especially in view of the phone call from Doctor Patel
at Auburn."

   "Me neither," Ken said.  "That's why I'm in this meeting.  I just want
to see what happens next."

   "I've kinda been in that 'what happens next?' mode since we got
married."

   "Ah, yes...  ," Ken injected.  "I get a lot of reports, some official,
some through various versions of the grapevine.  I get the bad news about
pregnancies and dropouts, all too often involving the same student. 
Occasionally I get news of a marriage, usually in conjunction with the
pregnancy and preceding the dropout.  I knew Haley's name - I know the
names of a lot of students for a lot of different reasons, but Haley's
always been on my favorite list with her 4.0 average.  When word came that
she was married..."

   "I told Ken when I found out, Haley," Mizz Dasson said.

   "All I could think of is that sometimes our very bright students have
some issues that lie away from the grades.  I fretted, I'm afraid..." Ken
continued.  "Then when I noted that she was taking a bit of time away from
school ...  More fretting.  And then Liz - Mizz Dasson - showed me the
letters from Auburn.  I stopped fretting, waited for you to come in..."

   I watched Haley smile.  "I know some of the kids you're talking about
Mister Rogers," she said softly.  "When news got out that I was engaged, I
was automatically branded with the same iron.  It's like most people think
that the only reason to get married is because the girl is pregnant.  And
we both know several who don't bother with that step at all.  It's truly
sad.  However, it doesn't apply to me.  Bill's been encouraging me about
education ever since he moved next door to me.  And this Auburn thing is
just another rung in that ladder."

   Mister Rogers had a wry expression on his face.  "Mister Simon, you're
in agreement with the findings at Auburn?"

   "Mister Rogers, Auburn is but the tip of the iceberg.  Haley's
participation at Auburn is due to the people at an engineering company
called 3Sigma.  I just quit my job at my former employer to go to work for
3Sigma.  Some of their people are the ones who latched onto Haley.  Have
you ever heard of a PhD by eighteen?"

   "Never."

   "We met with TWO of them.  THEY say that Haley's one of them,
intelligence-wise, and after hearing what she did in interviews with
faculty at Auburn, I'm in full agreement."

   "Interviews?" Ken asked.  He turned to Mizz Dasson.  "You didn't mention
interviews."

   "Haley told me.  Those are some of the letters in that package I sent
you," Mizz Dasson said.  "There's one from a couple of mathematics
professors that says not only is she capable of passing math for an
engineering degree, they BEG her to do a double major in math." She paused
with a sigh.  "College level, 'this is what I LOVE', math."

   "Seriously?" Mister Rogers questioned.

   "Read the letter, Ken.  Don't get me wrong.  We're fortunate that
Haley's been here with us, but she doesn't belong.  Not in high school."

   "So what're your plans then, Haley?" Mister Rogers asked.

   "We're supposed to have a conference call with the local university and
with Auburn.  See what they can do to share me..."

   "Share you?" he asked.

   "I just hired on with 3Sigma.  They're headquartered in Auburn, Alabama.
Auburn University says they'd happily take her on board tomorrow and in a
couple of years, tops, give her a degree or two, but my job is HERE, so
we're trying to see if this university is going to take Auburn's suggested
path."

   "That could be a mess," Mister Rogers admitted.

   "Go ahead and tell Ken about your step-daughter, Haley."

   I watched Haley grin.  "She's still in middle school.  We're going to
have this conversation with her principal this afternoon."

   "Seriously?"

   "Yes," I said.  "My daughter.  Fourteen.  Went toe to toe with the same
professors at Auburn, with only slightly different results..."

   " ...  she outdid me in English," Haley injected.

   " ...  and I'm going to have two college students," I said, "And a new
job..."

   "I would like to finish out the week," Haley said.  "Gives me a chance
to tell everybody what's happening.  I care about a lot of people here. 
Teachers, students..."

   "We'll be glad to have you that long," Mister Rogers said.  "Kind of
wish you'd graduate here with us."

   "I think I did," Haley said.  "Sort of wrecked the timing, though." She
paused.  "And I need to go with Bill to talk with the people at Deena's
school." Big smile.  "I'm her step-mom."

   That got me a rather wry look from the principal.

   "Sure.  I guess we'll see you tomorrow morning, then?"

   "Yesssir," Haley replied.

   We left the school office holding hands.  Haley's fault.  She reached
over and grabbed mine.  When we walked down the steps towards the parking
lot, I gave her a questioning look.

   "Oh, everybody KNOWS it.  I just like rubbing a few people's noses in
it."

   "Like 'finish out the week'?  I know you have friends..."

   "And some very special teachers, too.  Honest?  I'm gonna miss some of
them.  Others, though..."

   "School is like that," I said.

   "Life is like that," she returned.

   "True.  You know we have time to get a burger or whatever for lunch."

   "We need to go right now, before they fill up for the lunch rush," I
said.

   "Makes sense."

   "'Course it does.  You don't expect the husband of THAT girl to be a
dunce, do you?"

   "I'm 'that girl'?"

   "I've heard a comment or two from parents of your fellow students," I
said, "about that girl in high school who just floats along over
everybody."

   "I can accept that categorization," she smirked.  "Better'n a lot of
other ones.  I mean, I'm STILL supposed to be pregnant.  And I have found
some way to game the system to get those grades."

   The place we went has great burgers, but we were still munching when it
started filling with the lunch crowd.  We escaped as best we could, made a
couple of little stops for the things you need to keep a home viable, then
made our way along familiar streets to the middle school.

   Me, I'm just a parent, one of those people who seldom visits the school,
but Haley, well, Haley's still fresh in a lot of minds.  Her last years in
middle school were pretty noticeable due to her academic prowess, so it's
"Hi, Haley!  Good to see you!"

   It's pretty common knowledge, apparently, that Haley and Deena are
connected.  The lady at the counter asked if I was Deena's dad.

   "Yes, ma'am," I said.  "We have a meeting with her guidance counsellor
and the principal."

   "Oh, I know.  Subject of much discussion." She was smiling.  "Haley, we
talk about you a lot lately, too."

   Haley did that shy smile she does so well.  "I hope it's good stuff."

   "It is.  You're still surprising us, though.  Deena's stepmom.  That's
funny, there."

   "Goes with marrying her dad," Haley said.  "Now we're sort of in the
same boat academically, too."

   "Just so the boat isn't the Titanic," Deena's voice added.  "Hi, Dad. 
Hi, Mom." Giggle.

   "Deena!" the lady squeaked.

   "My evil stepmom, you know.  All those stereotypes ...  Cinderella had
it GOOD compared to me."

   "Oh, you..." spoke a lady who'd just stepped into the office behind
Deena.  Then to us she said, "Diana Wilby.  Guidance counsellor.  I know
Haley.  You must be..." she extended her hand.

   "Bill Simon, Deena's dad," I said.

   "And Haley's husband," Deena added.

   A rather mature-looking woman joined us.  "I overheard the commotion and
the introductions.  I'm Melinda Braverman, your principal.  Shall we go to
my office?"

   I did a quick chair count, borrowed one from outside the office and
joined the crowd.

   "Everybody knows why we're here," the principal said.  "Deena,
seriously? College coursework?"

   "I love this stuff," Deena blurted.  "I couldn't stop..."

   "And so you went to Auburn..."

   "We met some friends on line.  They invited us.  Flew down here and got
us."

   "I've heard the whole story, Melinda," Mizz Wilby said.  "It sounds like
a fairy tale.  I was thinking 'prank' but this is not a middle school level
prank.  And when Doctor Patel called to talk with me, I'm thinking, 'okay,
let's just see if she shows up on the Internet.  She does.  At Auburn, as a
faculty member."

   "It's all very real," Haley said.  "Did Deena show you our friends'
website?"

   "There's a website?"

   Deena's head bounced in an enthusiastic nod.  "It's linked to the
businesses, but there's a way to get to the less business-oriented pages as
well.  Type this URL into your browser." She pushed one of Cindy's business
cards across the desk.  "You can look at it later.  There's a note on the
back to get to the extra-curricular activities.  They do music and flying
and cooking,..."

   "And you've seen all this?" she posed the question to me.

   "Yes.  I was very much impressed by the business angle.  Being an
engineer, I know what a good engineering house looks like.  This is that,
enough so that when they offered me a chance to start up a local office, I
jumped on the opportunity, and in doing so, left a very good, secure
position to go off on this adventure.  And for the academic side, well, I
have these two that I need to keep on the path.  And this is the best path.
Mizz Braverman, I have never seen nor imagined the atmosphere for learning
that these people have."

   "I thought this was about Auburn," she retorted.

   "They work very closely with Auburn.  3Sigma Robotics has an R&D
presence on campus and off.  They employ and educate several different
student disciplines.  Work at 3Sigma is evaluated and recognized by the
university for college credit.  And the youngest students are pre-teens."
Deena was enthusiastic.

   "And basically this meeting is to say that Deena's being pulled out of
middle school..." Mizz Braverman said.

   "To accept special student status with Auburn University and whatever
arrangements they can make with our local university up the road."

   "But high school graduation?" Mizz Braverman quivered.  "She hasn't
graduated high school."

   "That's the point," I continued.  "She's achieved the prescribed
knowledge standards.  Auburn ran her through a test equivalent to the GED.
Passed.  Her other examinations showed her to be well into, and in some
case, above, the levels needed for a baccalaureate."

   "And she's fourteen," Mizz Wilby added helpfully.

   "I know a girl who was sixteen when she got four bachelors and a
master's degree at sixteen.  She has her PhD in physics right now.  Her
friend - MY friend - is a year older.  Same degrees.  I have aspirations."

   I noted that Haley was smiling her little smile at that speech.

   "You know this girl?" Mizz Braverman questioned.

   "I know 'er, too," Haley added helpfully.  "That's her business card."

   "Cynthia Richards," Mizz Braverman read.  "MSEE, PhD.  What's ASMEL -
CFII?"

   Deena giggled.  "Cindy says you never stop learning and doing.  She's a
commercial pilot and flight instructor, too."

   "You're kidding..."

   "She's been flying us back and forth between here and Alabama.  Gave my
dad his first lessons..."

   "And me..." Haley added.

   "That's what I want to cut these two loose into, Mizz Braverman. 
There's an attitude of 'no limits' in that place."

   "You're moving there?"

   "Oh, no," I said.  "They hired me to start up a branch office here. 
These two are going to be working between Auburn and the local university
for their education."

   Mizz Wilby asked, "Will you still be involved HERE?"

   "If I can," Deena said.  "I like chorus and I like the science and math
clubs..."

   Mizz Braverman almost snorted.  "Math club?  I suspect that you rather
outranged them."

   "I ...  Uh ...  Well, I kind of help those who have trouble, and I bring
advanced stuff in so everybody gets a taste of where the path may lead."

   "I hope you will stay involved.  We can call it 'home-schooling'.  Home
schoolers are allowed to participate in our extracurricular activities."

   "Then I intend to keep doing that," Deena said.

   "Good!" Mizz Braverman uttered.  "We get to see your progress.  Funny
... We should've paid closer attention all along."

   "You've got what?  Six or seven hundred students here?" I said.  "It's
kind of hard to focus on one or two..."

   "I know," Mizz Braverman replied.  "But I need to make a point of
spending a bit more effort on the ones who aren't bound for incarceration."

   "True," Mizz Wilby added.  "Deena, you can help us out with that, I'm
sure." u "I'll try," Deena answered.

   "So I guess that's it, then," Mizz Braverman said.  "End of middle
school for Miss Simon."

   "Can I finish out the week?  I think Haley's gonna do that, too.  Sort
of make sure we tie up all the loose ends with our friends and our
teachers."

   "Yes," Mizz Braverman replied.  "Admirable."

   "Then I'll go back to class," Deena said.

   So it was a good meeting.  Haley and I walked out into the sunshine,
again holding hands.  I just wish we didn't look quite as much like father
and daughter.  I said so.

   "We do.  So what?!?  We're married.  I like telling people that.  I WANT
to be married to you..."

   We got in the car, drove out of the lot and onto the street towards
home.

   "You're my crazy, beautiful Haley," I said.

   "Good.  Even if I sort of flaunt you?"

   "I don't mind being considered your trophy..."

   "Every kid gets a trophy these days.  I get the best one."

   "You know, you've always been a doll..."

   Giggle.  "Wanna go home and play dolls?  I know where I can get a neat
one ...  And we won't get interrupted by our evil child.  Then I can go
pick her up after choir practice."

   "You have such great ideas," I said.  I love Haley when she's in a
playful mood.  She switches into this 'little girl' mode and drives me
wild. Of course, at five feet two inches of height and not even a hundred
pounds, she IS a little girl.

   Of course, the giggles and the role-play give way to some squealing,
wiggling orgasms and the same small size that makes her so exciting in that
little girl role also means that she fits so very well in my arms
afterwards.

   "Sometimes this is the very best part," she coos.

   "I think you're right."

   "Of course I'm right.  Here we are, very much in love, we've just pushed
each other out of the Milky Way..." she paused with a little giggle, "with
extra milk.  I know ...  I tasted.  And now we're just in the most intimate
of intimate moments."

   "You sure YOU'RE not the poet?"

   "Nope.  That's Deena.  Speaking of ...  Let's do a quick shower, then go
get 'er."

   Our smart-assed daughter got into the car with her friend.  "Mmmm. 
Smells good, Haley." Her eyes laughed at the unspoken words.  "Uh, can we
drop Kaylee off at her house?  I told her we could."

   "Saves Mom a trip," Kaylee said.

   "Why don't you call your mom and see if she'll let you eat with us,"
Haley said.

   "You don't mind?" Kaylee asked.

   "No," I said.  "We've done this before.  You're pretty well behaved to
be one of Deena's friends."

   "Daa-aaadddd!" Deena squealed.

   "You know how you are, sweetie," I said.

   "Mister Simon," Kaylee asked, "Seriously?  Deena's out of middle school?
And Haley's out of high school?"

   "Seriously."

   "I'm jealous," Kaylee popped.

   "Me, too.  I did it all the hard way myself.  Twelve years of school. 
Four years of college.  A series of jobs, each a little better and
different than the last..."

   "I'm sure that's what my dad would say, too," Kaylee sighed.  "Still
jealous, though..."

   "We'll be right here, just like always," Deena said.  "I'll still do the
extracurricular activities with you and everybody else.  Call your mom."

   "Okay." She made the phone call.  "Yes, Mom.  Mister Bill ASKED me, I
didn't ask first." Pause.  "No, Mom.  Deena's celebrating good news. 
Haley's celebrating good news.  They asked me to be part of it." Pause. 
"Yes, Mom.  I'll tell you all about it when I get home.  Love ya!"

   She turned to us.  "Mom's still not sure about your dad marryin' Haley,
you know..."

   "I can imagine," I said.  "That kind of age difference between partners
usually means somebody's being exploited."

   A giggle escaped Haley.  "That's me.  I'm exploiting Bill.  If things
work like they did for our friend Cindy, we'll exploit right past Bill."

   "Thank you for that assessment," I said.

   "You know I love you, baby," Haley said.  "So does Deena, but she sorta
has to, you being her dad and all.  I had a choice."

   Deena giggled.  "Yeah.  I don't think Dad did."

   "True," I said.  "Crept up on me and then one day - 'you need to marry
me'."

   "Who said it first?" Kaylee asked.

   "I'm not sure," Haley answered.  "Might've been mutual telepathy or
something.  Just decided that's what made sense."

   "Still, Mom says 'Don't get any ideas...  '.  So, you know..."

   "It's not normal," Haley said.  We know that.  It just made sense for
us."

   Dinner was just slightly different than you'd expect for showing up at a
restaurant with three teen girls.  Admittedly, the vocabulary was a bit
more broad, and the topics stayed on school and the personalities involved,
gossip tending towards 'that doesn't make any sense at ALL.'

   I get the distinct feeling that Kaylee's parents are on the right track
with her.

   A week later we're having a discussion in an office at the local
university.

   "Most unusual situation," Doctor Mullins said.

   It was an even match, three of us, three of them.  Their side had Doctor
Mullins.  He handled student affairs and enrollments.  They had Doctor
Seavers, head of the engineering department and Doctor Panton, heading up
their electrical engineering and computer science programs.

   "That group at Auburn is not unknown to us," Doctor Panton injected. 
"We have another student who has had some influence from them."

   "Carlita Johnson," Haley said.  "Doctor Richards - Cindy - says that we
need to contact her after we talk with you."

   "Yes, Carlita's zipped through much of the engineering curriculum in
record time.  She's rather disarming," Doctor Panton continued.  "Oddly,
she's about your height.  Little bit of an accent.  From Guatemala."

   "That would be the one," Deena said.  "Her husband's an engineer, too.
And their friend..."

   "Computer science.  Brindy McPherson.  They're together on campus quite
often."

   "Carlita's given us some insight into how we may be able to integrate
you into our programs."

   "I think that Auburn's desire is for a larger participation in Haley and
Deena's education," I said.

   "Yes," Doctor Mullins said.  "Doctor Patel was quite open in her desires
in her first contact with us.  Subsequently we've had a conference call
with her and Doctor Stebbins.  He mirrors her wishes."

   "And from this, we have a plan?"

   "Doctor Patel is going to come down here for a meeting with us.  We have
a basic idea, a plan outlined.  After that meeting, we may be more certain
of our path forward with the two of you," Doctor Mullins stated.

   "Two of you," Doctor Seavers said.  "Perhaps one might be believeable,
much as we came to understand the capabilities of Carlita Johnson.  Two of
you - it strains credibility."

   "I went toe to toe with two professors from Auburn's math department,"
Deena affirmed.  "If satisfying those two doesn't strain credibility,
nothing will."

   "Ah, yes ...  We have their reports on the two of you.  By way of
curiosity, would you mind talking with OUR math department?"

   Haley snickered.  "This IS Louisiana, but I'm sure that two plus two
equals four here, just like in Alabama."





   Chapter 16

   Still Bill's turn:

   Doctor Seavers raised an eyebrow.  "I accept your premise, Miss
Haley..."

   "Mizz," she said, showing her wedding band.

   I'm thinking that just maybe Haley's feisty side might be less than
profitable here.

   "Yes.  I apologize.  But accepting your premise, would you be up to a
little examination by our own faculty, just to validate Auburn's findings?"

   Okay ...  Here comes Haley the Berzerker now, swinging a war hammer.

   "Yessir.  Bring it on.  But let's make it interesting.  If I prove
myself as capable as Doctor Brendan and Doctor Ramathani indicate in their
letter, then you will accept the other letters at face value."

   I watched.  Doctor Seavers sat back in his chair, obviously not used to
being challenged like this.

   "It's not a game."

   "Understood, sir," Haley said.  "It's my life, and if you wish proof, I
think I can deliver proof.  I have no doubt that Deena can do so as well."

   "All right then.  Am I correct in assuming that your high school has no
problem with you spending a day with us?"

   "Sir, my high school has written me off as an impossibility.  They ask
that I participate there as often as I wish, helping other students. 
Deena's received the same dispensation."

   "I shall attempt to set up an interview between you and one of our
mathematics professors within the next couple of days.  Will you be able to
meet with them?"

   "Yessir," Haley said.  She turned to me.  "Right, baby?"

   "You want 'em both?" I asked.

   "Haley has issued the challenge.  We would like to see her first.  We
will determine from her performance whether we also wish to see Deena."

   I caught Haley's look.  Her mouth opened.  "So what gets Deena in on the
interviews?  If I do good?  Or if I crash?"

   Doctor Seavers looked at Deena.  She and Haley, they are starting to
think alike.  It's a bit scary.  Deena had a confident little smile.

   "Deena will stand on her own."

   "I can do that, sir," Deena said.

   "With all that, then," Doctor Seavers said, "I think we can defer any
further actions.  I have your contact information.  I shall see that you
get the date and time for our discussions."

   We all stood.  "Thank you, gentlemen," I said.  "We look forward to
continued cooperation."

   Outside, once we got to the car, I sort of came down on Haley.

   "Baby," I said, "You came off as a little bit harsh.  Overconfident."

   "I don't think I was overconfident.  And he had that look, like some of
the kids at school have.  You know - 'I think you're running a scam and I'm
gonna call you on it'."

   "You could've been a bit more tactful."

   "I think that if - no - when we pull this off, he'll remember and he'll
laugh about it.  I think the guy's running his own game and we're gonna
beat 'im on HIS court with HIS ball.  Right, Deena?"

   My adorable daughter nodded in collusion with my adorable wife.  I'm
outnumbered.

   "We're going to school in the morning," Haley announced.  "If the
university calls with an afternoon meeting, we'll know ...  In the
meantime, life will proceed along whatever lines we have here that pass for
'normal'."

   "Yeah," Deena inserted.  "Mom's waiting to see what happens next.  I
talked with her about me being a college student..." She paused to make
sure she had my attention.  "At Auburn."

   "I imagine she's all on board for that idea," I said.

   "You might be surprised.  I told her about the Munchkins.  Said I'd be
part of that, and outside the influence of my evil dad and his teeny-bopper
bride."

   Yeah, Haley's got that smirk, so she's already privy to this
conversation.

   I suspected that Doctor Seavers wanted a bit of time for whatever
challenge he might offer to Haley.  I was right.  Haley's presence was
requested in the morning on Wednesday after our Monday meeting.

   She dropped Deena off at the middle school, then went to the college
campus to meet her fate.

   "I appreciate you wanting to be here for my moral support, honey," she
told me with a kiss as she left.  "I have to get used to being Haley in an
academically advanced position."

   "Just remember, sweetie," I chided.  "More flies with honey than
vinegar."

   "Some flies thrive on dead meat and feces, too."

   "You know what I mean," I said.

   Haley's turn:

   On my way to a college campus by myself.  Mighty brave of me.

   There was something about the way that those guys looked at the letters
from Auburn.  I'd read the letters myself.  I was more than a little bit
proud of them.

   I found a place to park - no small feat in itself.  Apparently
universities are all about status, and mere students are at the bottom of
the heap.  So I parked in student parking.  It's a trek.  I'm not alone in
my trudge towards the campus, though.  There's one girl with a backpack
slung over her shoulder, sort of like I was doing.  She's taller than me.
Of course, EVERYBODY is taller than me.  She's carrying, in addition to the
book bag, about forty more pounds, but she's nice-looking in that 'college
student' fashion.

   "I don't recognize you," she said.  "I know most of the people that show
up about now."

   "I'm sorta new," I said.  "Haley Simon."

   "I'm a junior.  Stacey Gamble."

   "Hi, Stacey," I said.  "This is my first trip onto campus by myself."

   "Really?  It's mid-semester."

   "Yeah, I'm trying something different.  Not a regular student."

   "You look young.  Like my little sister."

   "I'm sixteen.  Just jumped sideways out of high school."

   "Wow!  Really?"

   "Kind of how I feel."

   "Going to class?"

   "No," I said.  "I'm supposed to meet with Doctor Seavers with the
College of Engineering and talk my way out of some courses.  Math,
mostly..."

   "How do you do that?"

   "I did it a few weeks ago at Auburn..."

   "Alabama Auburn?"

   "Yeah, them.  And I interviewed with them about a bunch of coursework.
They said I didn't need any further math work.  But that's Auburn.  These
people think I might be faking it."

   "I can imagine," Stacey said.  "I've heard of really smart kids doing
that, but I don't think I've actually met one."

   "I might not be the one you're waiting for," I said.  "We'll see."

   By now there was a little cluster of students heading in the same
direction.  I walked along, listening to a dozen different conversations.
Once on the campus, we sort of broke up, going to various destinations.  I
made my way to the engineering building, walked up the steps (COLLEGE steps
- much more significant than high school steps) and into the door.

   I presented myself to the receptionist, a nicely dressed middle-aged
lady, about Mom's age and size.

   "I'm Haley Simon.  Doctor Seavers requested I be here at nine-thirty."

   She looked down at a computer monitor, tapped, clicked.  "Oh, yes, here
you are.  You're scheduled to meet with Professor Huang.  I haven't seen
him come in yet, but let me ring his office."

   She punched her phone purposefully then spoke into her headset. 
"Professor Huang?  I have a Haley Simon here.  She's early.  She can wait
here or..." Pause.  "Yessir.  I'll send her back."

   She turned to me.  Miss Haley, go up that hall to the end.  Turn right.
He's the fourth door on the left."

   "Thank you," I said.  "Wish me luck."

   She smiled.  "You're going to talk with a math professor.  Luck won't do
it.  You need an exorcist."

   I followed instructions, found myself at a door with "Huang" on the
nameplate.  I knocked softly.  "Professor Huang?"

   "Ah, you must be Haley Simon." He pronounced it the conventional way.

   "See- moan, if you please, sir..."

   "Oh, a formal young lady, you are,"

   "And Yoda, you're not," I retorted.

   He smiled.  "No, I am not.  You can call me Professor Huang, or you can
call me Casey, since you're not my student, and we can dispense with
formalities."

   "Casey?"

   "Yes, the Americanized version of the Chinese name my parents gave me. I
find it a bit easier getting through the day.  Chinese names are as
different as Cajun names."

   I chuckled.  "Yeah, especially when one's name has both an English and a
Cajun pronunciation.  I know my husband says he's given up." Smiling
because I just thought of Bill, I continued.  "But I just GOT the name and
I'm rather fond of it."

   "Just got it?"

   "I got married right after my sixteenth birthday.  My husband's an
alumnus here.  Electrical engineering.  Another reason for Doctor Seavers
to raise a very expressive eyebrow."

   "Doctor Seavers told me that you had attitude, if nothing else.  I read
your letters from Auburn.  I know Doctor Ramathani and Doctor Wilkins and I
don't think they would write this as a prank, but I DID call them."

   "And they told you I was a horribly incompetent fake?"

   "Hardly.  Ram says that for my own peace of mind, to posit a problem
modeling a Klein bottle."

   "'Cuz, yeah, like I got that one memorized, right?"

   "In what perverse universe would somebody choose to memorize the
mathematics?"

   "None," I said.  "But Bren's got one on his desk, so we talked about
it."

   "Then suppose we dispense with the discussion of odd glassware.  Let's
talk about multi-variable calculus."

   "I can do that.  I've been playing with some MIT on-line coursework."

   "Okay, that question about the universe containing memorizers of Klein
bottle math?  It also contains students who play with MIT math courses?"

   "Apparently it does."

   He stood up, went to the whiteboard, took a marker and wrote out a
problem.  He handed me the marker.  "Okay, Haley, go with it."

   I looked for a second, stepped up, wrote out the answer.

   "Intermediate steps?  Where are your intermediate steps?"

   I tapped the side of my head.

   "Humor me, if you please."

   "Certainly." I erased my answer, stepped through the solution for him,
then turned.  "Good enough."

   "One more."

   That oneposed little issue as well.  "Ram and Bren took me waaay past
that, I need to tell you."

   "That's what they told me on the phone yesterday.  I surmised that if I
was being pranked, then the level of work you just solved would have
brought your fakery to light."

   "One would hope," I said.

   "Now, let me ask you about this other one.  Deena Simon." This time he
pronounced it correctly.

   "My evil stepdaughter, Casey.  My husband's daughter.  Two years younger
than me."

   He gave me a look.

   "I know," I said.  "Sounds weird.  But it works.  I absolutely adore my
husband.  His daughter was my best friend before I married her dad.  The
intelligence part?  Something's definitely awry in our corner of the
universe."

   "Am I to expect similar qualification?"

   "She talked with Ram and Bren, too.  Use a different problem.  She's
real."

   "It is difficult for me to assimilate," he said.

   "It's real, Casey.  I haven't had less than a 4.0 average for almost
four years, including advanced placement classes, and I take all of them I
can.  I have been successful in the MIT coursework.  And that's just math.
I fully expect concessions from this university as to my placement.  I have
friends who side-stepped the entire math curriculum for engineering degrees
at Auburn."

   "You know these people?"

   "Got a minute?  I can show you on your computer or on my iPad."

   "Sure!  Slide your chair over here," he said, moving aside.

   I pulled up 3Sigma's website.  "My husband's opening up a local office,"
I said.  "But it's just a plain ol' engineering business.  The good stuff
is their robotics branch." I showed him some of the videos and pictures. 
"That's Doctor Nikki Granger and Doctor Cindy Richards.  Nikki's nineteen,
Cindy's eighteen.  Both of 'em have physics PhDs, masters in electrical
engineering, and bachelors in math."

   "Unpossible," Casey said.

   "You'd think.  You'd be wrong."

   We talked a bit longer before his phone rang.

   "I'm sorry, Haley, but I must attend to something else..."

   "Oh, do what you have to do.  I assume you'll report this meeting
favorably?"

   "Yes, I certainly will.  Doctor Seavers dislikes having his safe little
existence disturbed, but he's fair.  He'll come around, especially after I
speak with him."

   "Well, then thank you!  It's been a pleasant meeting.  Tomorrow you get
Deena."

   "I look forward to it."

   I walked out of his office and up the hall, just a bit shy of skipping,
waving bye to the lady at the front desk.

   "Sunny," she said.

   I stopped.  "Excuse me?"

   "You're positively sunny - your disposition.  I don't see that very
often from a student."

   "I might not BE a student, not in the traditional sense.  I'm very happy
with the outcome of my meeting."

   "Good for you, then."

   I walked out into the sunshine with a smile on my face and a spring in
my step.  My immediate goal is to be home.  Bill's there, and together
we're going to retrieve Deena at the end of the day.

   You just KNOW she's got a million questions about what happened with me
on campus.  So did Bill.

   "Really anticlimactic," I said.  "It appears to me that Doctor Seavers
felt the need to draw a line in the sand.  Professor Huang acted like that.
The fact that he KNEW Ram and Bren was a helpful development."

   By the end of the next day, Deena was again on the same academic footing
as me.  The event called for a steak dinner.

   It also called for a meeting with the university on the following Monday
afternoon.  The delay chafed me.

   "Get used to the bureaucracy," Bill said.  "You're going to run into it
everywhere.  I deal with it all the time."

   "I know we've talked about YOUR problems.  This is MY problem, and
therefore MUCH more important."

   "No doubt," he laughed.  "Doesn't mean it will move any faster."

   That evening I got a phone call.

   "Hi.  This is Haley."

   The voice on the other end had a definite lilt to it, obviously not a
native English speaker.

   "Is this Haley Simon?"

   "See-moan," I said.  "If that's who you're looking for.  May I ask your
name?"

   "Carlita Johnson.  Cindy Richards gave me your number, said you may be
attending the university here."

   "Carlita!" I squealed.  "She said a LOT about you."

   "Good things, I would hope."

   "Very good things." I looked at Bill.  "It's Carlita!"

   "I just told my husband.  He gets curious when I get all happy on the
telephone."

   "So does my Dave," Carlita said.  "Professor Huang - Casey - said he'd
talked with you and your sister..."

   "Uh, actually, she's my stepdaughter.  It's complicated."

   Carlita giggled softly.  "Oh, right.  Cindy said that I'd see the
incongruity."

   "Your word or Cindy's?"

   "Mine.  She said that if I did not know certain facts, then I would
assume you and Deena to be sisters.  I think Professor Huang had a mental
block.  I assume you explained the relationship between you and Deena?"

   "The subject never came up.  I assumed that Doctor Seavers told him."

   "Ah, yes, dear Doctor Seavers.  We've spoken many times.  He has trouble
understanding that one can gain knowledge outside his hallowed halls."

   "I'm beginning to see that."

   "He's not an obstacle, though.  After you get him used to you, he's
actually helpful."

   "Carlita," I asked, "How are they accommodating your ...  gift?"

   "Call me 'Lita'," she replied.  "I've tested out of large portions of
the curriculum.  I will graduate two years early.  Cindy says that's what
several of them did up there.  She says you and your ...  What exactly do
you call Deena?  Stepdaughter sounds weird."

   "Closer to sister, really, but we play that 'stepdaughter' thing for
fun. We look weird to a lot of people," I said.

   "We do, too," Lita replied.  "I married Dave.  Brindy lives with us ...
It's complicated..."

   "Life's like that.  One of the reasons we just seemed to fit in with
that bunch in Alabama," I said.  "Bill didn't have to feel like a child
molester."

   "I know.  My Dave has those moments.  I think he's mostly over them,
though.  I don't let him dwell on it.  But the three of us, that's a little
harder for people to get used to."

   "Three..."

   "Long story.  Actually, it's not.  Just one of those mixed up things. 
This is the way we saw to do it in our lives.  It works for us.  Works for
other people, too.  Some of them probably try not to think too much about
it." She paused.  "I hope it's not a problem.  If we must, I can leave my
family out of our efforts."

   "Lita!" I squeaked, "I'm SURE!" I knew I was confident.  Cindy said that
they acted like decent people.  We act like decent people.  Still, I'd
broach the subject with my family.

   We went on to talk about testing out of classes.

   "Research?" I asked.  "That bunch in Auburn is all about research and
development."

   "Ah, I knowwww," Lita said.  "For that, I'm envious.  This is a little
local university.  It's mainly set up to churn out fodder for local
industry, at least as far as the engineering and science departments are
concerned.  Our labs are limited..."

   "Maybe that can change.  Bill's looking at several facilities here for
the new 3Sigma office.  If we get one with a little room ...  What would
YOU do?"

   "I have several ideas.  Industrial things.  We need to brainstorm."

   "I like it," I said.  "Next couple of days, we need to get together.  Me
and you, or both our families ...  Whatever..."

   "Let us do that," Lita replied.  "I am looking forward to it."

   "Yes," I affirmed.  "Forward."

   I went into the living room.  Bill was in our recliner.  Deena was
lounging upside down on the sofa in an improbable pose.

   "I just got off the phone with Carlita Johnson.  We need to discuss..."

   "What's to discuss?" Deena said.  "They say she's the best one to work
with in this area..."

   "Her family situation is kind of unusual."

   "Ohhhhh," Deena said, "like a guy marrying his daughter's best friend?"

   "Maybe a little more unusual than that," I said.  "Bill?  What do YOU
know?  I just know you have information you haven't shared."

   "Dan 1.0 says they're ALL married." Bill watched my face.  "Said that
Dave told him that Brindy was his sister's mate before his sister got
killed in a car wreck.  Said that they were all very close, and Dave and
Carlita just couldn't turn Brindy out on the street."

   "ALL married?!?" Deena squeaked.  "Kinky!"

   "You don't know ANYTHING about 'kinky', my young, innocent daughter,"
Bill spat.

   "Oh, Dadddddd," Deena whined.  "I go to a public school.  I watch TV.  I
have the internet.  I know all kinds of things."

   "I prefer the universe where none of that is true," Bill replied with an
uneasy little laugh.

   "So it's a committed relationship?" I asked him.

   "That's what Dan said.  "Like any other marriage, except a little bit
larger."

   "Sociologically speaking..." I started.

   "Here it comes," Deena giggled.

   "Evil stepdaughter," I said, "don't interrupt." I continued, "polygamy
is widespread, just not in our Eurocentric society."

   "I'd argue with that," Bill said.

   "Argue.  Many societies allow for multiple wives.  Some of them sanction
it within the definition of marriage, others have societal allowances for,
what was that term that Frank Herbert used in Dune?  Bound concubine?  Or
something equivalent."

   "I need dumber women in my life," Bill sighed.

   "You wouldn't like that and YOU know it, Dad," Deena said.

   "Yeah, baby.  I can't in any way see you with most of the sixteen year
old girls I know..."

   "Or fourteen year old girls.  Right, Dad?"





   Chapter 17

   Bill's turn:

   Deena's comment about fourteen year old girls startled me.

   "Huh?"

   "Cindy was fourteen when she got married, Dad..."

   "We could've gotten married before I turned sixteen, baby," Haley said,
"just like Nikki did.  Or Cindy.  If we'd've convinced a judge..."

   "Ewwww!" Deena squeaked.

   I glanced over.  The eyes didn't match the squeal.  I get the feeling
that just maybe my daughter might believe that her stepmom and I might have
had relations before she turned sixteen.  Another "Huh?"

   "Dad ...  Cindy.  Nikki was fifteen.  Dana was fifteen."

   "Don't get Ideas, punkin," I said.  "Haley, what in the world do you two
TALK about?"

   "Everything, love of my life," Haley giggled.  "Including how nervous
you get..."

   "I get as nervous as any responsible dad of a pretty teenaged daughter
SHOULD get," I told them.

   "Relax, Dad," Deena cooed.  "I'm not going to do something stupid.  I
have to find a guy that's like YOU." Giggle.  "I won't ask Mom for help."

   "Which mom?" I returned.

   "The one that wasn't smart enough to realize what she gave up.  This mom
is a whole lot smarter."

   "Granted," I said.

   Deena jumped up.  "I'll fix the salad.  Haley, you can get the
casserole."

   Dinner.  Group effort from those two, concession to me spending more
time out of the house today.

   "So you talked to clients," Haley started at the table.

   "Yep.  Two different ones.  We're scheduling work.  It's a few months
down the road.  I have to get us a place for an office and storage space,
indoor and out."

   "Get enough space for us to have a lab," Haley inserted.

   "Yeah," Deena reinforced.  "They have a lab in Auburn.  We need a lab.
Carlita said she'll come play in it."

   "We need to meet with Carlita and her husband..." I started.

   "And Brindy.  They're a unit.  Just like we're a unit," Deena said.

   "Uh, they're a little bit more of a unit, I hear," I said.

   "So they're all bound by marriage," Haley stated.  "We're bound by
marriage and by blood.  And we'll schedule a dinner meeting at a
restaurant. That way, we're on neutral ground, since you seem to be
nervous..."

   "I'll be okay," I said, "but yes, a dinner's a good way for us to all
get acquainted.  You two can work out the details."

   Giggle.  "Good!" Deena said.  "Tomorrow evening.  The seafood place."

   "Everything there is fried," I said.

   "And it's GOOD!" Haley returned.  "And Carlita says THEY like it, too."

   "Okay," I said, "but not tomorrow night.  We have to get the facility
found and rented, and there are some clients to meet.  Talk with Carlita,
or email or Skype with her, and let her know too many things are in the air
yet.  Also, you've got some things to get sorted at the school, don't you?"

   For me, the next day was spent walking through a possible new facility
for 3Sigma, sending images as a stream while the rental agent toured me
around the place.  At the other end of my iPhone, Alan Addison was watching
and listening.

   Finishing, I called Alan back after I got in my car.  "Well?  This is
the pick of the litter."

   "Price is reasonable.  See if they'll knock five percent off for a
five-year lease," Alan said.

   "You're awfully optimistic."

   "And you're not?  Those two clients yesterday ...  Unless we REALLY muff
a project, they are going to keep feeding us work for five years.  And next
week you're going upstate and talk to a couple of utilities up there.  Then
Jason says he has some contacts on the Texas side of the border."

   "That's gonna be a lot of work."

   "And it's gonna be a lot of money.  We'll support the daylights out of
you.  You handle the engineering lead.  Jason knows a guy who'll be a good
candidate to head up YOUR field services bunch.  Bill's got a name for a
construction coordinator ...  You're gonna have a pretty good crew and
remember, your bonus is tied to a cut of project revenue."

   "Just so I have time for family..."

   "Make time, Bill," Alan said.  "We all do.  You need to.  Haley's a
cutie.  So's Deena.  You have your hands full."

   "I know," I replied.  "And we're meeting with the Johnson crew for
dinner once some of this dust settles."

   "Good!  Recruit 'im.  We tried."

   "Oh, I'll try ...  Looks like that's gonna be the key ...  share the
wealth."

   "Like we talked about before, you don't let yourself get overwhelmed. 
One of us can fly down there at the drop of a hat.  Hell, for Dan Granger,
it's not even that far a drive to his house.  Dan Richards'd have to get up
earlier to make the drive from his house.  It's a bit further away.  Or we
could lease an apartment, make it an executive suite..."

   "We may need to do that.  Makes sense."

   "Make it happen.  Don't get a dump, either.  Remember - we treat our
employees well."

   "Okay, boss," I laughed.

   "As long as you laugh when you call me that," he said.  "Equals, okay?"

   "Okay." Of course, I was thinking, some are more equal than others. 
Alan was one of the original owners.  His shares were pretty big in a
successful enterprise.  I was just getting started.

   Next phone call was back to the agent.  I made my offer, was happy to
have it accepted.  We have a shop now.  Well, it's more than a shop. 
Offices.  And air conditioned workspace which will also become the girls'
'lab' as well as a few other business-related functions.  Big indoor
warehouse.  And a large outside storage yard, some of which was paved. 
I'll get the keys when they get the bank transfer and a signed lease. 
FedEx is going to shuffle a lot of paperwork back and forth.

   I got home to find the girls getting excited about the business
arrangement.

   "Cindy and Nikki want to come down, too, as soon as you get into our new
building," Haley told me.  She'd seen the outside of it.  We did drive-bys
of all the possibilities.  She knows which one we ended up with.

   "Just Cindy and Nikki?"

   "Oh, their husbands, too, Dad," Deena said.  "But mainly Cindy and
Nikki. They're excited for us."

   "Flying in?"

   "Naturally.  Which reminds me.  You have something to work on, Dad."

   "I know..." Pilot's license.  Practically mandatory when the home office
is five hundred miles away.  I'd looked up commercial flights.  One -
expensive.  Two - either a couple hours' drive at each end or an expensive
connecting flight from the little regional airport to the big hub. 
Commercial flight was NOT an answer.  Nor was ten or eleven hours' drive.
Flying made sense.

   Not to mention that Haley and Deena were both itching for the chance,
too.

   "If you want, you can buy the plane in the name of 3S Transport and that
makes insurance a lot easier, you being a novice pilot," Alan said.  "We'll
help any way we can."

   A week later I was in my new office, pointing out where the newly
purchased furniture should go as deliveries began to arrive.  I had Nikki
here, along with her version of Dan, Nikki with Haley and Deena in her back
pocket as the digital communications system was set up and installed, Dan
because he and I were finalizing the first of several contracts for new
substations and upgrades to existing ones.  3Sigma West was off the ground.

   With that bunch in town, a dinner at a popular restaurant was in order.
We were all tucked into a very nice meal when Haley looked up, a
questioning look on her face.

   "That's Doctor Seavers," she said.

   "He must not have seen you yet," I replied.  "Otherwise he'd've dumped a
drink on your head for that comment in his office."

   "I know.  I owe him an apology."

   "What?!?" Deena said.  "I didn't get THIS story."

   "Haley was a bit of an overbearing smartass," I said.

   Haley's turn:

   Dinner with Dan and Nikki and Dad and Deena.  It's one of our favorite
places.  Nikki's been down here working on the networking for our NEW
office, and she's taught me and Deena a lot.  Even better, she gave us
fodder for our own explorations.

   Anyway, we're having a pleasant meal and in walks Doctor Seavers.  He
didn't see me when he walked in.

   Okay, let me explain.  I was, to use Bill's words, 'a bit of an ass'
with this guy, and I regret it.  it's not acceptable.  He's got a job to do
and the fact that he's the head of a department at a university bespeaks
something of the qualities of his efforts.  He was protecting his turf and
I was the interloper and I reacted wrongly.

   "I'll be right back," I told the table.  I got up.

   Followed Doctor Seavers to a table.  Before he got there I called his
name.  "Doctor Seavers?"

   He turned.  His eyes changed.  I know he recognized me, but anyway I
said, "Remember me?  Haley Simon?"

   "Yes, Mizz Simon, I do indeed remember you.  How are you?"

   I looked at his face, made sure our eyes connected.  "Remorseful."

   "Really?  Why?"

   "I acted incorrectly.  I did not show you the respect due you when I was
in your office."

   His face softened toward a smile.  "Thank you, Haley, but no apology is
needed.  I've already spoken with Professor Huang about your abilities. 
Perhaps I should have taken the letters at face value."

   "Oh, no sir.  You acted correctly.  Verification was in order.  I was
impatient and acted like an entitled brat."

   "Haley," he said, "I have dealt with many students who acted worse than
you did, with much less foundation for their actions." He looked over his
shoulder.  "Sorry, but my friends are expecting me for dinner.  Are you
going to be on campus tomorrow?"

   "I can be."

   "Come by the office tomorrow morning.  My receptionist will be expecting
you.  We'll continue this conversation." I guess he read MY face. 
"Favorably.  Have a good evening."

   "Thank you, Doctor Seavers."

   I returned to my table.

   "What was that about?" Bill asked.

   "I was making up for poor performance," I said.  "You're right.  I went
a bit overboard.  He didn't deserve the flak." To the rest of the table I
said, "Long story.  Maybe later.  Who's decided on dessert?"

   We continued talking.  The only thing I said about my little interlude
was that Doctor Seavers was the head of the university's engineering
department.

   After the meal, Bill and Deena and I piled into our SUV to go home.

   "Okay, Now you can tell me," Bill said.

   "I caught 'im and apologized for my bad behavior," I said.

   "Good," Bill replied.  "How'd he take it?"

   "A whole lot more graciously than I had reason to hope," I said.

   "He's an adult, Haley," Deena inserted.  "Some of 'em are actually
mature and stable."

   "Yeah, I know," I said.  "I'm only a proto-adult and I acted like a
brat."

   "I should probably apologize myself," Deena said.

   "I dunno," I said.  "I was the big one.  He said come by his office
tomorrow.  And it's - in his words - 'favorable'."

   "Good."

   "I'll drive you to school in the morning, then go to the office with
your dad." I didn't add that if there was an opportunity, he and I would
mark our territory in the new building.  That's between me and him.  Today
might not be the day, though.  Dan's supposed to be there this morning,
along with Nikki.

   I hope I'll get finished on campus in time to see them off at the
airport.  I'm really starting to LIKE that idea of them just flying into
the airport in their plane and renting a car to get around.  Bill needs to
do this.  I need to do this, although Cindy explains - sixteen is good for
a student license.

   "If you can spend a couple of weeks here, I can get you right up through
your first solo and then some.  And you can pick up with a local instructor
when you get back home," Cindy had told me.

   That's another thing.  "Think of it like summer camp," she said.  "Y'all
come up here, we'll knock down a few semester hours of courses -
engineering stuff - and you get 'em on the books and take 'em back to
Louisiana with you." She eyed Deena.  "You - you could stay longer, if your
mom doesn't kick..."

   Deena looked at me, giggling.  "This mom?"

   "Nooo, smartie," Cindy laughed.  "Haley, contain your daughter."

   "I've tried," I sighed dramatically.  "It just doesn't work.  Besides,
if the little beast passes me up in school I'll never hear the end of it."
Dinner with family and friends - it's very good.

   The next morning Bill ran off to the new office while I hauled Deena
back to school, then to kill time before my meeting on campus, I made a
trip around the area.  It gives me time to think.  I don't get a lot of
alone time, nor do I wish I did, but occasionally...

   Big question in my head - why me?  A gift, Mizz Dasson says.  I don't
get it as a genetic thing.  Don't get me wrong, but Mom is, well, Mom.  She
and Mister Steve have trouble with the math to balance a checkbook.  She's
never demonstrated any intelligence above normal.  Again.  My mom.  I love
her to pieces.  She's never let me lack for anything within her power to
give, including my Bill.

   I asked her about my dad.  He disappeared when I was a month old.  Was
up to, in Mom's words, having a convenient shack-up, but wasn't into that
'dad' thing.  She said he wasn't even up to working a trade.  I asked her
if he was smart.  "Smart enough to haul his ass off and leave me with YOU
to care for on my own.  So I'd say no." We've never seen nor heard from
him. Not even once.  Mister Steve's done a great job of stepping into the
'daddy' slot.

   Sure, I groused about them spending more attention on little Stevie, but
that's okay.  I understand, and to be honest, having time to myself,
letting myself feel just a little lonesome put me right in the middle of my
Bill.  Or vice versa.

   But here I am.  I talked with Bill about it.  "You're smart.  It's been
obvious to me for years.  Just go with it, baby.  You have a wonderful
gift."

   So Haley's got a gift and she has to work out how to put it to useful
purpose.  I'm fortunate.  I have Bill.  I have Deena.  And I have that herd
in Alabama that's like finding E.T.  in your closet.

   I found a parking spot in the student parking lot.  Gee, college is
gonna make me exercise against my will.  I shouldered my backpack and
headed onto campus, exchanging pleasantries with others headed in the same
direction.  If I have to make this trip regularly, and I suppose I will,
I'm going to have to add some things to my backpack, like a folding
umbrella for those surprise showers.

   I climbed the steps into the engineering building and presented myself
to the receptionist again.

   "Haley Simon, isn't it?" she asked.

   "Yes, ma'am.  Doctor Seavers is expecting me.  I'm a bit early."

   "You're welcome to have a seat and wait.  He's not in yet.  He'll walk
right by you."

   "Thank you," I said.  I plopped down onto a chair, pulled my MacBook out
and started on a document for an online course.  I was more into it than I
imagined, because I was broken from concentration by, "Hello, Mizz Simon."
Doctor Seavers.

   "Good morning, Doctor Seavers," I said, working up to a smile.

   "Close what you're doing and come to my office, if you would."

   "Yessir." I just flipped the lid down.  Love my MacBook.  I bounced up.
"Shall we?"

   I followed him past the conference room we'd used the other day.  Walked
into his office.  Fits the position - well appointed, his desk big, not
exactly ornate, but far from sterile factory office furniture.

   "Have a seat, Haley.  Let's talk."

   I sat down.  I thought I was going to be talking across that big desk,
but was instead surprised when he scooted his chair around the edge of it
to face me.

   "I deeply appreciate you stopping me last night to apologize," he said.
"Shows a bit of character."

   "I've been called a 'character' before," I said.  "But it means more the
way you say it."

   Smiling, he continued, "That discovery makes my decision a bit easier to
swallow.  You and us and Auburn University.  I am still going to welcome
Doctor Patel to come speak with us about a plan, but I believe I am
reaching some conclusions on my own."

   "Doctor Patel, Mizz Aneeta, is a wonderful person, sir," I said.

   "Yes.  She says that you're one of a string of precocious students she's
dealing with, or has dealt with.  She tells me she is flying down here with
one of her other proteges.  I find that rather startling, but she doesn't.
Let me tell you what I have in mind..."

   "I'm ready, sir..."

   "Ah, yes, therein is the situation.  You are past ready.  Professor
Huang tells me that if you are as adept at picking through the knowledge of
engineering coursework as you have apparently been in the mathematics
realm, then we will see you under some extraordinary circumstances."

   "I hope I can live up to that statement," I said.

   "Oh, sure, NOW you play the 'demure, poor little me' card."

   "Sorry."

   "Don't be, Haley.  I think you're everything that Doctor Patel and
Professor Huang say you are.  Between us and Auburn, I think I'd like to
get you to get a bachelors in mathematics at Auburn and your engineering
degree here.  I just shoot myself in the foot, doing that, but honestly,
I'd be happy if you were completely MY student.  However, to pull off what
we plan for you, you're going to get some courses in both our facilities.
We'll transfer credits bidirectionally to suit you."

   I snickered, "So we'll be attending TWO universities simultaneously?"

   "In effect, that's correct.  Here you'll fall under our gifted program.
I suppose Auburn will have something similar."

   "I'm sure Doctor Patel will have information," I said.

   "Haley?" he said.

   "Yessir?"

   "I do look forward to dealing with you."

   I smiled my best 'innocent little girl' smile.  "Thank you, sir.  I
think it will be good for both of us."

   "And your ...  uh ...  step-daughter?" he asked, shaking his head.

   "Her, as well," I said.  "You have to imagine how surreal this is, to
find myself in this position.  Married.  Step-daughter almost my age.  And
getting into college at sixteen..."

   "Getting into?" he chuckled.  "You may well find yourself almost through
college."

   "Doctor Seavers, I love reading and learning.  I'm thinking about
electives.  I know about the engineering and the math, those are givens, as
far as I am concerned.  I WILL be an engineer.  But I look forward to
something better than the sanitized, simplified classes on literature and
history."

   He smiled.  "Okay, now you're toying with an old man, Haley Simon."

   "Toying?  Oh, no sir.  I want to learn..."

   "You want to be educated.  You're not running through the course just to
get a credential.  Makes me very happy.  Haley Simon is not a scammer and
she is not a simple person.  You will do well."

   "Thank you, sir."

   "Oh, and Haley?"

   "Yes?"

   "Would you be so kind as to escort your stepdaughter to see me in the
morning, if possible?"

   "Would not miss it for the world, sir."





   Chapter 18

   Deena's turn:

   "Oh, sure.  You tick off the head of the Engineering Department and then
you throw me in there like throwing a bone to a pack of wolves," I said.  I
was faking.  I did this in front of Dad, for the benefit of him and Haley.
I have to keep 'em off balance or they'll take advantage of me.

   "I TOLD you," Haley sighed, feigning enough exasperation as was
necessary to counterbalance my theatrics, "he's talking about making us
students here and at Auburn.  Mizz Aneeta is coming next week.  They'll
iron something out.  Besides, I think that Cindy's flying her here.  Can
you imagine him seeing Cindy?"

   Bill laughed.  "I can't imagine ME seeing Cindy."

   'She's a doll, Dad," I said.  "You can't help but like 'er."

   "I know," Bill said.  "Improbable."

   Haley's turn:

   Next day.  The waiting was killing me.  Finally, I called Carlita.

   "Hello, Haley," she said.

   "Hi, Lita.  I'm going crazy.  I need help."

   "Send Deena off somewhere.  Grab your husband by the hand..."

   My turn to giggle.  "Poor thing's almost dead..."

   "Oh.  Then there IS a problem.  Tell me what is on your mind."

   I love her accent.

   "Mizz Aneeta - Doctor Patel - is supposed to be flying in early next
week with Cindy Richards."

   "We know ...  Brindy has made reservations at a good restaurant for ALL
of us.  I was going to call YOU this evening and tell you.  I do hope you
can come..."

   "Absolutely.  But before then ...  Tomorrow?  Us?  My bunch and your
bunch.  Pick a place?"

   She named a restaurant.  "I will have them reserve a table for us.  Now,
are you SURE that the status of me and my Dave and my Brindy is not an
issue?"

   "Lita, I have cousins who would blow your mind ...  I think one of 'em's
daddy is his uncle, too ...  No, we talked.  We do NOT have a problem..."

   "That is good.  I love my family.  We may be different, but we are
together and I am protective."

   "As well you should be, Lita.  So what time?"

   "Not too late.  Is six okay?"

   "Great.  We'll be there."

   I picked up Deena after school.  I'm starting to grouse about fighting
the after-school crowd with all the traffic.  I mean, before, by the time I
got out of the high school and fought through the traffic to get to the
middle school, their rush was over.  Now I'm in the middle of the stampede.

   Deena jumps into the car quickly.  "You look aggravated."

   "Traffic," I said.

   "Gotcha," she countered.  "Wanna go visit the new office?"

   "Bill's there," I said.

   "Let's go.  I'll call 'im and tell 'im we're on the way."

   She called.  Chatted.  Hung up.  "He says he's got somebody we need to
meet."

   I know we're hiring for several positions, so that's probably it.

   When we pulled into the parking lot, there was Bill's SUV and another
car; a conservative little blue Honda.

   We walked in to find Bill talking with a lady in her early twenties,
maybe.

   "Here's my wife and daughter," Bill said.  "Haley's my wife.  Deena's my
daughter.  This is Maddie."

   "Hi," Maddie said.  "I used to be Maddie Reynolds.  I'm Maddie LeBlanc
now."

   Frankly I'm a bit taken aback.  Normally when Bill introduces me as his
wife, we get at least a visible eyebrow raise or something.  This is a
mystery.

   However, it's a quickly solved mystery.

   "Maddie's a refugee from the 3Sigma Alabama campus."

   "I went to Auburn with Nikki and Cindy and Susan and ...  Plus, I was a
part-timer at the office.  Trained under Beck.  Degree in accounting and
business administration."

   "Ahhhh," I smiled.  "The tendrils branch widely."

   She smiled.  "Nikki told me you were opening an office here and
suggested that perhaps I might have a tiny advantage in the hiring
process."

   Deena giggled.  "You think?"

   I had to say what I'd been told.  "You're the Maddie with the 'catch and
release' program?"

   She giggled.  "Yeah, I'm famous.  Dated the whole time I was at Auburn
then came home and married a Cajun I worked with when I was interning for
Dad."

   "So Dad's hiring you?" Deena asked.  She eyed Bill.  "Or is that a
company secret?"

   "No, baby," he said.  "We're hiring her.  I got the okay at the same
time that I got the call that Nikki was sending her over."

   I surveyed Maddie.  Young.  Cute.  Intelligent.  And she's worked around
Nikki and Cindy and hadn't run off screaming into the veldt, so ...  First,
I'm glad she's married.  Second, I'm VERY glad she's Cindy-approved.  "Uh,
baby, we AGREED that if you hired a female she'd have to be over fifty and
overweight with a huge mole next to her nose."

   Bill gulped.  Maddie tittered.  Deena laughed outright.

   "My boss has nothing to worry about," Maddie laughed.  "I mean, he's got
YOU!  And Nikki says..."

   "Here we go," Bill laughed.  "Alan told me that Maddie might well be
connected telepathically to Cindy and Nikki."

   "Could be," Maddie flashed.  "But I prefer a track of email to maintain
a sense of normalcy."

   "So," I questioned, "is your husband coming to work here, too?"

   "Oh, no," Maddie said.  "He's a field engineer for the company Dad works
for.  Doesn't know ANYTHING about what 3Sigma does."

   "Oh, okay," I said.  "So next question - celebratory dinner?"

   "How about Saturday?  We're kinda committed until then."

   "I'll block it in," I said, realizing that if she'd said 'tonight' it
would've collided with the meeting we'd scheduled with Carlita and Dave and
Brindy.

   Maddie's going to start in two weeks.  She says she owes her former
employer the courtesy of not abruptly leaving.

   "It's not because I'm that loyal to a huge, mindless corporation," she
told us.  "I just can't dump that load on the people who I've been working
with for the last few months."

   "She left Auburn hoping 3Sigma would open an office down here," Bill
said.

   Maddie giggled.  "I might've had something to do with it being here. 
Just a tiny input.  You don't understand how much I wanted to get back in
with this bunch."

   So we got us a Maddie.

   Onward.  It's time to meet the legendary Carlita face to face.

   We went home, freshened up.  Bill's in his 'respectable engineer' knit
shirt, the kind of thing he says will work for field visits and such.  I've
seen him in a shirt and tie.  I've seen him in a suit.  This is good.  He
looks like a confident, well-educated middle aged man.  Who just happens to
have a sixteen year old wife.

   We got to the restaurant just a few minutes early.  Went in.  Bill asked
the hostess for the Johnson table.

   "They're back here," she said.

   We followed her though a busy restaurant.  This place is not a chain. 
It's noted by the locals as a place to get good food.

   There's the table.  Sandy-haired guy, looking a bit younger than Bill.
He could be anybody.  Next to him, though, around the round table for six,
there's this little dark-haired thing, bright-eyed, smiling.  On the other
side is a slightly taller girl, brunette, blue eyed.  The guy in the middle
is a possession.

   Chairs scooted back.  Dave and Bill shook hands, like you'd expect of a
couple of well-mannered adult males to do.  We girls did a squealing group
hug.

   "Cindy's pictures do not tell how cute you are," Carlita said.

   "You neither," I returned.  "Both of you."

   "I'm the quiet one," Brindy said.  "Deena, how do you fit?"

   "I'm the precocious daughter," Deena quipped.

   Bill introduced us to Mister Dave.  I called him that.

   "Just Dave, please," he said.

   I introduce Bill to Carlita and Brindy.  We sit down, grab a couple of
appetizers for the table.  And drinks.  That's kind of laughable.  The guys
are the only ones old enough to order alcohol.  Each of them gets a mug of
beer.  We all get soft drinks.  And the conversation rolls.

   We push the two guys together so they can talk business.  Brindy and
Carlita slide close to me and Deena and it's all about college.  Brindy's
way behind.  Not stupid, by any means.  She's running a very respectable
grade average, but she's taking every class, one at a time, just like a
thousand other students.

   "It's gonna take me four years," Brindy said.  "I manage to test out of
a few classes, with Lita tutoring me, but I have to take most of them. 
Lita just leaps all over them."

   Carlita's leaping.  "That's what you'll do," she says.  "When are you
starting?"

   "Mizz Aneeta's coming in next week to talk with Doctor Seavers," I said.
"I think Cindy's flying her."

   "Yes, we've been emailed by Cindy.  We're going to need a bigger table,"
Brindy said.

   "I suppose we'll start on the non-traditional work as soon as Auburn and
Doctor Seavers reach an agreement.  We'll pick up some traditional classes
when the spring semester begins," I told them.

   "I may have some books you can use," Brindy injected.

   "I'd love that," Deena said.  "If we take the same classes, you know."

   "Yeah," Brindy replied, "I can see where we might not cross paths that
often."

   That was most of the conversation for the evening - school for us, work
for the guys.  I paid attention, though, to the dynamics of interaction
between Dave and Lita and Brindy and that includes THREE identical wedding
bands.  I thought that to be a subtle move on their part.

   We parted ways in the parking lot.  I'm left with a lot of questions,
for sure, but less of them are about school than they are about our new
friends.

   In the car, Deena started things off.  "Positive meeting, I think."

   "I think so," I said.  "Lita sounds like she's in control of her life."

   "And Brindy just seems serene," Deena bounced back.  "Dad, you're not
saying anything."

   "I dunno if he's gonna quit his job.  He's got it good.  Better than I
had it."

   "I kinda listened with one ear," I said.  "But Lita ...  She seems to be
set on helping us in college."

   "And she seems like she knows what she's doing.  Says she'll talk with
Mizz Aneeta and Cindy and Doctor Seavers and see how we're going to do
this," I added.

   "That's good," Bill replied, "because I have no idea how this is
supposed to work."

   So now I have some college answers, but I find the family situation of
our new friends, shall we say, 'intriguing'?

   We got home, handled a little necessary domesticity, then caught up on
the TV news.  Finally it was time for showers and bed.

   Showers are happy times.  I asked Mom - one of those 'mom-daughter'
talks, if she ever thought it got boring.

   "Hon, if you let it get boring, it's YOUR fault.  That guy risked twenty
years in prison because he loves you.  You.  Brown hair, brown eyes and
all. I don't think he ever thought 'bout you getting boring." She looked at
me.  "And if you're thinking about YOU, get over it.  You did the adultest
thing imaginable, getting married.  You said 'until death...  ' and that
means your or his."

   "Yes, Mom."

   She hugged me.  "We've talked before, baby girl.  I wish I'd've had your
good sense and good fortune when I was younger." She sighed.  "But then I
wouldn't have YOU and I wouldn't have Steve and I wouldn't trade either one
of those for the world."

   Snippets of that conversation sometimes flash through my mind, like
right now when I'm standing in the shower, my back to him, he's lathering
my head, a supremely luxurious feeling, and I feel something poking me in
the back.  It's at once soft and hard and am I thinking that this is boring
after two years of it?  No.

   Kisses in the shower?  Not boring.  I don't often suck him in the
shower, although I have been known to get carried away by the moment.  The
water running down my face is not a comfortable addition to one of my
favorite activities.  I do enjoy that 'two slick bodies' thing, though.

   Our bedroom is a happy place.  I do practice a bit of restraint, as
married couples are supposed to do when there's a kid in the house. 
Sometimes I want to squeal and scream but with Deena up the hall ...  Well,
I don't.

   Deena and I talk quite a bit about relationships but we skirt the
obvious fact that I am sexually active.  I mean, it's a given, right?  I
married her dad.  Moreover, I was active at HER present age.  It's
something I've given a bit of thought to analyze.

   My best effort just points out that I already had this best friend,
Bill, for two years before I practically forced myself on him.  I know in
my heart of hearts that I meant for Bill to be my lifelong partner when I
did that, and I really believe that Bill accepted that because he felt the
same way about me, improbable though, with our age difference.  I know that
Deena's interested in boys, but she's not 'boy-crazy' like I knew a lot of
girls to be.  I saw 'em when I was fourteen.  I see 'em now.  They just
don't grasp how deeply real feelings can get into one's soul.  I hope
Deena's understanding that.  I know that when she goes out with a group for
a movie, that she socializes with boys her age.  And I believe her when she
says that THEY might want some physical action, but SHE is not into that.

   Too much thinking.  Himself is lying next to me, his iPad displaying a
book.  I was doing the same, but my eyes haven't registered anything for a
while.  I need a break.  I think HE needs a break.

   See?!?  It's not twenty-four hours a day of unbridled lust.  Now, though
...  I know I'm likely to find him soft.  I'm always curious as to how long
it stays that way.  I have options, starting with just rolling over against
him, cuddling, all the way to ...  I smile, lay my iPad down, slide under
the covers and turn...

   It's not my most subtle move, but I love when I can get him in my mouth,
soft, and feel him start desiring me ...  I hear his iPad hit the
nightstand and a hand touches the back of my head.

   "Angel," he sighs.

   This is what an angel does in Bill's world.  This angel also had a moist
bit that might like to receive attention, so I keep him in my mouth as he
hardens and I twist around and slide atop him.  The boy can take a hint...

   Very much satisfactory ...  We're in a post-coital cuddle.  How clinical
- 'coital'.  I've just made love and had an out of body experience and you
define it with a clinical term like 'coital'.  A term that REALLY describes
what just happened would include parts of the alphabet, a musical score and
a fireworks finale.

   "You know, little one," he says softly in the afterglow, "My imagination
never accounted for the presence of Haley in my universe."

   "Rock my world, Bill.  Every day."

   His fingers traced the hollow down the middle of my back, got to the
bottom, his fingers spread, cupping a cheek of my (I think 'too narrow')
ass, loving me with every nerve he touches.  I can't help but purr.

   Finally, neurons line up for a cogent thought.  "Baby?"

   "Yes, dove?"

   "Two girls and a guy ...  How's that work?"

   "I can say for sure that I've never experienced such a thing," he
answered.

   "Yeah but ...  Lita and Brindy and Dave..."

   "I dunno.  You're already overloading my senses.  I couldn't imagine..."

   "Just wondering.  Like maybe you're deprived."

   "Honey child," he said, "Men all over this planet know deep in their
heart of hearts that they don't have what I have with YOU.  Deprived?  I
was deprived all my life and didn't know it until you and I made love."

   "Yeah, but, if, like, I could be kissing you and sucking you at the same
time..."

   "I'd die, baby.  Too much.  You do so many things that are within sixty
or seventy percent of killing me.  If you kissed me and sucked me at the
same time, I'd go over the edge."

   "You!" I giggled.  "You wouldn't.  Might change dimensions.  Parallel
universe maybe.  You do the same to me..." I gasped.  "That's gotta be part
of it..."

   "What in the world are you thinking about, Haley?"

   "What goes on in our new friends' bedroom."

   "Their business, baby..."

   "I know ...  but ...  You think that there's girl-girl stuff going on,
too?"

   "I don't wanna think about it."

   "You don't think that Brindy and Carlita are cute?"

   "Yeah, okay ...  they're cute.  But I've got you, and I've got a
Haley-shaped hole in my soul, so when i think of the ultimate cuteness,
it's you..."

   "A little brown-haired, brown-eyed girl..."

   "Who pushed ALL my buttons, including buttons that didn't' exist until
Haley came into my life..."

   "Bill," I said, twisting around, getting up just a little bit so I could
touch my nose to his, an emotionally significant move on my part, "you make
me impossibly happy."

   "I'm very satisfied with that outcome," he said, knowing that his
curious turn of phrase at odd moments is something that drives me nuts.  "I
cannot imagine how dreary life was until you showed up."

   We're having us a moment.  I love it.

   Next day.  Bill's out to the new office.  Deena and I are having a
little breakfast before I drop her off at school.

   "You're gonna do it, huh?" Deena said.

   "Go meet Bill at the office?" I posited.

   "Yeah."

   "Yeah, I am.  After second hour.  First hour (at school) is my tutoring
session."

   "Did you ever imagine?" Deena said, "that teachers would send students
to YOU for help?"

   "I always imagined that they should.  I had no idea I'd be any good at
it, but I wondered why they didn't try."

   "They're trying..."

   "Yeah," I said.  My first hour at school now was a corner of the
library. I had a whiteboard set up and I had Haley's version of 'how in
hell do I get through algebra'.  Honestly, I could BE a teacher if I had a
guarantee of students like this - my fellow students who WANTED to get past
hurdles in their education.  Of course, REAL teachers don't have that
option, They get twenty-odd students in a classroom and only a handful of
them really want to learn past the 'just get me through this shit so I can
graduate' point.

   This bunch is the hard part to 'Haley goes to college two years early'.
These kids really want to learn.  No, they want to EXCEL.

   So that's my day ...  I drop Deena off, go to high school, just walk
through the crowd and go straight to the library.  The librarian knows that
I have a group this morning.

   "Don't let 'em get too rowdy," she smirks as I walk past.

   "Of all the things that my fellow students get rowdy about..." I laughed
back.

   "Yeah.  Math.  Who would ever guess."

   After an hour of polynomial division problems, they left at the bell. 
So did I.  I drove to the new office.  My Bill's there.  I walk in.

   "You've got that look in your eye..."

   "Do I?"

   "Yes, you do," he grinned.

   "So I take it that there's little possibility that we'd be interrupted
if, perhaps, some unusual activity were to take place?"

   "I could lock the front door ...  I have this nice new office..."

   "I'll be the one on the floor on my knees with my pants down," I
giggled.

   Bill's new office.  Initiated.  I'm dabbing at my pussy.  It's dripping
his juices.

   "You're gonna kill me one of these days, brown-eyed girl."

   I stood, pulling my slacks up.  Tiptoed to kiss him.  "Nah!  We're
keeping you in shape."

   He showed me some documents that portended future work.  "We're going to
make money out of this office," he said happily.

   "Good.  I like having MY man in charge."

   "It's nice to have something in my life that I'm in control of," he
laughed.

   "You control me.  You'll never know how much."

   And my phone rang.  Carlita.





   Chapter 19

   Haley's turn:

   I looked at my tinkling iPhone.  Call from Carlita.

   "Hey, new sister!" I said.

   "Hello, Haley.  I assume that since you answered your phone, you are not
at school."

   I looked at my Bill.  He's still flushed.  I imagine I am, too.  Got
tingles.  Smiled.  "No, I'm visiting my husband at his new office," I said.
"What's up?"

   "I have no classes this afternoon.  I thought that perhaps we could meet
and talk."

   "I'd love that," I said.  "I have to pick up Deena after school, but
right now, sure.  You're in town?"

   "Yes.  Coffee?"

   "Horrible commercial coffee in a snobby coffee shop?"

   Giggle.  "Starbuck's, then!"

   "Okay, see you in a bit," I said.  I turned to Bill.  "Carlita.  For
coffee."

   "Okay.  You coming back here?"

   "Probably not.  I'm eying pick-up time for Deena." I smirked.  "Besides,
you've already had your way with me here today..."

   He swept me into his arms.  "Indeed I did.  And I adore you for
silliness like that."

   "Don't want a bored husband," I said.  I kissed him and got him to
unlock the front door so I could leave.

   Fifteen minutes to the Starbuck's.  I have no idea what we're going to
talk about.  I have a million questions about college, and even though it's
not my business, I have another million about Carlita.

   I listen to the stereo on the way halfway across town to meet Carlita.
When I pull into a parking slot, she bounces out of a little grey car to
meet me.  She's smiling.

   Hug in the parking lot, then inside.

   "I like the iced coffee.  I do it better, though," she said.  "You need
to come visit sometime and I will make it for you."

   "I'd like that."

   We sat at a table deep into the place so we'd be out of the traffic
path. I took a sip of my drink.

   "So, okay, Mizz Haley - what do we talk about?  School first?  Or life?"

   "Bingo," I said.  "School's gonna happen, one way or another.  How's
life?"

   "Life is very good," Lita smiled.  "Yours?  Being married at sixteen?"

   "Very much good," I said.  "I married the man that I loved."

   "I did also.  We have a good family."

   I watched those dark brown eyes.  Hers connected with mine.  "Brindy and
our Dave and me."

   "I kinda saw that," I said.

   "It is not usual.  Many people think that three people, a man with two
wives, that is sin."

   "I don't know if it's exactly sin," I said.  "It's unusual around here,
but I'm not going to judge.  People see me and my Bill and just KNOW I'm
being exploited."

   "I went through much of the same.  I am told that I do not look
nineteen. I was eighteen when I got married," she said, but I noted a
strange look cross her face.  There's more to the story.  I'm not going to
press, though.

   "Cindy says you came here from Guatemala?  I never met anyone from
Guatemala that I know of..."

   "I am an American girl now," she smiled.

   "You speak English very well."

   "Thank you.  I was raised by American missionaries in an orphanage.  I
worked very hard to learn."

   "You do well.  Accent's neat, too."

   "It is not as bad as it once was.  I and Brindy still teach an English
as a Second Language class two nights a week.  I get to keep my Spanish
up."

   "Brindy does that?"

   "It is funny.  Brindy's bad Spanish gives our students the idea that
learning a new language is not just a problem for them.  Actually, Brindy's
Spanish is much improved in the two years we've been teaching."

   "Brindy's a surprise."

   "Ah, yes," Carlita said.  "In so many ways she has been a surprise to
me. To Dave.  She was Dave's sister's ...  Uh, I do not like the term
'lover' because that trivializes who she was to Pat.  She and Pat were in a
car accident.  Pat died.  Brindy had a tough life and in a moment she was
in the world alone.  We wanted her to have somebody.  That's us."

   I guess I looked a bit shocked, still.

   "It is complex.  It is simple," Lita said.  "We are a family.  Dave
loves us both.  I am officially married to Dave.  We got married before Pat
was killed.  Her death was a shock to all of us and I think that our coming
together is the way we adjusted to the loss.  Now I cannot imagine us being
any different."

   I smiled.  "I am that way about my Bill," I said.  "And his daughter
moved in with us a week after we married..."

   "But she is not..."

   "Oh, no," I blurted.  "Nothing like that.  But she's two years younger
than me and I worry about..."

   "You are sixteen and you worry about having a teenaged daughter," Lita
chuckled.  "It is funny."

   "I knowwww," I grinned.  "I want her to have what I have when she meets
her mate.  I live for Bill like he lives for me.  I want that for her. 
There are so many people out there who never find that."

   "I had no idea," Lita said.  "And then I hid behind the seat of Dave's
truck in a remote place in Texas.  He rescued me.  I lived with Dave and he
worried every day..."

   "So did Bill.  I didn't exactly live with him.  He lives - we live next
door to my mom and step-dad.  But Bill worried about us being together."

   "Ah," Lita lit up, "you were with Bill before you got married..."

   "Well, in the view of the law, we were, but in our hearts we knew that
we loved each other and committed to each other and that is the heart, the
true meaning of marriage..."

   "You have told me a secret.  I have a secret also..."

   "Really?"

   Those dark brown eyes twinkled.  She looked around.  We were isolated in
our corner.  "I am really fifteen.  I was fourteen when I married Dave."

   "How?!?"

   "I had no papers when I came to America.  Dave paid a man in the
Guatemalan consulate to obtain for me a certificate of birth and a passport
so I could be in the country legally.  I asked him to make me a new birth
date so I could be eighteen and marry Dave."

   "Wow!  That makes this college thing a lot more crazy.  It was bad
enough if you were eighteen..."

   "I know.  I was very surprised.  I have been given yet another gift and
I must respect that gift.  That is why I am here to help you and Deena."

   "I appreciate it, Lita."

   "It is what I must do.  It is what others have done for me.  Those crazy
people in Alabama, they have helped me.  I will help you.  Perhaps there is
a time you will help others."

   "I already help students with math in high school," I said.

   "See?!?  You know..."

   "People want help.  I can help," I said.  "I'm picky, though.  I don't
do that for students that don't WANT to get help or get ahead.  I could
never be a teacher, not with a bunch of kids in a classroom who just don't
care and make it hard for those who do."

   "You are observant.  I see the same thing.  I went to an orphanage
school in Guatemala.  We only DREAMED that we could have the things I see
in American classrooms.  The one thing we did have were teachers who were
dedicated to having us, helping us, learn.  I was fortunate that it was
easy for me."

   "And college is easy also?" I asked.

   "It is hard, more difficult.  I am testing out of classes, but I spend a
lot of time reading the texts and talking with the instructors.  Haley,
they are not giving me anything.  I may well be the first
Guatemalan-American teenaged girl to graduate with an engineering degree,
but it is not because they let me take an easy path."

   "That's what Nikki said," I replied.  "She says that Auburn held her to
a higher standard than if she'd taken the classes."

   "Ah, yes, that," returned Carlita.  "Spend four months, twice a week,
sitting in a classroom, or close yourself in a room for several days, being
unbearable to those who love you, while you bypass the classroom."

   "Unbearable?"

   "I only cook on rare occasion, when I need to escape the books.  Brindy
and Dave have picked me up and carried me away..."

   Now that's a picture I have in my head...

   "They support you, then..."

   "They love me.  As your Bill and Deena love you."

   "I cannot see Deena helping Bill carry me away..."

   Giggle.  "Maybe to a special dinner..."

   My turn to giggle back.  "Sometimes Bill IS the dinner."

   "How does that work with Deena living with you?"

   "Her bedroom is at the opposite end of our house," I said, "So Bill and
I have that privacy.  And Deena goes places with her friends and we get the
place to ourselves."

   "That is interesting," Lita said.  "She knows..."

   "Yes, she knows.  She and I talked before she moved in with us. 
Actually we were talking about her moving in with her dad even before he
and I got married.  Deena didn't know then..."

   Those dark eyes flashed.  "She ...  she didn't know then that you and
Bill were ...  Together?"

   "No.  She says she didn't have a clue.  Bill and I worked very hard NOT
to show anything in public."

   "Dave and I had a little time like that.  I started loving Dave before
he knew..."

   "I was much the same.  Bill was my best friend for two years ...  since
I was twelve..."

   "I was lying in bed beside Dave," Lita said.  "Ever since the first
night when he rescued me, I was in bed with him."

   I guess my face changed and she noticed.

   "Oh, not, not like THAT," she said.  "I had just come a thousand miles
as a refugee, hiding the fact that I was a female, and that first night, I
was in the biggest, cleanest, nicest bed I had ever been in, in my whole
life, and I felt so alone.  I crawled in bed with him just to be next to a
human.  When he found out, it scared him badly."

   "I bet it did," I said.  "I made it all the way to fourteen, then I knew
I wanted Bill and I knew deep down that he wanted me and that we belonged
together."

   She smiled.  "I waited until I had a piece of paper that said I was
eighteen.  Poor Dave.  I took advantage of him.  He loved me and he did not
know what to do about me."

   "And he loves you..."

   "Never a doubt."

   "How does that work, you and him and Brindy..."

   "He loves Brindy as well.  Brindy loves me.  Nobody is ever neglected.
There is no jealousy.  I worried..."

   "You and Brindy are quite different," I said.  "Height.  Weight..."

   She smiled.  "My Brindy is delightfully plump.  Dave says 'juicy'.  The
Germans say zaftig which is exactly the same word."

   "They spell it with an 's'," I said.

   "Yes," she giggled.  "You DO read a lot, do you not?"

   "I try to figure out why people are the way they are.  People are
complex."

   "Cindy says 'people are messy'.  We were talking about a mathematical
function and how it describes a curve on a graph and how the data of an
experiment somewhat follow the graph and she said she wished we could graph
people."

   "You can't.  I tried.  I watched a cheerleader at school.  She is just
classically pretty, you know how cheerleaders are supposed to be."

   "I know of cheerleaders," Lita said.  "Yes."

   "This one was blonde, thin, a bit big up here," I said, touching my own
flat chest.  Just then it dawned on me that Carlita was equally unendowed.
"Pretty.  I thought she'd be dating guys who were high up in the hierarchy
at school.  She didn't.  Completely blew my curve."

   Carlita laughed.  "Dave is supposed to be married to a woman his age,
perhaps a middle manager at a bank or something.  Instead he has TWO wives,
both officially eighteen, both in college.  He does not come close to the
curve."

   "You're really happy.  I watched you say 'two wives'.  You are happy
with that."

   "Ah, there were times.  Carlita is a poor little orphan raised in a
missionary school in Guatemala and she learned that it was to be 'one man,
one woman' and never 'woman and woman' and never 'man and woman and woman'
and I was shaken by events in my life that put me and my Dave outside that
definition.  I am religious, Haley.  I must trust that God knows and judges
hearts.  But I am happy with my husband and my Brindy."

   "One big bed?" I asked, feeling particularly pushy.

   Carlita's head bowed demurely, then came up with a smile and twinkling
eyes.  "Yes.  I will not describe further..."

   "I understand.  My prurient curiosity."

   "I know of such things.  What we do and how we do it would be many
fantasies." She smiled, her eyes travelling far away, then returning. 
"With good reason."

   "I'm sure," I said.

   "Go ahead and laugh.  You do not look deprived," she smirked.

   "I am not.  No way, not in any measure."

   We talked a bit more, second drink, a pastry apiece.  "This place is a
bit expensive," Lita said.

   "Yeah, we could be doing this at the house." I observed her expression.
Yes.  A smile.

   "Yours or mine?"

   "Either one," I said.

   She smiled.  "I think we are compatible personalities.  I would be
delighted..."

   "Good!" I chirped.  "Future meetings.  Your place or mine."

   "That is how we will do it.  I think I can make better coffee," she said
with a twinkle.

   "I can do better than this, too.  You ...  We need to plan a dinner for
both our families."

   "Yes," she smiled.  "Our families."

   When we parted ways in the parking lot, I had a lot of information to
process.  Some of it was about my ongoing educational pursuits.

   I immediately called Bill.

   "Hi, Babe!" he said, answering.  "How was the meeting?"

   "Very informative.  Uh, Deena's got chorus this evening.  You.  Straight
home.  I will be there.  We'll eat when Deena gets home." Deena was
catching a ride home with Kaylee after chorus practice.

   "You sound urgent."

   I giggled.  "You'll see exactly how urgent I am," I said.

   I got to the house, took care of some domestic requirements.  My phone
buzzed on my hip.  I pulled it up.  Bill.

   "Hi, love," I said.

   "Hello, angel," he returned.  "I'm on the way home.  Need anything?"

   Giggle.  "You.  At home."

   "I'll be there as soon as I can."

   Yes, he knows ...  I didn't have to say anything.  He knows when I
really NEED him.  I assume it's an inflection in my voice.

   I'm lying on the bed, buck-naked, reading, when he walks in.  Of course
I'm not surprised.  I can hear the door unlock, and I know where our
daughter is, so it has to be Bill, and I put the book on the nightstand and
let myself be wrapped up in his arms.

   A sad little delay while he got out of his clothes.  The collision that
followed was among the Top Ten of a very exclusive list.  I was still
sighing when he rolled off me, flaccid, that thing just too darned inviting
to be left unattended.

   I attended to it.  Delicious, me and him.  And he shakes.  Then I can
prop up on an elbow and give him another kiss, this time on the lips.

   "What brought that on?"

   I gasped.  "Can not a maid anticipate the needs of her man and desire
his attentions without something to 'bring it on'?"

   "Entirely possible," he smiled.  "So what brought it on?"

   "Good conversation with my new sister."

   "I know you, little girl, and I know that even though you possess
legendary skills, a discussion of algebra has never made you horny."

   I slid my hand up his hairy chest, letting my fingers comb their way
through the wiry hair.  "Well, we did talk about the paths we travelled to
get us to where we are now..."

   "And that made you horny?"

   "The talk of people in living relationships is something that makes me
value ours all the more," I said, sounding just a bit stilted, for effect.

   "I suppose my counterpart is as happy with his cutie as I am with mine."

   "Cuties," I said, emphasizing the plural.

   "Oh, yeah..."

   "We didn't discuss details, but we did talk about it.  Just a little."

   "Enough to get YOUR juices flowing." He laughed.  "And that's a very
good thing."

   "I am glad you give thought to my juices, kind sir," I snickered.

   "I have this neat little brown-haired girl.  I just about LIVE for her
juices, you know..."

   "Got some left, if you're interested."

   "Oh, only ALWAYS." And we were in a knot that defies description.  In
this case, 'Tab A' was wet and agile and flicked my innocent little button
in mind-shattering patterns, and 'Tab B' was something to be sucked to
hardness before finding its way into a slot that was made for this since
the beginning of time.

   Final score, before the contestants headed to the shower - him - 2.  Me
-4.  And a sadly inadequate shower facility.  We had to share it.  (okay,
maybe not.  But what would Deena think if she came home and found somebody
was using HER shower?)

   We were lounging on opposite ends of the sofa when Deena bounced through
the door.

   "Bored?" she laughed.

   "Waiting on our daughter to bring beauty and excitement to our lives,"
Bill said.

   "I knowww," Deena said.  "Y'all're so hopeless without me."

   "We are.  And we're hungry, too," I said.  "Where do we want to eat?"

   "Let's you and me shop for steaks Friday.  We do those better here. 
Mexican?  Chinese?  Italian?"

   "Chinese," I said.  "Baby?" I posed to Bill.

   "Works for me," he said.  "Everybody ready?"

   "Yeah," I said.

   "Let's go," Deena replied.  "We'll run into Kaylee and her folks there."

   "You should've called us," I said.  "We could've met you there and saved
everybody a trip."

   "I thought maybe you 'n' Dad were here fixing a casserole or
something..." And a smirk.  My step-daughter's a smart-ass.

   Emails and FaceTime.  The legendary Cindy of the Skies (What delight
that first, you're good enough at something that people notice and tag you
with it, and second, they love you enough to care) is flying Mizz Patel
down to talk with Doctor Seavers and, I imagine, others at the university,
about how they're going to do a 'King Solomon and the baby' act on me and
Deena.

   That makes dinner on Monday a special event.  Reservations.  We make
reservations for eight at a restaurant that Cindy specifies.  "I've eaten
there just about every trip we make back to Dan's home.  I've told Mizz
Aneeta, and she demands that I take her there."

   "I would have thought that something more upscale would be in order," I
said.

   "We can do 'upscale' but seriously, Haley, is that who we are?  Mizz
Aneeta says she wants Louisiana seafood and that's the place to get it,
right?"

   "I can't argue with that."

   "Thant that's what we'll do Monday evening.  After we meet with Doctor
Seavers and the university folks, we may do that 'white tablecloth' thing
on Tuesday night.  This visit's more a formality than anything."

   "I sort of figured that out.  I mean, conference calls and emails..." I
posed.

   "Yeah, all that's nice, but it's still nice to sit in the same room and
talk.  Plus, I get to fly cross-country with one of my favorite people."

   "You really like this," I said to her obvious enthusiasm.

   "I do.  Every day is an adventure."

   I can only imagine the adventures that lie before me.





   Chapter 20

   Mizz Patel's turn:

   "Thank you, Doctor Seavers, for allowing me this visit," I said.  I
know, this sounds so deferential.  My mother drilled into me that a little
subservience is often the key to opening doors, so I determined from
previous conversation with this man that it would be a good approach.

   What do I gain?  Position.  Certainly not for ME.  My position within
Auburn University is set.  I am comfortable, my reputation enhanced by the
fact that some of the students I recruited, the Sisterhood, the Munchkins,
have brought great credit upon our science and engineering departments. 
No, my friend, this is not about benefiting Aneeta Patel, this is about
making a path for two young ladies, Deena and Haley Simon.

   "I am glad that you elected to visit," he said.  "Haley and Deena Simon
are pushing our university's procedures, much as Carlita Johnson has done.
You say, however, that these two may be ahead of Carlita in capability?"

   "It is likely," I said.

   "I discussed their mathematical prowess.  I looked at ACT and SAT
scores. I have had them interview at length with several professors at my
university.  Frankly, I am worried that we may be overestimating their
capabilities.  I have never..."

   "I understand, Doctor Seavers," I said.  "Many at Auburn had similar
reservations.  I think I may be able to help, though.  Let me introduce you
to my chauffeur..."

   "Chauffeur?"

   "Yes, she flew me here."

   "I don't see what bearing that has..."

   "Indulge me."

   "Certainly."

   "There's a red-haired girl in your lobby.  Can you have your
receptionist send her in to talk with us?"

   "Certainly." He punched his phone.  "Is there a red-headed young lady
sitting there?" Pause.  "Yes?" Pause.  "Would you please direct her to my
office?"

   We waited a few moments.  I did not speak, allowing the silence, for
effect.  Sometimes I enjoy a bit of drama.

   Knock on the door.  "Come in," Doctor Seavers said.

   Cindy stepped in.  Cindy in her everyday togs, looking like a college
student ready for a day on campus - jeans, comfortable shirt, athletic
shoes - tasteful although quite informal.

   She looked at me, then at Doctor Seavers.

   I took a breath.  And a chance.  "Doctor Seavers, I'd like to introduce
you to Doctor Cynthia Richards, bachelor's in mathematics, master's in
electrical engineering, PhD in physics, research fellow at Los Alamos, MIT
and Stanford, department head for robotics development for 3Sigma Robotics,
affiliated with Auburn University, Google and the Department of Defense. 
Also a commercial pilot with instructor, multi-engine and instrument
ratings.  Cindy is the youngest person ever to receive a doctorate at
Auburn.  The paper she defended for her degree was also a subject of much
interest at Los Alamos."

   He looked Cindy up and down, seeing what I described.  It's Cindy in her
'flying togs', which are the same as what Cindy wears 95% of the time.

   "Good morning, Doctor Seavers," Cindy said.

   "Good morning, Doctor Richards.  You're rather a phenomenon."

   "Thank you.  My friends Haley and Deena are poised to mirror me, sir."

   "And you're confident of this?"

   "Mizz Aneeta has not been wrong yet.  I've been trying to get them back
into Alabama with us, but Deena's family situation keeps her here.  Her dad
-- Haley's husband, is the new manager of our facility here."

   "I see.  I get the distinct feeling that we will be working closely with
you on their education."

   "More likely we will together direct their learning.  It's like pouring
water into a bucket and telling it to make sure it fills in the corners,"
Cindy smiled.

   "I like that analogy, Doctor Richards," he said, his smile broadening.

   "Oh, please, I feel so awkward when somebody calls me 'Doctor
Richards'," she returned.  "I rather enjoy being Cindy.  Even if it's
'Cindy who knows things'."

   More smiles.  "All right, Cindy who knows things.  I know some people
who change colors if we do not acknowledge their doctorates.  Now, Deena
and Haley ...  Mizz Patel?"

   "We at Auburn would like to keep them in at least one of our degree
programs, either engineering or mathematics.  We are prepared to work out a
schedule by which they can meet our engineering requirements by distance
learning, wherein they meet an instructor, bring the books home, and return
to campus for oral and written examinations as the instructor may warrant
to establish comprehension."

   "Is that what you did, Cindy?" Doctor Seavers posed.

   "Modified somewhat.  We were living in town there.  I sometimes visited
an instructor in the middle of working through a class, sometimes not.  I
was interviewed by instructors, by the overseeing staff of the School of
Engineering, and on one occasion, the chancellor himself sat in on an
interview.  They made very sure that I was NOT taking shortcuts.  Mizz
Aneeta is prepared to do the same for Deena and Haley."

   "I would like to talk with one or two of your professors, if you do not
mind, Cindy.  Mizz Patel."

   "I can give a list," I said.

   "Seriously, Cindy ...  Research fellow with Los Alamos?"

   "I am.  So is my year older adopted sister, Doctor Dominique Granger."

   "And you think that Deena and Haley can be in the same arena?"

   "Or they can be entry-level drudges in an engineering house.  But they
can be engineers in record time here."

   "I think I'm forming an opinion," he said.  "I think we can formulate a
path forward for both our universities, Doctor Patel."

   "I am pleased to hear that," I said.  "It will be good for Deena and
Haley.  Your university will receive some notoriety, and so will ours..."

   "And two bright young students will become the sort of people who bring
forth good things for all of us," Cindy added.

   "Okay," Doctor Seavers said.  "So Cindy, what good things are YOU
bringing forth?"

   I watched Cindy do that demure 'who, me?' thing.

   "I'm herding cats in a robotics lab.  My staff is large, but the core
consists of three twelve year olds, two girls and a boy, and an
eleven-year-old.  And sir, if you find me unnerving, I can introduce you to
Terri Addison, who's supposed to get a baccalaureate in December with
Rachel Weissman.  Auburn just categorically refused to anoint an eleven
year old, so Vicki Duncan has to wait.  I think that while she's waiting,
Derek Helton, the twelve year old boy, will catch up to her.  He's late to
the game."

   "But what are you DOING there?"

   "Robots.  Semi-autonomous robots.  Hardened military robots.  Little
smart robots for specific functions like site security, search and rescue,
just hanging around and being helpful, whatever idea comes out.  We have a
staff of college grad and student engineers and programmers and
technicians, and we make some very interesting machines.  Some of them are
getting harder and harder to think of as 'just machines'.  One of them was
ring-bearer at my mom's wedding."

   "Do you have pictures?"

   "We have our own YouTube channel," she said.  "Here's my card.  The
YouTube URL is on the back.  And QR code if you want to use your smartphone
to watch."

   I'm watching one of MY students at work and it makes me feel very good.
Cindy.  Confident and self-assured and in control.  Now, if I can only have
a part in getting Haley and Deena to this stage.

   Doctor Seavers and I talked for twenty more minutes before we decided
we'd reached an agreement.  I left his office with an air of satisfaction,
but you must know that I will be watching MY new students, and I reserve
the ability to get very aggressive with my own Auburn University if I find
that this arrangement is not working.

   I know that Auburn has not awarded engineering degrees for long-distance
students, but then I remind myself that only a few years before, that it
had not awarded engineering degrees to fifteen year old girls, so I think I
could play my best cards to force the issue if I deem it necessary.

   Cindy and I end up visiting Haley's school where we talk with her high
school guidance counselor and observe Haley conducting a bit of a math
class for some of her fellow students.

   Following that excursion, we returned to the hotel to prepare for dinner
this evening.  Cindy has selected a restaurant based on our conversations.
We expect to meet with Deena and Haley and Haley's unlikely husband as well
as Carlita Johnson, her husband Dave and their 'friend'.

   Bill's turn:

   Sometimes I feel like I'm in the middle of a carnival ride.  Here I am,
there's no way to get off, so I just as well sit back and 'enjoy' it, where
'enjoy' may mean surprised, apprehensive or really really happy.

   Still, many days are a surprise.  Surreal.  Funny.

   Last week we'd gone out for dinner and on the way back we stopped at a
superstore for a few items.  I went in with Haley and Deena.  Haley holds
the household credit cards and we've had plenty of conversations about
spending.  Deena, being our daughter, gets an allowance, transferred weekly
to her prepaid credit card.

   Deena laid her purchases on the counter, the young lady at the register
rang them up.  $25.81.

   "I DID it," Deena exclaimed.  "The ROOT of all EVIL!"

   The girl at the register looked perplexed.  I hid my own questions.

   Haley started laughing.  "It IS.  It REALLY IS!"

   "Okay," I said.  "Let me in on the joke."

   "Daa-aadddd!" Deena feigned a whine with that evil grin on her face. 
"Six-six-six, you know, 666, in the Bible, is the ultimate evil. 
Twenty-five point eight one is the square root.  So, the root of all
evil..."

   She and Haley watched my face.

   "Gahhhh," I said.  "That's HORRIBLE."

   "But numerically correct," Haley poked.

   The poor girl at the register sort of looked at me.

   "Math joke," I said.

   "Ohhhhhh okayyyyyy," she said, smiling dubiously.

   Tonight, though ...  dinner with ...  What would YOU call them?  Cindy
Richards, that's Doctor Richards in one venue, Cindy of the Skies in
another, is one.  Doctor Aneeta Patel, recruiter for Auburn University's
School of Engineering, is another.  There's a 'family' - Dave Johnson, his
official wife, a little raven-haired Guatemalan girl, and their 'friend'
Brindy, a juicy brunette with soft blue eyes.

   And me and my wife and my daughter.

   Dinner.  Table for eight.  Not once was football mentioned.  We did get
Cindy's opinion of a hundred thousand dollars' worth of student loans for a
degree in comparative literature.

   "She's getting a job as a librarian," she said.  "Terribly sweet girl.
Intelligent?  Sure.  But thoughtfulness wasn't her long suit.  I told her
that if she went back and fleshed out that degree to something we could
use, we'd hire her."

   Deena poked me.  "Dad!  That's it!  You KNOW how I love writing, and I'm
GOOD at it."

   I know I'm being played.  Girls who joke about the square root of
evil...

   Cindy speared Deena with a mirthful look.  "Oh, yeah, I can see you
conjugating verbs for a living..."

   "I'll write!"

   Countered with "For every JK Rowling, there are ten thousand who can't
pay the rent with what they write."

   "You write," Deena volleyed back.

   "I do.  I write little stories that I sell on Amazon and iBooks for a
pittance, and I write technical papers that pay the bills..."

   "And get you a new airplane, huh?" Haley prodded.

   "It won't be new, but it will be faster."

   "Mizz Aneeta," I said, "how do YOU react to all this?"

   She smiled.  "I observe.  I call it MY life's work, but really I am only
the one who picks the fruit grown on trees I cannot comprehend.  It is a
source of delight."

   I was curious about how somebody of Hindi descent might deal with the
fare at this restaurant, noted for its Cajun and creole cuisine.

   She smiles beautifully.  "I was born in America.  My parents told me
from an early age to respect and honor my heritage - they did - but to not
be insular.  I have been at Auburn for eighteen years.  I learned that
'Southern' means a lot of meat.  I eat because I am social.  I restrict
myself for my health, but it is difficult.  Cindy's husband introduced me
to gumbo.  I love barbecue, it's a different take on the tandoor of my
mother.  I enjoy because my friends enjoy, and I partake because it is
offered to me in a spirit of community and sharing and friendship."

   "Extraordinary," I said, almost involuntarily.  I saw Cindy's eyes
flash.

   "Mister Bill, husband of Haley, father of Deena," Mizz Aneeta said, her
dark eyes happy.  "I know what my job is.  I know the rules for the arena
in which I do battle.  I am sure, since you have been recruited by 3Sigma,
that you know your arena equally well."

   "I only hope so."

   I looked across the table.  Deena was deep in conversation with Brindy
and Carlita.  I can only imagine what that conversation might be.  Dave is
listening to me and Mizz Aneeta, jumping in a time or two.

   Dinner went very well.  When we parted in the parking lot, I promised
that I would have my brood at the airport in the morning.

   "Wanna make sure I'm REALLY flying, huh?" Cindy quipped.

   Yeah, okay ...  First, I'm convinced that Cindy is indeed magical. 
Second, I think that Haley and Deena can match her, spell for spell.

   A week later, I have a kid in college four years ahead of schedule.  I
have a WIFE in college, and unlike the first time I had a wife in college,
this one is a member of a mutual admiration society.  I'm the other member.
I remember lying alone in bed while waiting for Deena's mom to come in from
a late-night study session or two.  I don't think I'll face that with
Haley.

   Since the office is closer to the campus than the house is, I find that
I'm often graced with the presence of one or both of the students.  It's
okay.  Our tech room is a big room with desks we expect one day
(optimistically maybe) to be occupied by half a dozen technicians.  This
will be a slightly different business model than the home office in Auburn.

   Right now most of the desks are unclaimed, so I end up with a daughter
or a wife with a laptop and books and notebooks open.

   Maddy's on board now.  She goes in there to check on them.

   "My little sisters," she announced almost from the beginning.  "I might
not be able to do much more than moral support, though."

   "Oh, come on," I told her.  "You got in on the original bunch."

   "Yeah, I went to school with Nikki.  Met Cindy at me 'n' Nikki's high
school graduation.  They dragged me along with them to Auburn."

   "And now look at you..."

   She giggled.  "Yeah, look at me.  I'm a sheep returning to the fold. 
Bobby thinks I'm crazy for leaving that company to come here."

   "Bobby's got the GOOD job," I said.  "That's the way it used to be -
husband had the REAL job, wifey's a teacher or a receptionist, bringing in
a little cash to buy nice things..."

   "Or hubby's putting his wifey through college," came the disembodied
voice from up the hall.  Haley had a history text she was working through.

   "It's a real job," Maddie affirmed.  "I'm serious about it.  I got bit
by the bug while I was in Alabama."

   "You know a lot of the first bunch have taken the mommy track," I said.

   "Oh yeah.  And me 'n' Bobby talk about that.  We want equity in our
house, then it's kiddo time."

   "Looking forward to it," I said.  "Hope you stay on..."

   "Oh, if there's any company that will accommodate me, it's 3Sigma.  I
see what they do with that bunch over there.  They even put a nanny on the
payroll."

   I smiled.  I'd heard the stories.  I also heard rumors about what they
called 'The New Bunch', a bunch of toddlers with a propensity to do some
rather un-toddler-like things.

   There is, of course, the serpent in the Garden of Eden.  I am 'fixed'.
And I married what I assume to be a fertile, nubile young lady who might at
some future date start harboring ideas about procreation.

   Deena's turn:

   "Mom, I'm officially a college student," I said.  I was excited.  I'd
just been through the whole 'get a student ID card' thing.

   "I find that shocking," Mom said.

   "Exciting is the word I used, Mom," I replied.  "I'm taking COLLEGE
courses.  Can you believe?!?"

   "I really have trouble believing..."

   "Dad 'n' Haley.  I know you don't want to hear it, but they SHOVED me! I
could've been like I was, you know, Bs and As, honor roll.  But they just
sort of said 'Deena, how good ARE you?!' Mom, I'm that good.  Really."

   "I'm happy for you," Mom said.

   Funny.  She didn't sound as happy as I'd be in the same situation.  I
noted that bit of information for future analysis.  Dad sounded ecstatic
about the whole thing, even when Haley and I ignored him, leaving him to
his laptop and TV while we flopped in the middle of the living room floor
with books.  We were in the middle of one of these sessions when Haley
looked up.

   "He's neglected," she announced.

   "No he's not," I argued.  "He's doin' something on line.  Reading,
exploring ...  but since he's got YOU, it's PG-rated, at worst."

   "We don't want him to feel neglected," she stated.

   "Needs hugs," I answered.

   Giggle.  "Ready?"

   "Yeah.  Go!"

   We both popped up at once.  Haley took his laptop from him, clearing his
lap, then she plopped onto him from one side, I took the other.

   I didn't kiss him as hard as SHE did.  I gave him a peck on the cheek.
She locked lips with him.  I distinctly heard an 'mmmmm'.  Probably from
both of them.

   "Studying isn't gonna eat into my 'Bill' time," she told him.

   "Or my 'Daddy' time," I added.  "Love comes first."

   And when I said it, I was struck by my choice of words.  'Love' instead
of 'family', although they were, in many cases concurrent.  I'm
over-analyzing, maybe.

   Maybe.

   I think that's the first time that I really noticed that I was going to
bed alone and my sister/step-mom/fellow college student friend was going to
spend her night with her love.

   I shook it off.  Thought about it.  I'm getting close to my period.  I
get a bit edgy, and maybe this is a sign.  Besides, I'm in a whole new
world.  It's a lot different than 'Monday through Friday, get up, go to
school.  Same schedule, same classrooms as yesterday, every day'.  I
actually JOINED a class in mid-semester on the advice of the instructor who
was going to sign me off for it.

   "Just go in, sit down, see what goes on.  See how other students are
reacting to the instruction, Deena," she said.  "I think you'll find the
information interesting."

   "Just go investigate?"

   "Yes.  And make me wish I had a roomful of students like you."

   "I'm sorry," I started.

   "Don't be.  You just show me what's possible.  I talked with your
teacher in middle school.  She and I go to the same church.  She told me
how you were..."

   "Ohmigod, that's Mizz Henson.  I really liked her."

   "Yes.  Angela.  Her information tells me that you're not a fluke. 
You're not some prank from the engineering department.  Therefore I want
you to get your education and part of that education is to see what others
taking this course are actually doing."

   "I'll be there."

   "And in a week and a half, you'll take a written test and provide me
with an essay, as we previously discussed."

   "Yes, ma'am," I answered.

   So I got to college classes and end up answering a lot of questions
about what I'm doing there, and I start to see that college guys are, shall
we say, 'predatory'.  At least some of them are.

   "I'm fourteen.  If you TOUCH me, you're committing a felony.  Do you
want to pursue this and spend the rest of your life putting a sexual
predator ad in the newspaper every time you move?" I know the laws
concerning minors and sex.  After all, Haley and Dad risked a lot,
violating them before they got legally married.

   The poor dude who was hitting on me left to go drool elsewhere.

   Dad had to fly to Dallas.  Job stuff.

   "You know, Dad, if we had an airplane like EVERYBODY else, you could've
flown yourself."

   "I know," he conceded.  "I'm working on it."

   "And we could've gone with you," Haley said.

   "You'd've had to stay in the hotel room while I went to the meeting," he
told us.

   "Rental car," I said.

   "We get ONE, and there's no rental agency that will allow Haley to
drive."

   "We'd've been there when you got finished," Haley inserted.

   "Yeah ...  And I know ...  by the time I take the connecting flight with
the layover in Houston, I could've just about flown there myself.  But
y'all have classes anyway..."

   "Coulda skipped classes, Dad," I said.

   "You're not that kind of student," Dad countered.

   "No," Haley defended my position.  "We're the kind of students who go to
classes just to see what the inside of the classrooms look like."

   "And to get hit on," I offered.  I'd told them about some of my
adventures.

   So Dad left us for two nights.  Two nights of me and Haley, just like
the old days when I visited on my weekends and she was just 'a friend'.  Up
late talking.

   And, "Haley, don't be specific, but is it REALLY that good?  Sex, I
mean..."

   "Deena," she squeaked, "We don't talk about that..."

   "We HAVEN'T talked about that.  Doesn't mean I don't WANT to ask.  Or
should I get my information from other girls?"

   "Oh, yeah, like the one that said you couldn't get pregnant if you were
on top?"

   "Who's gonna deliver her lesson by Christmas," I said.  "Yeah, that kind
of information."

   "Okay.  But this is kinda strange..."





   Chapter 21

   Haley's turn:

   So as college students, Deena and I can FINALLY end up in some of the
same classes.  It was suggested that we take an elective or two, so we
conferred and decided on biology.  It's a science, so there are right and
wrong answers, not opinions, and both of us are interested and it's already
in progress.  The professor starts to balk until Doctor Seavers explains
why it is that she's getting two students starting a semester in progress
and neither of the students is old enough to graduate high school.

   Two weeks into it, we're caught up.  Read the books, take the test, turn
in a couple of papers ...  Neato!

   It's one of those broad entry level courses, so there's a discussion
about heredity and genes and DNA.

   "Sounds interesting," I said.

   "It is," Deena replied when we were studying together.  "We oughta look
under the hood."

   "Huh?"

   "Get our DNA tested.  Yours.  Mine.  Dad's.  For the fun of it."

   "'Kay," I said.  "Let's see how that works."

   "Google it," she said.

   We talked with Bill about it.  Bill's never stood in the way of one of
our explorations, especially if it has to do with learning something.  A
week later we had three kits.  The next day they were in the mail back to
the lab.

   Deena's turn:

   It's a great argument.  Maybe it's just a little bit manipulative.  I've
been called that.  Mom used to call me that a lot.  Dad 'n' Haley just
smile.

   The argument?  When I want to discuss something sensitive and the other
person says 'no', I say 'Who would you RATHER I talk with?'

   I've used it a couple of times in the past two weeks.  First one was
when Dad had to fly off to Dallas on a business thing.  It's part of his
new job.

   Haley and I used to have some epic 'girl-talk' sessions before she and
Dad married.  Looking back on those, I shake my head.  Sometimes we talked
about things on what I thought was a theoretical level.  Turns out that she
was practicing some of them with Dad.

   So Dad's in a hotel four hundred miles away and we're sitting in Dad 'n'
Haley's bed, the TV on in the background, and...

   "Haley, don't be specific, but is it REALLY that good?  Sex, I mean..."

   "Deena," she squeaked, "We don't talk about that..."

   "We HAVEN'T talked about that.  Doesn't mean I don't WANT to ask.  Or
should I get my information from other girls?"

   "Oh, yeah, like the one that said you couldn't get pregnant if you were
on top?"

   "Who's gonna deliver her lesson by Christmas," I said.  "Yeah, that kind
of information."

   "Okay.  But this is kinda strange..."

   I giggled, "We're sitting in THIS bed.  There's no telling what all
y'all've done in it, and for how long..."

   "I told you," she said, reminding me of a previous intimate confession,
"since right after my fourteenth birthday..."

   I answered her with a grin.  "So I'm fourteen.  And I kinda get
curious."

   "It's really good.  But Deena ...  Your dad and me ...  we started out
when we were already in love.  He is my first and he will be my only..."

   "I heard it hurts the first time," I said.

   Haley smiled a little, her eyes taking a far away look.  She was
remembering it!

   "I heard that too," she said, "but I also heard that it might not hurt
if you're active.  Your hymen gets torn ...  That's the part that is
supposed to hurt.  I almost didn't have one." There was laughter in her
eyes, happiness.  "I knew me and your dad were gonna do it sooner or later,
so I kinda..."

   I gasped.  "You kinda WHAT?"

   "I kinda pushed things in there, you know, to make sure it wasn't gonna
be a problem.  I've read that some girls are so tough there that they need
a doctor." She giggled.  "Can you see THAT happening?  I mean, 'Hey Mom,
take me to the doctor.  My cherry's too tough for me 'n' a guy to do it.'
That's a conversation I didn't want to have..."

   "You mean, you got, like, a DILDO?"

   "Oh, sure, for Mom to find in the drawer of her thirteen year old
daughter..."

   "Oh, okay," I submitted.  "What, then?"

   "Well, nosy, if you MUST know..."

   "I MUST."

   "My fingers.  Handle of my hairbrush..."

   "You fingered yourself?"

   "Oh, come on.  Tell me YOU never..."

   "Just one, " I smiled.  Giggle.  "Maybe two..."

   "Masturbation's fun," Haley said, "But it's nothing like the real
thing..."

   "Then it might kill me," I admitted.

   "'S what I thought, too.  But I love your dad and I had to try with him
...  I was right.  I died.  Still do, almost every time..."

   "Dad gets you off?"

   "Of course.  Why?"

   "I listen to some girls talking about it and they don't get off ...  Not
from the guy ...  Not with him inside ...  Fucking..."

   "That's sad," Haley said.  "I've heard the same thing.  I have different
findings ...  Bill..." she paused.  "Dammit, Deena, I will NOT get graphic
about me and your dad..."

   "You DO!"

   She bowed her head, doing that innocent and demure thing that probably
drives Dad wild.  She nodded.

   "See!  I KNEW!  That other stuff..."

   "What other stuff?"

   "You know ...  blowjobs ...  Ain't that nasty?"

   "I never thought of it as being nasty.  I thought that everybody did it.
Mom does.  I love your dad, so..."

   I thought for a second that I was supposed to get all squicked out about
Haley sucking on Dad's ...  In my head I separated the 'Dad' part from the
'sucking a guy' part, and I was okay...  "All the way?"

   I guess Haley gave up dodging me.  "Uh-huh.  First time.  Every time..."

   "It's not yucky?"

   "I never thought so.  I mean..." she paused.  "When you ...  you get
juicy, right?"

   My turn to feel my face flush.  And nod affirmatively.

   "Well, if he..." then she realized what she was saying.  "Dammit, Deena!
You got me doing it again..."

   "Well, so much for asking about if you've ever had a guy eat you..."

   "There is only ONE guy.  And yes." Her eyes went far away again.  "It's
mutual, Deena.  What two people who love each other do, that's between
them. I guess if either of us didn't like something, maybe we wouldn't do
it, or maybe if the other REALLY wanted it, it could be something for a
special occasion, but..." she took a deep breath, continued, "We both like
it.  It's NORMAL, for heaven's sake."

   "O-Kayyyyy!" I blurted.  "Don't get so uptight."

   "Well, it is," Haley repeated.

   Haley's phone rang - Dad's ringtone.  She put it up to her ear.  "Hi,
baby..." Pause.  "Oh, I REALLY miss you, too." Pause.  "No, she's right
here.  We're sittin' in bed, talking." Pause.  "Okay, here she is."

   She handed me the phone.  "Hi, Dad," I said.  "How's your trip?"

   "I'd rather be home with my family," he said.  "Y'all doing okay?"

   "Yeah," I said.  "Studied.  Wrote a paper.  Now me 'n' Haley are just
talking."

   "I probably don't want to know what you're talking about," he laughed.

   "One of our favorite subjects - you," I said.

   "Well, y'all be good," he said.  "I love you.  Lemme tell Haley good
night."

   I giggled.  "I'll let 'er have the room to herself if y'all need
privacy."

   "Huh?"

   I glanced sideways at Haley who was starting to turn colors again.  "You
know ...  phone sex..."

   Haley and Dad both blurted "Deena!" in unison.

   "Wellll," I said.  "Luvya, Dad.  Here's Haley."

   I handed the phone to Haley.  "You need to beat your daughter when you
get home," she said.  "She's out of control." Pause.  Giggle.  "I know.  I
love you too, baby." She put the phone down after plugging in the charger.

   "You!" she blurted.  "I can't believe ...  phone sex..."

   "I heard people do that, you know.  I thought you 'n' Dad..."

   "We haven't spent many nights apart, and when he was out of town, I
stayed at Mom's house ...  Couldn't do that there.  Walls're thin ...  I
could hear them, so I figured they could hear me."

   "You could hear 'em doin' it?"

   "Uh-huh.  I saw 'em once, too ...  Peeked through the door when they
were doin' it on the sofa.  They didn't see me.  I asked your dad if all
that was normal." She smiled.  "He broke out in a sweat talkin' about it."

   "I bet he did," I inserted.  "You SAW 'em?"

   "Yeah.  Whole thing."

   "I've never seen anything like that," I said.

   "That was the first time I sort of thought about your dad at night,
after we talked about that."

   "How old were you?"

   "I was twelve..."

   "Did you..."

   "Did I what?" she retorted.  She's going to make me say it.

   "You know ...  masturbate."

   She looked almost guilty, nodding.  "I dunno, Deena.  There's just
something about your dad.  He just seems so right to me."

   "But y'all didn't do anything until you were fourteen."

   "No.  Wanted to, though."

   "Boys your age?"

   "Nope.  None of 'em even started making me think about it.  Your dad was
it for me."

   I sighed.  I agree with her about boys my age.  I guess all little girls
compare guys to their dad.  My trouble is that Dad is just too high a bar
for them to get over.

   "I can understand," I said.  "So you never ...  nobody else..."

   She shook that brown head of hers.  I've watched Dad's face when she
does that.  It gets to him.  Maybe Dad's got a thing about short hair.

   "I belong to your dad," she said.  "That's the way it is."

   "I want that.  Belong to somebody.  Have somebody belong to me."

   "Should be that way," Haley said, "but I don't think most people see it
that way.  I got lucky.  Took Mom two tries." She paused, thought... 
"Maybe she didn't know what to look for the first time.  I think she and
Mister Steve have it now."

   "All of 'em in Alabama have it, I think," I inserted.

   "Yeah.  Pretty much the way I see it."

   I giggled.  "Then there's Carlita and Brindy."

   "And Dave," Haley added.  "That's a whole other thing..."

   "How do you think THAT works?" I asked.

   "Boy, I dunno.  Carlita's married to Dave.  Brindy's ...  well ... 
Carlita says they're all together."

   We finally went to sleep.  I had vivid dreams, though.

   Two days later, I ran across Brindy on campus.  She was coming out of a
class.  I waved at her, watching her face break into a smile.

   "Hey, Deena," she said.  "Going home or coming to class?"

   "Just finished.  Was gonna go hang out at the library."

   "I won't keep you," she said, a little tone of regret.

   "You're not keeping me.  Want some coffee?"

   "Yeah, it's not too late in the day.  Where?"

   "Drive me home.  Save Haley a trip.  She's at the office, studying."

   "She studies at the office?"

   "Yeah.  It's a good place to do that."

   "Neat idea," Brindy said.

   We walked to her car, headed off to the house, talking, me complaining
about being too young to drive.

   "You could've done like Lita and gotten a Guatemalan birth certificate,"
she laughed.

   "Oh, yes, Carlita the forest pixie."

   "That's funny.  Dave always calls her that, too.  She really is."

   We always have roasted coffee.  It's a matter of a few minutes before
the brown, heavenly brew is dripping.  I cut us each a little piece of
coffee cake.

   "I really shouldn't," Brindy says.  "I'm already kinda fat..."

   "You're beautiful," I reply.  "Just in a different sort of way."

   She smiled, turned her face down, then looked back up.  "Dave and Lita
tell me that.  But they love me, so ...  For YOU to tell me..."

   "It's true.  Some of it's on the outside.  Some of it shines from the
inside."

   "Thank you."

   I put the mug of coffee in front of her along with the sugar and a
little pitcher of cream.  We fixed our cups, sipped, talked about college.

   "I got a question, Brindy..."

   I guess my tone gave me away.  Her eyebrow raised.  "Yes?"

   "You 'n' Lita and Dave, married, right?"

   "Carlita and Dave are officially married.  I was at their wedding," she
said, being a bit wary.

   "But now..."

   "Three people can't be married," she said.

   "In the eyes of the law," I said.

   "Yes, I know.  But we are married to each other in fact, law or no law.
I am devoted to both of them.  They are devoted to me."

   "Okay," I said.  "How does that work?"

   She looked surprised.  "That's kinda personal, don't'cha think?"

   "Yeah, but we're friends.  We can talk..."

   "You're fourteen..."

   "And if I wanted to do it, I could find stuff on the Internet.  But we
know that's usually crap because porn isn't real life," I said.  "Who would
you rather I ask?"

   Caught her.

   "You remind me of Carlita.  She does stuff like this all the time."

   "Carlita's something, I'd imagine."

   "Don't let that 'cute little forest pixie' image fool you.  She's tough
and single-minded and smart as all get-out."

   I watched her face as she talked about Carlita.  Admiration.  Adoration.
Love.

   "And she has you and Dave wrapped..."

   " ...  around her finger.  I dunno ...  When my Pat - Dave's sister -
got killed, I think she's the one who made us into a family."

   "One big bed?" I smirked.

   "One big bed."

   "Jealousy?"

   "Not even a little bit.  We're ...  I dunno ...  It's like we just fit
and fill each other's lives."

   "Uh ...  this is personal now," I said.  "You and Carlita?"

   "Yeah," she smiled.  "With or without Dave.  Of course, it's a triangle
- any one of us is likely to be the pinnacle on any given day." She looked
at me.  "You're fourteen.  Have you ever...  ?"

   "No," I said.  "I'm the proverbial 'good girl'."

   "I was abused," she said.  "Pat rescued me, gave me somebody to love. 
Men used me.  Pat cared.  Loved me."

   "Ah..."

   "I wasn't a very good lesbian.  Neither was Pat.  I sort of seduced Lita
one night when Pat was out of town for a conference and Dave was away
overnight for work.  Carlita cared about me and was too polite to stop me."

   "I've never messed with a girl either," I said.

   "It is different."

   "I would imagine."

   She smiled.  "And it is the same.  We love each other.  There is
sometimes private time when it is two of us, and there is sometimes all
three of us and it is..." she paused.  "Why am I telling you all this?"

   "Because I asked.  I really want to know.  I care.  You care.  It's
harmless."

   She sipped her coffee, looking at me over the brim of the cup.  "Good
coffee.  We have good coffee also."

   I giggled.  "And you're changing the subject.  That's okay..."

   "I'm not.  What I tell you is very private."

   "I understand."

   "Dave and his sister..."

   "Brother and sister?  That's, like INCEST!"

   "They both knew that.  For a week, though ...  Pat says, and then they
realized what it would look like.  They separated.  When Pat and I and Dave
and Carlita ...  One glorious day ...  The next day was the car wreck ... I
lost Pat.  Carlita saw me hurt.  Told Dave that I belonged if I wanted..."

   "You had to accept that from the first, then?"

   "Dave was like this perfect guy.  We - Pat and I-- were going to get
him. I was going to marry him and he was going to live with us.  And then
he found Carlita.  Life has twists and turns.  There was a sad time.  Dave
and Carlita stayed with me through it, and made me part of their lives. 
Now it's OUR life together."

   "But it works, doesn't it?  Two girls and a guy?"

   She smiled.  "It works for us.  Others might not like it.  It requires
special people."

   "I see."

   The front door opened and Haley walked in.

   "Hi, Brindy," she said.  "Welcome to our house!"

   "Now you gotta come to OUR house," Brindy said.

   "We've been wanting to do that."

   "We'll make a big deal of it.  Carlita and I will make tamales."

   "We'll make something..."

   "Oh, no," Brindy said.  "We do a whole meal.  Next time, you do a whole
meal."

   "Pot roast," Haley and I said at the same time.

   "Bill does the best pot roast," Haley affirmed.

   "It's a plan, then.  We'll have to wait until tomorrow when Dad gets
back," I said.  "Maybe this weekend?"

   Heads bobbed assent.

   Brindy gave each of us a hug and took off.

   Haley looked at me as the car backed out of the drive.  ""You have that
look in your eye.  What's up?"

   "Oh, Brindy and I talked about relationships."

   "Brindy's relationship pushes the envelope," Haley said.

   "In a way ...  I guess you're right.  I was curious.  We talked.  Very
interesting."

   "What was interesting about it?"

   "They really are a family," I said.

   "She and Carlita share Dave," Haley said.

   "Actually," I retorted, "they share each other.  No limits.  Kinda
blurry..."

   Haley looked like she was thinking.  "Girl-girl?"

   "Uh-huh.  And girl-guy.  And girl-girl-guy.  I didn't get details, but I
can sort of imagine..."

   We both ended up on the living room floor, books open, at least at
first, then it was laptops, tapping away.  We stopped for soup and
sandwiches for dinner.  When Dad gets back tomorrow, we'll go out for
dinner.

   Tonight, though, something quick and easy was plenty good.  After
homework, it was shower time, then into Dad's bedroom.

   "I wanna get my hair cut," I said.

   "Huh?  Why?  You've had it like that, like, forever..."

   "I know.  Time for a change."

   "So what do you have in mind?"

   Giggle.  "Like yours."

   "Serious.  What do you want to do?"

   "I wanna get a Haley haircut."

   "Why?"

   "I spend twice as much time messing with my hair as YOU do.  Just like
tonight."

   "My hair's always been like that.  Since I was little."

   "And it's practical," I said.

   "We don't have classes until tomorrow afternoon.  Bill's flight comes in
after our last class.  Tomorrow morning?"

   "Yeah..."

   "Your mom's gonna freak."

   "Mom's gonna freak no matter what," I said.  I think Mom thinks my
successes since I moved in with Dad somehow show how inadequate her
mothering was.  I really don't think she was doing a BAD job with me, it's
just that she didn't place value on education like Dad does.  Mom saw a
degree as a means to an end.  Dad sees learning as THE end.  The journey IS
the destination.

   So we're in bed, the TV's on Food Channel because we like to learn about
cooking, although Dad has a few recipes that keep us from starvation.

   "I've thought about it, you know..."

   "Thought about what?"

   "Bein' a lesbian.  I mean, EVERYBODY talks about it.  It's all over TV
and movies and stuff."

   "So's blowin' up cars and a gross obesity, but I'm not gonna try those."
Giggle.  "Maybe blowing up cars.  That might be fun."

   "Did you ever think about it?"

   "Noo-oooo," Haley said.  "I went through puberty and there's your dad
and my mom and Steve and I saw just too many reasons to want to practice
being heterosexual."

   "Brindy says she's not a very good lesbian."

   "I guess not," Haley laughed.  "She has Dave."

   "But she says that she and Carlita..."

   "Why are we having this conversation?" Haley blurted.

   "Because, dear step-mother, I am a tender teenaged girl navigating the
dangerous waters of my sexuality.  Am I making you uncomfortable?"

   "You're nuts!  One night it's about what me and your dad do.  The next
it's 'I wanna be a lesbian'.  Nuts!"

   I hadn't done it in a long time, but Haley and I used to playfully
wrestle.  Even though she was two years older, I was physically the same
size.  Lately, she stopped growing.  I outgrew her.  So she gave me a
playful shove, I shoved back and she tumbled sideways.

   "You!"

   I pinned her.  "Say I'm NOT nuts!"

   Giggle-squeal!  "You're certifiable.  Crazy!" She wiggled, trying to get
free.

   Okay, it's a game.

   "Get off me.  I know what's wrong with you!" she squealed.

   I think she's stronger than the battle demonstrates.  "Got ahead, smart
girl!  Tell me what's wrong with me."

   Squeal!  "You wanna be ME.  And you're obsessed with sex and you're
horny."

   "I am NOT," I wheezed.  But maybe I was.  And there's nothing I can do
about it.





   Chapter 22

   Haley's turn:

   Deena had me pinned.  We used to play-wrestle sometimes, and for a while
it was an even match, but I stopped growing.  Deena's bigger than me now.
And she's got me pinned.

   Oh, it's just in fun, you know.  She's laughing.  I'm laughing.

   "I know what's wrong with you," I squealed in protest.

   "Okay, smart girl," she returned.  "Tell me."

   "You wanna be me.  You're fourteen, you're obsessed with sex, and you're
horny!"

   "Am not!" she protested.  She was straddling me, had my wrists pinned to
the bed.  "If I was horny I'd do THIS!" she giggled, and she bent over and
kissed me.

   "Deena!" I gasped.

   "What?"

   "You KISSED me."

   She got a wry smirk on her face.  "That wasn't a kiss.  This is a kiss."
And she did it again, longer, softer, and heaven help me because while my
mind was protesting, my lips responded.  I think it surprised her.  She sat
back.

   "You kissed back."

   "I didn't mean to," I said.

   "Uh, I kinda thought that my first REAL kiss would be from a guy..."

   "You started it, babe," I said.

   She flopped sideways off me.  "Yeah, I guess I did..."

   She had a goofy look on her face.  "Your tongue..."

   "Reflexes," I answered.  "Way I've been kissing since your dad helped me
learn..."

   "Have you kissed anyone else that way?"

   "Never," I said.  "You ever kissed anyone?"

   "Not like THAT," she said.  "Snuck a kiss or two, you know, with guys,
but it was little kid stuff.  That ...  I felt it all over..."

   "Uh, yeah ...  First time your dad and I kissed, I thought I was gonna
burst into flames.  And I'm the one who initiated it."

   "Did you stop with just one?" she asked.

   I shook my head.  "Nooooo."

   And darned if she didn't kiss me again.  This time her tongue surprised
me.  Darned reflexes over-rode my surprise and my lips parted.  Oh, crap
... stop ...  stop ...  just go with it ...  It can't go on forever, can
it?

   It didn't.  "Okay, Deena ...  You've made whatever point you wanted to
make."

   She flashed those blue eyes of hers at me.  "Wasn't tryin' to make a
point.  Just kinda happened, okay?"

   "Okay," I answered, my mind a blender.  Other parts of me, though, were
quite settled on a direction.  "We can't do this..."

   "We didn't do anything," Deena said.  "Harmless playing around ... 
Experimentation.  You know." She giggled.  "Research.  Besides.  Don't
count anyway.  Neither of us is a guy, so it's not cheating..."

   "That's kinda stretching things, don't'cha think?"

   She grinned and shook her head, licking her lips.  "Just a little bit
more," she said, eyes twinkling.

   Oh, what the heck.  It WAS a good kiss.  A few more, friends, right? 
Almost sisters.  I tilted my head, leaned forward...

   What's a kiss without a hug?  Trouble is, kisses and hugs have this
terrible effect on me.

   Couple of kisses.

   "Wow!" she said.  "That's an 'all over' thing..."

   "I know, right?!?  We better stop..." I guess I didn't sound convincing.

   We HAD been sitting up, facing each other.  I don't remember lying down,
back, but there I was, and I had my arms around Deena and I had voices in
my head telling me to stop but I had other voices talking to me about how
good it felt and it was almost the same as kissing Bill except slightly
smaller and much lighter when she crawled halfway atop me.

   "Okay.  Too much!" she declared.  "I think I need to go to my own
room..."

   "Why?"

   "I got something I need to take care of..." she said, looking at me
suggestively.

   "Me too, dammit," I said.  "Going to your room?"

   "Yeah.  Or do it right here."

   I flopped back onto the bed, pulled my nightshirt up, slid my hand down
my panties, my finger unerringly headed to...

   "Haley!"

   "Well?!?  It's your fault."

   "Brindy's fault.  Talkin' with 'er put that thought in my head..."

   "She was explicit?"

   "No.  She was specifically NOT explicit.  Worse.  Let my imagination run
wild."

   My fingertip.  A touch.  I squeezed my eyes shut.  Imagined Bill.  Or...

   "Are you goin' to your room?"

   Giggle.  "Maybe not.  Maybe I'm gonna watch you." She laid back, pulled
up her nightshirt.  Giggled.  Stripped it over her head.  Her butt came up.
Panties went down.  "There!"

   "Deena!"

   "Oh, you've seen me naked before and I've seen you.  No big deal,
right?"

   "I guess not..." The voices in my head are really arguing now.

   "Sometimes I sleep naked, you know..."

   "I didn't know that," I said.

   "I do.  Might do it tonight.  Have you ever slept naked?"

   "A lot ...  Me and..."

   She smirked.  "Yeah, I suppose y'all would ...  Well?"

   "What?"

   "Are you?  Naked?"

   "I guess," I said in a little voice.  I stripped.

   Deena's got bigger tits than me.  Most girls do.  Bill loves mine,
though.  I looked at Deena's.  She's got a good cup size more than me. 
Mine are almost cones.  Hers are rounded.  And why am I looking at Deena's
tits?

   And she's licking her lips.  I licked my own.  I was feeling really
good, aroused.  It's a good feeling.  And a couple more kisses, okay?

   Hugging is a lot better when both of you are naked.  I guess I sort of
forgot that I'd learned that lesson with Bill.  I was reminded.  And I
ended up on my back again.

   Giggle.  "This is FUN!"

   Well, it is ...  Don't make the mistake of thinking that I didn't love
my Bill and everything we explore together.  Bill is IT.  This is kind of
different.  Exciting ...  I pushed her over on HER back.

   "Who says YOU get to be in charge?"

   Giggle.  "Me.  But you can..."

   I shut that smart mouth up with my own.  Trouble was, when I rolled her
over, I had one of her arms trapped under me.  Fingers wiggled.  My breath
caught in mid-kiss when her fingers lightly pinched my nipple.  She giggled
into my mouth.

   "You.  You're pushing things."

   "Nuh-uh," she laughed.  She was obviously into this.  "If I was pushin'
things, I would've done THIS!" and her hand pushed under me and cupped my
pussy.

   "Ahhhhh," I hissed.  "Stop that..."

   "Stop this?" she tittered, her finger sliding between my slick lips
while she watched my face.  Her fingertip wiggled.

   "Deena!" I blurted through clenched teeth.

   "You like it, don't you..."

   "Deena..." More of a sigh this time.

   "Just playin' around, is all," she said.  Her free hand curled around
the back of my head, hauling me in for a kiss.  "I know you've had this
done..."

   "Yeah, but..."

   "And this." She scooted down a little and licked my nipple...

   "Ah, shit!"

   "Shit?  If you licked MY nipple..."

   "How would YOU know?  Have you ever had your nipple licked?"

   Her blonde hair splayed as she shook her head.

   I need to show her.  I twisted, lined up my shot, and popped my head
down, my lips covering a little bit of her titty, her nipple centered.  I
sucked and licked.  This drives Bill nuts.  Deena writhed.

   "Ohgod!"

   "See?  Now we're even."

   "Nuh-uh."

   "What, nuh-uh?"

   She pulled her hand free, stuck her index finger out.  Giggle.  "You
still owe me."

   "Hmmph!" I uttered.  Very light brown patch of pubic hair.  I trailed my
fingers through it, imagining the way that Bill teased and played with me.
And I dragged my fingertips across the top of her cleft.  Her legs spread.
Her breathing changed.

   I know what MINE looks like.  Hers is a little different, more of a
mound than mine, a little more open at the top, but maybe that's because
she's glistening with expectation.

   Well, if she's expecting ...  I pulled a fingertip up the length of her
slit from back to front, then at the front, dipped it in and found her
centerpiece.  I like to sort of circle mine, so...

   "Oh, yeah..."

   I stopped.  "Okay.  We're even."

   "Haley, please don't stop..."

   "'S not right, Deena..."

   "Just friends.  Sisters, you know ...  exploring ...  please ...  I'll
do yours if you want..."

   "Oh, dammit, Deena..." and I kissed her, my hand moving back down,
cupping the mound of her pubis in my palm, my fingertip seeking that little
firm little ridge, its little head reaching...

   Okay, the first time Bill did this to me, he kissed me all the way
through it and I held onto him the whole time, feeling his heartbeat from
my hand around his dick.  I kissed Deena and started circling.

   Deena whimpers when she comes.

   She finally sighed.  "God, it's soooo much better when YOU do it."

   "I was hoping I was doing it right," I said.  "Was it good?"

   "Best ever," she said, hauling me to her for kisses.  "My turn.  Lie
back."

   I laid back and closed my eyes.  Nervous.  Wasn't this nervous with
Bill, of course when it was Bill and me the first time, I was mostly
seducing him.  Now, I don't know but I do believe I've been seduced.

   "It's neat."

   "What's neat?"

   "Your pussy.  I like that little tuft of hair you have." She was gently
pulling my pubic hair.  Fingertips brushed the lips of my pussy.  Giggle.
"Pretty little pussy."

   I spread my legs.  When I do this, my lips spread just a little.

   "Wowwww," she said.  "Just opens up for me.  Does that for Dad, too,
huh?"

   "Let's not talk about your dad right now..."

   "I'm just imagining his thing going in here..." and she penetrated me
with a finger.

   "Ahhhhh..."

   She pulled her finger out.  I know it's wet now.  She touched my inner
lips, each in turn, then just the slightest brush of my clitty.

   "Do you ever put 'im in your mouth after he's been inside you?"

   "Deena..."

   "Hmmm?"

   "Yeah, but..."

   "So you know what you taste like." Little circles around my clit.  "I
know what I taste like ...  I wonder..." and her finger went inside me
again.  I watched her stick that finger in her mouth, obviously wrapping
her tongue around it, then pulling it out and sticking it right back inside
me.

   "You might be interested to know that you taste like I do."

   "Nice to know..."

   "Sometimes when I'm really juicy, I do this a lot," she said, putting a
slick finger back into her mouth.  The next time, she stuck two fingers in.
Giggle.  "More juice."

   I was unable to stop at this point.  "C'mere," I said.

   She bent over, kissed me.  I'm familiar with the taste of myself in a
kiss.  Bill and I are sometimes happily sloppy in our lovemaking.  When we
parted, I curled myself up, kissed her nipple.

   "Longer," she said.  "That feels good."

   I thought so, too.

   Her fingers were exploring all over my pussy now.

   "Y'know ...  sometimes I wish I could just skip the fingers and lick
myself..."

   "Mmmmm," I moaned, thinking of where this might be going.

   "You ever think about that?"

   "I have Bill..."

   "Not even a little thought..."

   "Maybe," I said, playing along now, totally lost in the woods.

   "If I..." she started, then silenced herself by working over my right
titty with her mouth.

   "OhgodDeena..."

   "I have no idea of what I'm doing," she said, rubbing her face on my
belly.  I just KNEW where I wanted her to go now.

   Giggle.  "Love this hair."

   This time she was rubbing her cheek against it.  I could feel her
breath, hot, on my pussy.

   First contact was a simple kiss.  I heard her breathe deeply.  "Mmmm,"
she said.  "Here goes.  Might be the only time ever, but..." and now I've
had TWO different tongues in my pussy and while Bill causes me to soar
through the skies, this one is right here right now and it's PLENTY good.

   "Kay?" she asked.

   "Uh-huh ...  Please..."

   Her mouth covered most of my pussy, then that tongue ...  it was JUST.
TOO.  MUCH.  I exploded.

   She kept licking gently.  I kept exploding.  The world turned colors. 
Then black.

   I woke up to find myself cradled in her lap.  "Are you okay?"

   I smiled.  "Very."

   "You passed out."

   "Uh-huh.  Happens.  Bill, quite often."

   "Dad.  Dad makes you come so hard you pass out."

   "He does." It was like the act of breaking one taboo - lesbian love -
caused me to break the other - talking about sex with her dad.  "His hands.
His mouth.  His..."

   "Dick," she said, giggling.  "Nice to know..."

   "Not TMI?  Too much information?"

   Titter.  "I may wake up in a cold sweat later, but right now it's kinda
sexy."

   I latched my mouth on the underside of the nearest titty.  She moved,
lying beside me, the two of us completely at ease, wrapping each other up.
Yes, I've kissed another face that's been coated with my juices.

   My hand explored her pussy again.  "My turn," I said.  "I have no idea
what I'm doing."

   "All I did was LOVE it," she returned.  "I know what feels good to me,
what I think would feel good, so I did that, at least some of it.  The rest
was what I just wanted to enjoy."

   Deena's pussy DOES taste a lot like mine, and I know what mine looks
like.  You can get amazing detail with an iPhone camera, and if your
HUSBAND uses a better camera...

   She is so sweet-looking.  And tasting.  And she squirts a little when
she comes.

   And showering with Deena is fun.

   "Why're you grinning?" she asked.

   "How much fun you are.  Just like your dad."

   We dried each other off and went to bed.  Naked.  I learned from Bill
that I like snuggling up naked.  I like it with Deena, too.

   Went to sleep in a comfy cuddle.  Woke up, realized that I was naked in
bed with somebody other than Bill.  Startled.  Then remembered.  Wasn't the
first time I woke up next to Deena, just the first time that I woke up nude
next to Deena, and seeing her there caused something else that had never
happened waking up next to Deena.  I felt a familiar twinge in my pussy.

   She's still asleep and we have half an hour before it's time to get up.
Snuggle back up.

   "You're awake, huh?"

   "Yeah..." We've been through this together many times, getting ready to
head off for some weekend adventure when Bill was being the weekend daddy
to her and 'friend' to me.  With less snuggling.

   "You mad about last night?"

   "Noooo.  I'm not, really ...  I just don't know..."

   "Oh, Haley, don't get crazy.  You're my sister're whatever.  I love you
- best friends, like that..."

   "We went way past 'best friends' last night..."

   "Oh, I know.  We kinda got carried away.  But I'm ...  It was fun.  I
enjoyed myself."

   I almost giggled.  "You enjoyed MY self," I said.

   "Just so you know ...  You seem like YOU enjoyed yourself." She wiggled
just little bit tighter against me.

   "DIdn't say I didn't," I said.  "That's not the point at all."

   She put her hand on my waist, tentatively at first, like she was scared
I'd protest.  When I didn't, she pulled me closer.  She leaned in and
kissed me.  "Good morning, sister.  Mom.  Whatever..."

   I sighed.  "And lover, now.  Deena, I feel like I cheated on your dad."

   "You didn't.  No other guy involved.  Just you 'n' me, playing." Giggle.
"Call it 'heavy flirting'."

   Doesn't work.  I know 'making love' when I experience it."

   "Okay," Deena said.  "Call it that.  But we're keepin' it in the family.
Haley, I do love you.  Sister.  Weird stepmom.  Dad's wife.  Best friend.
All that.  This is just..." Dammit!  She wiggled against me.  " ...  just
playing.  Us."

   "So would you 'just play' with somebody else like this?"

   "No.  You and I are closer than I guess I'll ever be with anybody, 'cept
maybe if I get married, and even then, that's different."

   "And that means what, exactly?  Where are you going with it?"

   "That you're not cheating.  When Dad gets home, I'll find a reason to
stay with a friend, you and him can come in here and he can abuse that
delightful little pussy of yours and you can suck him silly..."

   "Deena!"

   "Well, I know y'all do it.  And after last night, unless I really miss
my estimate, you do it a lot and have fun every moment.  I'm only a little
jealous.  Last night helped..."

   The alarm went off.  I reached over - it's on my side of the bed - and
silenced it.

   "When that thing goes off, it takes a bit for y'all to come out of the
bedroom.  Why?"

   "A good morning..." I stopped.  Good morning kisses with Bill often led
into a quick, delicious penetration.  Some mornings prior to Deena moving
in, we went all the way into a full, mutually orgasmic lovemaking.  With
Deena, well, we usually cuddled, kissed, and I put him inside me for a
little something to play back in my mind all day.

   "Okayyy," she said.  I guess she thought it was HER place now.  Hot
kiss. I got into it.  And when her fingers brushed through my pubic hair, I
spread my legs to make way for her, at the same time reaching for hers.

   Good morning cuddle.  Raised exponentially.  Not quite to the level of
Bill's hard dick sliding so luxuriously deep into me, but very nice in its
own way.

   Then it was up out of bed, the two of us attending to morning routines,
ending up at the breakfast table, then out to the car for early morning
tutoring sessions, mine at my old high school, hers at her middle school.

   Bill knows my schedule.  I was walking out to the car after that
tutoring session when my cellphone announced him calling me.

   "Hi, my love," I said.

   "Hey, cutie pie," he returned.  "How's your day?"

   "Fine," I said.  "Made a breakthrough with my session.  They're getting
that whole 'polynomial' thing now."

   "What about that college history course?"

   "She gave up.  I went to her office, kind of fed her what I read in that
book from YOUR library, and she said if I write her a paper that parallels
the discussion she and I had, she'd sign that course off.  That's a
fourth-semester elective."

   I was happy.  Electives are iffy.  Some of the professors are not above
pushing a little bit of an agenda in the social studies - history,
geography - and I needed a few of those courses to graduate.  I thought
that this instructor we were talking about was going to pull up short on me
and just demand that I fed back the pabulum from her lectures.  I opposed
some of her statements in classroom discussion, ended up in her office, and
gave MY information.  I think she wants me OUT of her classes completely so
I won't be the voice of the opposition, but I have some status as a
'special' student, so nobody's gonna buy off on her failing me or driving
me out of the class.

   "Uh, you 'n' Deena doing okay?"

   "Oh, come on, baby ...  We're like sisters.  Of course we are." That
caused my conscience to spasm.

   "Well, good.  Here's what's going on.  This client has a couple of
substations that are half a day's drive away.  I need to go look at 'em,
but that's gonna put me flying home late tomorrow instead of this evening."

   "Oh, baby..." I said.  "I was already thinking.  Deena was gonna spend
the night with ...  Uh, I think she said Kaylee..."

   "I hate it, too, little girl," he said.  I love being his 'little girl'.
"But this is part of the business, and if we get these jobs, there's gonna
be a chunk of change in the bank for us."

   "Then you just do what you need to do, baby.  Just know that the longer
you stay away, the harder we have to work to make up for it."

   "Now that's a pleasant set of thoughts."

   "Mmm-hmmm," I purred.  "I get to suck the first one out of you..."

   "Now how in hell am I gonna get back into the office with a hard-on?"

   I giggled.  "Save it up for me."

   "Yeah..." he said wistfully.

   "Oh, by the way..."

   "Yeah?"

   "Deena wants a haircut."

   "Get 'er one."

   "Like mine.  Says I look carefree and convenient."

   "I adore your hair.  Loved it from the beginning.  You know that."

   "Well, now our daughter's getting one like mine."

   "Do it." He paused.  "Look, our client's coming out.  Let me go.  Call
you this evening."

   "'Kay, babe," I said.  "I love you."

   "I love you, too.  Bye, sweetie." And the connection clicked off.

   I told Deena at lunch.  She immediately texted Kaylee the news, then...
"Okay.  Hairdresser."

   "You're serious..."

   Her head bobbed affirmatively.

   "I told your dad you wanted it."

   "And he said...  ?"

   "Whatever you want.  Thinks I'm sane enough for both of us."

   Short drive.  Half an hour arguing with the nice lady who does our hair,
but at the end of it, Deena and I walked out into the sunshine, identical
haircuts, me and my taller blonde sister.

   Late afternoon sessions at college, followed by hamburgers at a spot
near campus.  Couple of college-aged dudes at a table near us.  As we were
eating, Deena noticed.

   "They're talkin' about us."

   "'Cuz you're cute," I said.  "I'm just another brown-haired girl."

   She was right.  They were talking about us.  When they finished their
sandwiches, the two of them came over to our table.

   The shorter of the two, not a bad-looking guy, said, "Hi.  I'm Dustin.
This is Steve."

   "Hi, Dustin.  Hi, Steve," Deena said.  I think she understands what's
happening.  "What's up?"

   "Uh, we were wondering if you two might wanna go over to Cowboy's with
us.  You know ...  Band tonight."

   "Uh," I waved my ring finger.  "I don't think my husband would approve."

   Deena smirked at the guy's discomfiture.

   His buddy Steve recovered pretty adroitly.  "What about you, Deena? 
Wanna go?"

   "Dude," I said.  "That's a felony waiting to happen.  Deena.  Tell 'im
how old you are..."

   "Fourteen," Deena smiled sweetly.

   "Nah ...  I've seen you comin' out of the math building," Dustin said.

   She giggled.  "I'd show my driver's license, but I'm too young to have
one.  Wait!" She fished her student ID out, extended it to him.  "See?!? 
2003 birthday."

   "Well, shit..."

   "Sorry," I said.  "But it's flattering that you tried..."

   "Yeah, right," he said sadly.  "Seriously.  Student ID?"

   "Yep." Deena smirked.  "And I just finished a third-semester English
course."

   "Crap!" Steve sighed.  "Well, thanks anyway." Walking away I heard him
tell Dustin, "Dude, you can sure pick 'em."





   Chapter 23

   Haley's turn:

   We're back home and I'm sitting in Bill's recliner, smelling HIS cologne
and ...  What have I done?  I pledged myself to Bill, for better or worse,
et cetera.  And I have had sex with his daughter.  Had.  SEX.  With
somebody who WASN'T Bill.

   I need to think.

   Can't.  Got Deena with me.  Deena, who is my best friend.  Okay, that's
not bad.  Stepdaughter.  Kind of odd, but not bad.

   And lover.

   Bad.

   What the hell happened to me?

   Never in my life have I had the least bit of interest in another female.
Truth be known, I never had that interest in a male, either.  Until Bill.
Bill was my constant companion for YEARS, since I was twelve.  Wasn't until
I turned fourteen that I couldn't stand it any more and I more or less
jumped him.  Seduced Bill.  Since then, my constant mate.  When Mom figured
it out, her reaction was 'Better Bill than one of those turds you go to
school with.'

   I agreed.  You just KNOW that Bill agreed.  We started LIVING together.
Not officially.  Not visibly, at least to anybody outside MY family.

   So we got married just as soon as we could, at least from our knowledge.

   With marriage, Bill's daughter became my step-daughter, cause of much
mirth between her and me.  Then she moved in with us.  Said that living
with US was better than living at home.

   Close?  Of course we're close.  We'd been kind of pushed together by
Bill since I was twelve and she was ten, and we just sort of grew together.
Close.  He portrayed me as this unfortunate kid who really wanted somebody
to get her out of her house and do things, so when Deena was there for her
weekend with Daddy, I was there so I could experience a bit of life outside
'Redneck Paradise', my own living situation.

   Yes, we were close.  When I married her dad, she said that a lot of
mysteries became clear in her mind.

   When she moved in with me and MY Bill, she was happy.  I understood
that. I thought that living with Bill was the greatest thing in the world,
even if I WASN'T sleeping with him.

   You have to understand - Bill is all the sexuality I have ever known. 
First time I discovered that playing with my little button would result in
orgasm, I fantasized about ...  Bill.  Naturally I ended up in his bed.

   If Bill had been a predator...

   Bill's not a predator.  He tells me that I'm the greatest gift he's
received in his life.  I believe him.

   And now I've cheated.

   And I can't get away and think about it on my own.

   "What's wrong, Haley?" Deena asked.

   "Deena ...  It was WRONG."

   "Haley ...  It just happened ...  You still love Dad, right?"

   I think I felt tears forming as I thought about it.  "Never be another
man, Deena..."

   "I'm not a man, Haley.  We're best friends.  You're like a sister to me.
You didn't betray Dad."

   "I cheated."

   "'S not cheating, Haley.  Don't tell yourself that.  You love Dad.  Me
'n' you ...  just a step above masturbation.  I LIKE masturbation.  You
used to..."

   "But it was always about your dad..."

   "Y'know, there was a time when I would've said 'ewwwwww!'.  But this is
you and me, and I understand, more than you think."

   "What'd'ya mean?"

   "I mean, Dad's attractive.  You know how little girls always want
somebody like their daddy?  Well, MY daddy's setting a very high bar for
somebody whose head is screwed on straight.  Good looking.  Smart.  A
genuinely nice and caring guy.  Hard to find one of those, right?"

   I nodded, tears in my eyes.

   "I love my daddy," Deena said.  "Happiest thing in my life is that YOU
love my daddy and you're my sister, so I don't have to worry about him
finding some predatory bitch who'll abuse him.  I think that YOU will take
care of him as good as I could hope."

   "I will, Deena," I said, stifling a sob.  "But then I went and
cheated..."

   "Haley, it was me and YOU.  Just a tiny bit past snuggling together in a
cold room..."

   "You made me COME."

   She actually giggled.  "I did.  And you made ME come.  So what?  What's
the difference if you'd been in YOUR room and I'd been in mine?"

   "I wasn't thinking about Bill when I came.  First time I EVER came
without thinking about Bill."

   "First?"

   "Well," I admitted, "there were a few times when I first discovered my
clitty..."

   "Okay.  This is another one of those..."

   "If you want to define it like that.  I cheated, Deena..."

   "Careful, my sister.  That makes me be dishonorable to my very best
friend and to my dad.  I wasn't intending either of those..."

   "What WAS it, then?"

   "Me and you.  Having fun.  Let me ask you something..."

   "Go ahead."

   "Dad gets home tomorrow ...  What are you gonna want to do?"

   "Deena..."

   "See?!?  It's not like you're gonna be thinking, 'oh, I have to endure
this ...  I really wanna be with Deena', right?"

   "No, but when I think that, then I'm basically saying that what you and
I did..."

   "What you and I did was just a bit of exploration.  I admit, my tensions
got relieved in a way I never experienced, but YOU are the first time that
I ever came from another person.  All my life I figured that'd be some
guy..." She kind of turned her head.  She can do 'shy' quite well.  "It was
YOU.  And you know what, Haley?"

   "What?"

   "I'm really glad it was you.  Not some guy all horny and not having a
clue as to what he was doing besides getting his rocks off."

   "Deena!" I gasped.  "What do YOU know about a guy getting his rocks
off?"

   "Same thing YOU know.  I listen at school."

   "It was good," I admitted.  "You're Number Two behind your dad..."

   "That used to be another of those 'ewwww!' thoughts, Haley, but I see
you and Dad, and NOW I understand.  I used to not be nearly as jealous,
though..."

   "Jealous?"

   "Yeah, SISTER," she said, emphasizing 'sister'.  "I get jealous.  I know
what it feels like to, you know, reach an orgasm, and NOW I know what it
feels like when somebody else helps you reach an orgasm, but YOU have Dad
providing you with ...  I bet you've lost count..."

   I could say nothing.  It's the truth.  Who keeps count, anyway?

   She squealed.  "You HAVE!!!"

   "Deena, me 'n' your dad ...  Best ever..."

   "See?!?  I want that.  My finger didn't do it.  Last night ...  It was
good, Haley.  YOU were good.  I'm a bad person for enjoying US?  I still
love you like my sister..."

   "Or whatever..."

   "Yeah," she said.  "It's kinda changed.  I promise I won't get nutso
over it ...  Just the one time..."

   "Will it be just the one time?"

   She fixed me in her blue-eyed gaze.  "You're the one who gets to say
that.  It's not like I forced you the first time, and I'm not going to
force you again.  Or do something gross, like try to blackmail you..."

   "How would you blackmail me?"

   Giggle.  "Have the whole thing on video..."

   "Deena!!!" I squeaked.

   "I don't.  I won't blackmail you, Haley.  You 'n' Dad, it's a good
thing. I would never jeopardize that."

   "I jeopardized that.  One moment of weakness..."

   "Oh shit, Haley.  We PLAYED."

   "Sex between two people..."

   "Fun.  You had fun.  I had fun.  We still love the same people just as
hard as we did at first..."

   "I don't FEEL the same..."

   "Yeah, and you probably love Dad even HARDER..."

   "I so much do, Deena.  Four billion men on this planet, HE is it."

   "Eight billion people on this planet, TWO of them have made love with
Haley," she said.

   "See?!?  That's IT!" I returned.  "Made love.  NOT sex.  Making love..."

   "I do love you, Haley..."

   There it was.  She said it.  And how am I supposed to handle that?  I'm
just a plain ol' brown-haired girl from south Louisiana and this is NOT
something they teach us how to deal with.

   "LOVE?!?"

   "You're my sister.  You're my best friend.  You're my step-mom.  What
other person on this planet do I love more?"

   "Your dad?  Your mom?"

   "They didn't have a choice.  One day I showed up and they were kind of
forced into dealing with me.  You - you're voluntary.  You could hate me.
Despise me.  Treat me like an obstacle in your life.  Instead, you've
always accepted me, even when I used to be a spoilt ass."

   "Your dad used to tell me that you had issues because of the divorce and
that you were a bright child that would soon arrive at a positive solution
to the problem I presented by showing up."

   She laughed.  "Sounds just like Dad.  He's right, though.  I stopped
being a spoilt ass and found a best friend..."

   "So where do we go from here, Deena?" I really wanted to know.

   "We make grilled cheese sandwiches and soup for dinner, complain about
how it's not as good as Dad's..."

   "You love your dad," I said.

   "You can't begin to understand, Haley.  I can't help but being a bit
jealous.  You got him in a way I won't get.  He's my dad.  When I get hugs
from him, I know how he loves me.  When I see him hug you, I know he loves
you.  But it's different..."

   "We both love him.  Deena," I stated, "I don't want to mess up this
family..."

   "I don't, either.  Going back to Mom?  Haley, if Dad died - heaven
forbid - I'd want US to live together in THIS house ...  Don't you see?  Me
'n' you..."

   "And if you got married?"

   "First, I'm fourteen.  I'm not gonna even come close to a guy who'll
compare with the standard YOU set by snagging Dad.  Second ...  Why?  Women
live together..."

   "We could get cats, I suppose..."

   She smiled.  "At least you're finally joking about it."

   "One day we could be 'those two old women with all those cats..."

   "Don't knock it.  I like cats," she batted back.

   "We're okay?" I asked.

   "Better'n if we'd hooked up with Justin and Steve," I said.

   Giggle.  "Can you BELIEVE?!?"

   "That's the playing field I've seen," I said.  College campus activities
have been revelatory.  Apparently I'm attractive enough.  I never suspect.
I thought Bill's adoration was a result of brain damage.

   "So what kind of cheese?"

   Now she's talking about food.  That's easier.  And my mind ...  Well,
I'm not quite as suicidal as I was.  "Plain ol' American pseudo-cheese..."

   "Dad married you because you're nuts, like he is..."

   "Just so you know.  He took a young, impressionable redneck girl and
formed her to his whims.  And now his evil daughter..."

   "Am I evil?"

   "Nahhhh, I don't think so.  Not really."

   "Do you think I'm horrible?"

   "I haven't thought you were horrible for YEARS, when you said I couldn't
play with YOUR Barbie dolls.  And I didn't even WANT to play with a stupid
Barbie Doll."

   "I think that's when you n' Dad started working on me," she said.  "Made
me into something different.  Useful."

   "So basically what YOU are saying is that what you are and what I am is
a result of your dad's careful manipulation?"

   Giggle.  "Wheels within wheels, dear sister.  You were working on him.
He was sort of working on both of us.  I was working on both of you.  We
all sort of formed and fit to each other..."

   "Maybe so," I smiled.  "Deena ...  I love the family we've become."

   "Even after last night?"

   "Last night is something I have to figure out how to fit into the
puzzle."

   "Puzzles're supposed to be entertaining."

   I put Bill's cast-iron griddle on the burner and turned it on to heat.
Deena minded the pantry, coming up with a can of soup.  Dinner's in
progress and I'm feeling good about the direction the conversation has
taken.

   Why does Carlita pop into my head?

   Of course, Carlita comes in with thoughts of tamales.  That's legit,
right?

   Grilled cheese and canned soup.  So much one of Bill's meals, even
though I know that he can really cook.  That's from his weekends when he
does us up with any of a number of dishes.  The fact that he's invited Mom
and Steve and little Stevie just reinforces how I feel about this guy whom
I've welded my life to.

   For me and Deena, it's a meal, and it's evocative of the man that's so
central to both our lives.

   I guess that in the preceding weeks, I've seen a change.  She's gotten a
bit more distant from her mom, a bit closer, more dependent on my Bill -
her dad.  I thought it to be the natural result of her moving in with us.
Then I started thinking about what it would be like if he and I weren't
married, and ...  would she STILL be here?

   Questions.  Some of the answers are kind of uncomfortable.

   After dinner, we did the meager bit of kitchen work.  Bill's smart.  His
kitchen skills can mean mimimal dishes to deal with.  Afterward, scholarly
pursuits.  Then...

   Showers.  "I'm going to get a shower," I said.  I was wondering...

   "Have you ever showered with a friend?"

   "Deena!"

   "Don't you think I suspected that y'all shower together?"

   "Well, what was that question about, then?"

   "Ever showered with..."

   "Noooo." Those damned blue eyes.  Why do blue eyes get me?

   "Wanna?  Saves water, yaknow."

   "We have a fixed price water bill," I said.

   Giggle.  "And you know..."

   I like having my back scrubbed.  So sue me.

   Actually, the shower proceeded without hanky-panky.  We got out,
attended to the teeth being brushed and the hair being dried and then I
turned and there she was, naked.  Did I mention that Deen's just cute?

   "I suppose that after I was BAD last night, I need to sleep in MY bed,"
she said.

   I gave up.  "If you sleep in YOUR bed, I sleep in YOUR bed."

   "Yeah?" she said, sort of surprised.

   "I've gotten used to NOT sleeping alone," I said.

   "I thought last night..."

   "That was last night.  This is tonight."

   "You sure, Haley?"

   "I'm sure..."

   "What if we sort of bump together?"

   "Friends.  Sisters.  People who love the same guy..." and when I said
that, something inside me clicked, and a picture of Carlita, Brindy and
Dave appeared.  One big deal though.  They're not related.

   Okay, we bumped.  Twice.  I had to shower in the morning before I went
to a campus meeting.  Had help.

   Bill came home the next day, as we'd expected.  Yes, Deena had something
to do after school.  And yes, I lost count.  I got flooded, white, sticky
goop all over the place, even after I tried (and he tried) to lap it up. 
We had to change the sheets before our daughter returned home.

   I know my Bill.  He hasn't been jerking off.  He saved the whole three
nights' worth for me.  I'm good with that.  He's MY Bill.

   When Deena got dropped off after choir practice, she charged in, kissed
me on the cheek, then jumped into Bill's lap.

   "Daddy!!!!"

   "Hello, baby," he said, a kind of confused tenor to his voice.  "Good to
see you, too."

   "Really, Daddy?" she asked, playing her 'little girl' card.

   "Yes, I really missed you.  Uh, you need to move, baby..."

   I know WHY she needed to move.  I know what happens when I jump into his
lap like that.  Move, indeed.  Something's...

   Bill was at work.  I made my way to Deena's middle school and picked her
up.  Tomorrow's HER college campus day.

   She bounced out to the car.

   "How'd your day go?"

   "I think I may be giving it up.  Down to two students ...  One of 'em
moved away."

   "Moved?" Something about her tone made me question the comment.

   "Olivia Willis.  Pregnant."

   "Pregnant?"

   "Yeah.  Makes me want to cry.  Poor Olivia is kinda homely.  Some guy
targeted her.  She just reveled in the attention.  I guess she thought that
he was serious.  He was.  About getting his rocks off.  She's preggo. 
Gonna live with her aunt in Houston."

   "Abortion?"

   "Maybe," Deena said.  "The guy's a real shit," she spat.  "Football
team. Big deal guy.  And she's not the first he's done..."

   "Agggghhhhh!" I moaned.  "See?!?  I missed that with Bill."

   "Me, too.  If the guy's not at least Dad's level, ain't no way my pants
are coming down."

   "Deena," I said.  "It's a serious step ...  Not just anybody..."

   "No way it's just anybody," she replied.  "I have standards.  And
goals."

   The next day was Deena's day on campus, and me?  I went to Bill's
office. He's my husband, okay?  And right now they're not nearly filling
the office space, so I find a corner and pop up my laptop and deal with
coursework.

   Maddie checks on me.  "You're serious about this, aren't you?"

   "I am," I returned.  "College.  People're supposed to be serious..."

   "Hon," she grinned, "you know that and I know that, but half the kids
out there don't know that."

   "I know..."

   "Not like you have to worry about your parents throwing you out,
though..."

   "I do have that advantage," I answered.

   "You're like Cindy and that bunch.  Cindy said she went into purdah over
physics.  Kept to herself, blocked calls, all that, while she caught up for
her doctorate...  '

   "Doctorate," I sighed.  "If I can get my bachelor's..."

   "Hon, you'll do just fine.  I'm used to seeing it.  You'll get there..."

   "Thank you."

   Bill bopped in a time or two, between actual work efforts, kissing me.
"You know you can relax, baby doll," he told me.

   "I know.  But I wanna keep up with Carlita."

   "You seen 'er?"

   "Yeah.  We bump into each other on purpose," I said.  "She's something."

   "Yeah, I guess she is."

   Now I have THAT image in my mind.  Cutie, as Bill says.  'Forest nymph',
in Brindy's terms.  And I'm thinking of Brindy and Carlita and how they're
ALL married.  Even though only ONE of them had an actual marriage record.

   I shake my head.  It's a big ol' world and there are things I have yet
to see, much less understand.

   I know that at four, I will have to go get Deena off campus, and that at
four-thirty, Bill's gonna leave the office, locking the door behind him,
and he's gonna meet me and his daughter at the house and we're gonna have a
fight over what we do for dinner.  Eating out is an expense we can dodge.
That's Mom talking to me.  Still, the idea of lasagna at that little
Italian place ...  hmmm.  Or we can do something.  We never cook a meal
without stowing leftovers.

   I'm thinking all this while I'm putting laptop computer and books away.
I stop to give Bill a little quick kiss and I head out the door.

   "I wish I could kiss MY husband at work," Maddie chirped.  I like
Maddie. Good, sensible people.  Bill got a good one when he hired her, and
her connection with the bunch in Alabama, that's irreplaceable.

   Deena's exactly where she said she'd be, which is nice.  I can't wait
until she can drive, but that's two years away.  We're in the car, headed
home.  She's telling me of the hurdles in HER version of 'get me through
college in record time' and I'm listening, just like she listens to me.

   Before we pull into the driveway, we stop at the mailbox.  Bill.  Bill.
Bill.  Ambiguous, I know.  They're actual bills, and Bill's been paying
them forever.

   And...  National Genetics.

   Deena looked at the envelope.  "interesting stuff, don't'cha think?

   "Probably so," I said.

   And those are the last words before the earthquake of 2017.





   Chapter 24

   Haley's turn:

   We went inside, put the stack of bills on Dad's 'business' desk, and
scooted together on the sofa to open the envelope we thought to hold a
discovery of our genetic code.

   We expected that I'm the outsider and Deena and Bill are related -
father and daughter, you know...

   That makes sense.  It's the universe as we understand it.  Apparently
our knowledge of the universe was the same as the Catholic Church's
understanding of the universe when they faced Galileo.

   We're holding the results between us, both reading.  And we both read
well.  And fast.  With comprehension.

   We both gasped.

   "This can't be right, Haley," Deena said softly.  "Can't be."

   The report showed two females, that would be me and Deena, to share a
parent, and a male, unrelated.

   "They messed up," I said.

   Fifteen minutes on the phone and the testing agency swears that they
didn't mess up.  They serial number the samples, cross-reference them to
the forms, and this is what we got.

   "Ain't buying it," Deena said.  "But now I'm curious.  Wanna try again?
Different company?"

   "I dunno..."

   "Should we show Dad?"

   "Dunno that either ...  Deena, what if it's true?"

   "How could it be true?"

   "You know..."

   Deena's eyes cast downward.  "Yeah, I know ...  Mom cheated on Dad.  She
was doin' that when they got divorced.  Maybe it wasn't the first time..."

   "But that means that MY dad ...  He ...  Mom says they lived together
for a year.  He ran off after I was born.  I've seen pictures of Mom from
back then.  She was a lot different then.  Prettier ...  Slimmer..."

   "Haley ...  If it's true, what does it mean?"

   "What are you asking?" I said.

   "If I'm not really Dad's kid..."

   "Deena," I said.  "Your dad's ...  He raised you.  You've always been
his daughter.  He doesn't believe anything different.  Why should you?"

   "I dunno," she returned.  "I love 'im.  Always have.  No other dad..."

   "Then we don't tell 'im," I said.

   "Oh, come on, Haley ...  He's Dad.  Your Bill.  You KNOW he's not gonna
forget we sent those things off.  He's gonna ask about the results."

   "I know..." I said.

   "What if it's true?  I'm scared, Haley.  Really."

   "Why?"

   "If I'm not really Dad's kid, I don't belong here."

   "You're my sister, whatever.  You DO belong here."

   "But I really don't.  I know he paid Mom a ton of child support.  If I'm
not his kid..."

   "You're talking about my Bill now, sis.  He won't send you off..."

   "I was telling the truth about Mister Harv making little comments.  I
don't wanna go back there."

   "You won't go back there."

   "But if he's not my dad..."

   "Deena, seriously ...  Aside from that whole 'dad' business, he's not
about to put a helpless waif out of his house into someplace that might be
harmful to her.  Just ain't him."

   "It'd be weird, though," she said.  "Knowing..."

   "We could keep our mouths shut," I said.

   "And when Dad asks ...  That's betraying his trust..."

   I didn't give voice to my ideas about trust being betrayed.  Not after
the last two nights.  I owe my Bill everything and I don't know what all
the next few days might hold with this new development, but Bill is still
IT.

   She saw my expression.  "You 'n' me ...  All that.  Not betraying Dad.
Not the same at all.  And I was so happy.  Secure."

   I saw tears forming in the corners of her eyes.  Sex aside, I love her
like a sister and I can be as protective as a sixteen year old mom SHOULD
be.  And then some.  Or a true best friend.  You hug people who're hurting,
right?  I hugged my hurting friend.  Sister.  Daughter.  Human being.

   "It's gonna be okay, Deena.  Really.  We'll work it all out."

   "You think so?"

   "Yes, I think so.  I saw your birth certificate.  Who's it list as
'father'?"

   "Dad ...  Your husband..."

   "So as far as the government is concerned, you belong here, okay?"

   "It's ...  KARMA!!!" she sobbed, like she'd just received a revelation.
"'Cuz I had sex with Dad's WIFE..."

   Okay.  One of us being upset over this was plenty.  I've been tearing
into myself.  Now Deena's thinking she caused her whole world to collapse
in on us.

   Hold on tight.  Hug.  Soothe.  "That's not how this works, Deena ... 
This stuff was set into motion way before us doing energetic snuggling."

   The absurdity of the 'energetic snuggling' comment must've shocked her a
little, which was premeditated on my part.  She pulled her face back from
me.  "Oh, dammit, Haley ...  You're making jokes..."

   "Not a joke, sis," I said.  "But if the world tilted sideways every time
somebody colored outside the lines, we wouldn't be able to keep water in
the bathtub.  That stuff has nothing to do with this." I paused.  She
looked at me hopefully.

   "When Bill gets home, we hug 'im, just like always, and we sit down and
we talk about this.  Sanely.  Like adults..."

   "I'm fourteen..."

   "Yeah, you know what I mean.  And we lay out the facts as we know them.
And we see what he says.  I'm telling you, nothing changes..."

   "You sound confident."

   "I've been in his back pocket for four years, plus.  I know my Bill."

   An app on my phone tells us when Bill's flight will reach the airport,
and we know it's time to go meet him.

   "I can't remember the last time I was scared to see Dad," Deena said.

   "Don't be scared.  I KNOW your dad.  I want you living with us.  You'll
stay as long as YOU want to."

   "That's just it.  Where would I go?  Back to Mom's?  At least when I was
living there before, I knew that I had Dad to catch me, to keep me safe."

   "And that doesn't change.  That's what I'm trying to tell you."

   We were waiting when Bill's plane rolled in and we caught him as soon as
he got to the waiting area.  Yes, I needed a kiss and a hug, at least as
down payment.

   Deena hugged him too, a bit harder and longer than I would have
expected. Too many things going through my sister's head, I imagined.

   "We missed you, baby," I said.

   Bill's smiling.  I kinda feel bad because he doesn't suspect the turmoil
that has taken place in his absence.

   He retrieves his checked bag and we walk out to the car.  Straight home.
He's telling us about the business side of things, some meetings that will
do 3Sigma well and will dump some good money into our bank account.

   We talk about dinner.

   "Forgive me if I just want something at home, y'all," he said.  "I'm
tired of restaurants."

   "We kinda figured that, Dad," Deena said.  "We have our lasagna
thawing."

   So we got into the house.

   "Okay, what's REALLY going on," Bill said.  "Neither of you has that
bounce."

   My turn to step up.  I love my husband and this news is not - might not
be - pleasant.

   "We got the results back from that DNA lab."

   "So, ooooo-kay..." he said.

   "We think that they messed up bad.  We wanna do another one."

   "What makes you think they messed up?"

   "Dad..." Deena started.  "And this might be the last time you let me
call you that.  It shows I'm not your daughter.  NO relation.  None at
all."

   Bill hung his head.  "I was afraid of that, baby.  Doesn't mean you're
not my daughter.  I drove you home from the hospital.  I knew your mom had
been messing around.  I hoped that when she announced she was pregnant for
you, that it was me..."

   "You KNEW?" she gasped.

   "Suspected.  Didn't matter.  I was determined to stick with your mom. 
Loved 'er.  And you ...  I thought - especially after the difficult
pregnancy, that you were going to be my only kid.  You are, you know..."

   "It gets stranger, baby," I said.

   "Dad," Deena said softly, "I am related to somebody in this house. 
Haley's my half-sister."

   "Now I wasn't ...  never suspected THAT."

   "No reason to," I said.  "Mom lived with a guy ...  You know the story.
He wasn't ready for that 'daddy' thing so he hauled butt."

   "The report says Haley and I are half-sisters," Deena blurted.  "Can I
still live with y'all?  I mean..."

   Bill opened his arms to receive the two of us.

   "I love you, Deena.  You've been my daughter since Day One.  My name's
on your birth certificate.  I'm not changing a thing there.  And it
wouldn't matter anyway, frankly.  If Haley hauled you in here off the
street, I'm very happy to have you be part of this family."

   "And since she's my half-sister..." I started.

   "Doesn't matter," he said.  "What am I supposed to do?  Go into a rage,
throw BOTH of you out?  Haley.  You're forever.  Better or worse, you know.
And Haley, until the day I die."

   Deena broached the next question.  "What do we tell Mom?"

   "I vote for 'not a damned thing'.  Worst possible thing.  She gets into
her accusatory mode, you get hurt.  I don't want that.  You're in OUR house
and we get to protect you.  You understand that, don't you?"

   "That's kinda what Haley and I hoped.  How I know SHE loves me, Dad. 
She could've easily demanded I not live here, especially since..."

   Bill looked at me.  "Haley couldn't do that.  It's not who she is.  Not
selfish ...  I think you know that..."

   Deena nodded her head.  Me?  I wiggled just little, getting a bit more
into his lap.  I know what I do to him when I do that.  I know what I do to
me, too.  He needs to know that I still want him.

   "Sisters," he sighed.  "Strange.  You know, I do see some similarities -
around your eyes.  Nose.  Shape of your mouth when you smile.  Thought it
was just me."

   "Short brown-eyed brunette.  Average height blue-eyed blonde.  Yeah,
everybody thinks we're sisters." Deena snuggled into her dad's arms. 
Between the two of us, we had him pretty well covered.

   "That's what this was about, Dad," Deena said.  "Talking about heredity
and genes.  Got curious."

   "Be careful the questions you ask sometimes.  You have to be ready for
ALL the answers," he returned.

   Two weeks later a second lab reported the same findings.

   We opened the envelope and read the results together.  Lightning struck
twice in the same spot.  Deena and I - half-sisters.  Bill.  No relation,
except a ring on MY finger and name on Deena's birth certificate.

   Seems like Deena leveled out, too.  She's back to being happy, effusive.
We still get a lot of time for the two of us to talk, what with our
schedules in and out of volunteering at our old schools and on and
off-campus college work.

   Deena's turn:

   Dad acted almost like it was no big deal.  "I was afraid of that, baby.
Doesn't mean you're not my daughter."

   Just like that.

   "I brought you home from the hospital.  Me and your mom were having
issues.  I was trying, I guess after she found out she was pregnant, we
BOTH were trying to make a marriage out of the mess and I never gave it a
thought.  My name's on your birth certificate."

   I guess the sperm contributor has some pretty neutral genes because Mom
had blonde hair and I came out blonde and Haley's mom has dark brown hair
and Haley's is brown.  Same thing with eyes.  Mom has blue, I have blue. 
Haley's mom has brown, Haley has brown.

   And we're half-sisters.  And she's legally my step-mom.  And a little
bit more.

   I didn't know I had uh ...  lesbian tendencies.  Some of that stuff you
see nowadays talking about sexuality says that there's straight on one end
of the scale and lesbian at the other end and that most people aren't
hard-fixed to either end.  Between the black and white there are shades of
grey.

   And I guess things just piled up on me.  Dad was out of town.  I was
having all sorts of thoughts.  I guess it finally sunk in that Haley and my
dad were having sex and she enjoyed it.  Talked to Brindy.  She enjoys it.
I know Haley started when she was fourteen.  I know that Cindy started when
she was fourteen.  And I'm fourteen.

   I got pretty brave, asking Haley some direct questions about sex.  I
guess talking about her and Dad, who I now know is not my biological
father, got me a little bit ...  okay, HORNY.

   I know I can use my fingers.  I'm pretty good at diddling myself to
orgasm.  Sometimes I have to concentrate to keep from getting audible.

   And there we were, talking about it, and I just sort of took over the
situation.  Was I in control?  How could I be?  I wasn't even in good
control of ME, much less Haley.

   My first time having sex with somebody else was Haley.  At the time, I
thought ...  Oh, at the time it was happening, I thought NOTHING.  Too many
feelings, too good, too exciting ...  afterward I thought I'd had sex with
my best friend.  My best friend that I loved like a sister.

   Turns out that I was half-right.  She's my half-sister.  We share a
biological father who apparently was quite the stud, conceiving Haley, then
two years later, me.  Except Haley's mom was living with him.  (I've seen
pictures of Haley's mom sixteen years ago.  She was pretty back then. 
Since then she's put on weight and let herself go.) My mom was married to
my dad.

   So our little happy romp was half-incest as well as, to Haley's first
thoughts, adulterous.

   It killed me when Haley acted like she's cheated on Dad.  I guess that
in some terms, absolute terms, that she's right, and that I'm a horrible
person for inducing her to this.

   But I'm NOT a horrible person.  I love BOTH her and Dad and I'd never
hurt either one of them.  I'd die for them.  Sounds melodramatic, but my
life revolves around them.  Mom too, but Mom's outside the scope of this
discussion.

   I'm not a horrible person.  I love these people.  They care for me. 
Yes, I know Mom cares for me too, but I feel like THIS is my home.

   And I'm fourteen and if nothing else, two nights of me and Haley having
fun together tells me that I enjoy having a sexual relationship with
another person who LOVES me.

   Being with Haley rang my bell.  But hearing Haley talking about her and
Dad, in the vaguest of terms, that did something to me.

   Right now I'm inventorying my thoughts because I'm thinking too many
things.

   Guys.  I know lots of guys.  None of them are suitable.  Certainly not
guys my age.  Not the guys I run into on campus.  I'm jealous of Haley,
just a little bit.  She's got what I want.  Maybe not Dad, in specific, but
a person LIKE him.

   I've read that it's not unusual for a young girl to love her dad, to
think of him as the male ideal.  I do.  Dad's good-looking, intelligent,
funny, caring, stable.

   I need somebody to talk to about my feelings.  Mom's off the table,
especially in view of those gene tests.  Haley's part of what I need to
talk about.

   So naturally I'm coming out of a professor's office in the engineering
building and I cross paths with Carlita.  I'm always happy to see Carlita.
She's perky, bright, animated.

   "Lita!" I say when I see her from behind.  Oh, it's not a risk.  Five
foot tall Guatemalan pixies are rare.  I only know of the one.

   Her head whips around.  "Deena!  How are you doing?"

   "According to Doctor Landen, I'm about to wipe out another semester's
worth of engineering courses," I said.  "How are YOU doing?"

   "I am always good, Deena.  I haven't seen you in a week.  What is going
on with your life?"

   "Good things.  Some curious things, maybe not so good.  Confusing
things."

   She regarded me with those big brown eyes of hers, assessing.  "Maybe
you and I can talk."

   "Can you bring me back here?  I am supposed to meet up with Haley after
her afternoon sessions.  You can drop me at the library."

   "I can do that.  Let's go get bad coffee or something."

   By the time we'd gotten to Starbucks, I gave Carlita the story of the
DNA test results.  "Strictest privacy," I told her.

   "Of course.  Deena, that is a large piece of information to discover ...
You and Haley, half-sisters..."

   "Small town," I said.  "At least for our common father."

   "And your dad, he is taking this well?"

   "Says he always had a notion, but preferred to think of me as his
daughter."

   "Has he changed?"

   "No.  He hasn't.  Me, on the other hand..."

   "You?  What changed with you?"

   "Let me ask you something personal.  You can tell me 'no' if you don't
want to answer, though..."

   "Ask me.  I will decide."

   "You were married the first time that you and Brindy..."

   She remained remarkably placid.  "That is a very personal subject.  But
yes, I was."

   "Did it bother you - your conscience?"

   "Very much so.  I had cheated on my beloved Dave.  Even though I would
never leave Dave, nor would I ever consent to another man, being with
Brindy and Pat..."

   "His sister too?!?"

   "Yes.  We all talked.  I found out about him and Pat, about Pat and
Brindy, and how they were planning on acquiring Dave for themselves before
I came along.  I knew that their plans meant that they loved Dave in
special ways.  We tried ...  Then the tragedy.  Brindy was deposited on our
doorstep, figuratively, of course..."

   "And that caused you to change your thoughts?"

   "It did.  How could I not include Brindy who needed us?  I had to expand
my heart."

   "But you'd already decided that you loved Brindy..."

   "I did.  But I also had vowed to Dave that I was his wife." She put her
cup down.  "I still am.  But this line of questions..."

   "You must keep a secret..."

   "As you keep mine, so shall I keep yours."

   "Haley and me..."

   "Really?  Have you ...  other girls?"

   "I am fourteen, Lita.  First time ...  with anybody - girl or boy..."

   "Did she start it?"

   "No," I said, casting my eyes downward.  "I kinda did ...  Bill was out
of town ...  We were talking.  Haley is so many things to me - sister,
step-mom, best friend ...  Sister - this was BEFORE the results of the DNA
tests."

   "Now it is like Dave and Pat - incest?"

   "Only halfway, we're half-sisters, and at the time we didn't know that.
We were talking, playing, started wrestling like we have done so many times
in the last few years." I thought about that.  "We used to play like that.
Even did it in front of Dad.  Anyway, this time, I kissed her."

   Carlita had a little smile.  I think she was remembering things.  "And
one thing leads to another, correct?"

   "Yes, it did..."

   "And neither of you really wanted to stop..."

   "I couldn't.  The parts of my brain that say 'STOP' were out of order. I
never had somebody else do me..."

   "That part is memorable," Lita said.  "Dave was first for me ...  Brindy
was the first female.  I have only had Dave and Brindy and Pat."

   "But you have them both, still."

   "I do," she said confidently.  "Both of them."

   "I did my sister," I said.

   "Who is only your half sister, and she was not your sister when you two
...  Dave's sister was truly his sister, yet they loved past the boundaries
of sister and brother ...  Had there not been the accident, perhaps all
four of us would be living together.  After that one day, all of us
together, I broke down, could not do that.  Dave understood.  Dave also
understood when we brought Brindy into our marriage."

   "It's all very confusing, Carlita," I said.  "Every girl wants..."

   " ...  a man like her father," Carlita finished.  "I understand.  MY
father was taken when I was young.  I like to think that my Dave is as he
was.  Dave took me and protected me from the very first day we met."

   "So did my dad, when I was born.  Even though he wasn't sure he was my
...  related by blood."

   She looked at my face.  "You're trying to get to something else, are you
not?"

   "Carlita, I feel like I'm being a bad girl, but when Haley told me the
answers to questions about her and him, I WANTED him."

   "He is married to Haley."

   "I know.  And I am like Brindy..."

   "Brindy lost her..."

   "I know.  Not the same.  Not exactly..."

   "I had to decide that I wanted Brindy and I wanted Dave to want Brindy.
That meant that Dave and I were no longer exclusive.  Both Dave and I had
to decide that."

   "Did you have to convince Dave?"

   "After I melted down after the first time all of us were together, I had
to convince him that I had changed my heart to include Brindy." She paused.
"Seriously, Deena, this is REAL?  Not just a passing thought?  You are
dealing with two very real people who love you ...  If you are just doing
this for a whim..."

   "No, Lita," I said, shaking my head.  "I know that I am only fourteen,
but fourteen is only a number.  I know girls who made life choices
-permanent choices - at this age." I watched her face.

   "Yes, I know, and YOU know.  I am one..."

   "Cindy Richards.  Dana.  Nikki was fifteen.  Close..." and I just
admitted to another person that I was thinking of the guy who'd been my dad
all my life in a decidedly undaughterly way.

   "That simply means that in some cases, age is not the issue.  Deena, he
is your dad.  And he is married.  Would you ...  Forever, knowing that you
could never show that in public?  No babies?  Of course, assuming that
Haley doesn't strangle you in your sleep first."

   "Haley loves me.  Dad - Bill - loves me."

   "Eros versus philia versus storge," Carlita said.  "Three different
kinds of love.  The first..."

   "I get the first.  And the second," I said.  "The third..."

   "Family.  Parents, children, siblings..." She smiled.  "There are more
words in Greek.  "Ludus - playful, flirty..."

   "Ludus is how that started between me and Haley," I said.  "I got that
last one, too.  Maybe I'm going crazy..."

   "No, I do not think so.  Deena, these are real feelings - yours, your
dad's, Haley's.  You must be very careful.  Search your motives.  And know
that they get to say, and if the answer is 'no', then you have to live with
that and be mature enough to suborn your desires."

   "Tough ol' world, sometimes," I said.

   "Yes, it is.  And I shall pray that things work out well for all of
you."





   Chapter 25

   Bill's turn:

   Leave town for two nights and the whole place falls apart.  I come home,
meet my wife and daughter at the airport and they aren't the bouncy things
I left behind me.

   A DNA test.  When the girls came up with the idea, I knew that protests
on my part would only lead to questions as to why.

   Early in my marriage to Deena's mom, very early, she started straying.
It ripped me apart.  I was in love.  I don't know what SHE was in, but I
suspected that it was other beds and back seats of cars and the odd booth
at a night club.

   When she turned up pregnant, I knew then that there was a good, no, a
BAD chance that the baby wasn't mine.

   Finding out she was pregnant, though, she sobered up and seeing that, I
determined to make a marriage with her.  I never questioned.  When Deena
was born, my name went on the birth certificate, no questions asked.

   So the girls asked a question and I left town knowing full well that I
might have to return to deal with the answer, unpleasant though it might
be.

   Deena was a mess over it.  What would YOU think?  She thought I'd send
her away.

   I'm thinking, 'to what'?  She already had issues with her step-dad, her
mom's husband.  I guess maybe she thought of the thousands of dollars of
child support I'd paid her mom.  And that a fact of genetics over-rode
fourteen years of me raising a pretty decent young girl.  Pretty young
thing.  Mom's blonde hair, blue eyes.  My blue eyes and sandy hair.  Darned
sure COULD be ours.  I was the dad that took her to zoos and went to
recitals, even though her mom often had HIM sitting there as well.

   When Deena decided to come live with me and my brand new and completely
unconventional bride, I thought of it as just another way I could show love
for this cute, smart creature.

   And now...

   First, I'm NOT sending her away.  Unless I went crazy and took that DNA
testing thing to court, nothing the state has indicates that she's anything
BUT my daughter.  Second, chances of recovering a dime of money from her
mom are, in my estimation, slim.  Third, and most important, public denial
of my parental status would be perhaps the biggest slap in the face of an
innocent child (now a bright and pretty young lady) I could imagine.

   So what do I do?  Not a darned thing.  She's my daughter.  She stays
here.  Nothing changes.

   I didn't know that 'nothing' is only a certain subset of all the
available 'nothings' in the world.

   Haley's turn:

   I thought things were levelling out after the big shock of finding out
that Deena is my half-sister and NOT Bill's natural daughter.  I say
'natural' because while she might not actually share his DNA, she certainly
shares his sense of humor and personality.

   Yes, early in our relationship, when I was Bill's little friend of a
next-door neighbor and Deena was 'kid for the weekend', she tried that
snotty 'Daddy's girl' thing on me, but Bill didn't let that happen.  Since
I appeared to be inevitable, she and I became friends.  The two-year age
gap between ten and twelve is a lot wider than fourteen and sixteen,
especially when Bill and I announced exactly HOW important our 'friendship'
was by marrying each other.

   I wasn't too surprised by her request to move in with her dad.  We'd
talked many times about the way she felt about Bill.  I was confused when
she stood with that line of reasoning after we got married.  She showed
trepidation, surely, but here she is.

   And then on Bill's business trip out of town, he left us together.  What
happened was totally unexpected.  On a purely physical level, which I don't
think EVER applies to interpersonal relationships (providing me with an
interesting topic that may get me out of a sociology class) what happened
between her and me was satisfying.  Yes, exciting, when I wasn't being
scared and wasn't beating myself up because I thought I was cheating on my
husband.

   But she asked questions.  Said she imagined her dad's dick going into my
pussy.  Asked if I sucked him after he'd been inside me.  Almost started a
river flowing, you know.  Because when she said it, I thought a lot of
things...

   It's crazy.  She talked about imagining Bill's dick sliding into me and
I WANTED her to see that and I WANTED to see it happen to her, see the
rapture on HER face as I imagined I looked when I felt myself being spread
open as that life-giving shaft went into me.

   When she asked about me sucking Bill, I WANTED her to see Bill writhing
in pleasure as I felt life spurt into my sucking mouth, and I WANTED to
watch her head bob, sliding his dick in and out of her happy mouth.  I
wondered if she would smile like I smiled.

   I'm home.  Today she's got chorus practice - still participating at
middle school - and she's catching a ride home with Kaylee's mom.  Bill's
coming in late today - a meeting with an electrical utility co-operative
northeast of Houston.

   I have a book open beside my MacBook, I was studying, but then my mind
wandered.  I heard a car in the driveway outside.  That would be Deena.

   When she walked in the door I said, "Lock it."

   She looked at me quizzically but she complied.  I took her hand.  "Put
your backpack down.  I need to figure out something..."

   She read my face.  "And I'm thinking it's not academic..."

   "No.  and it's kinky, you and me being related, but..."

   "I don't even get a chance to say 'no'?"

   "Do you WANT to say 'no'?"

   "Nuh-uh," she said.

   "What about when Dad gets home?  Don't you, like, SAVE it for him?"

   "Oh, there's gonna be plenty of me left for him, babe," I said. 
"There's been days that we didn't get out of bed for HOURS..."

   "Mmmm, wowwww..."

   "Does it turn you on, thinking about me and your dad?"

   "You tell me.  Stick your hand down there."

   So much for 'no'.

   She started stripping, pulling her uniform shirt over her head.  I
wanted to watch, but I wanted to be naked even more.  Matter of a minute,
and I stood, seeing her peeling off her socks, sitting on the edge of her
bed.

   Mental comparison again.  Even two years younger than me, Deena's got
more 'real girl' curves.  This time I bowled her over backward onto her
bed.

   "What in the WORLD have you been thinking?  That chemistry class didn't
do THAT to you..."

   "The chemistry thing's easy," I said.  "My mind sort of wandered and..."

   "You thought about ME?!?"

   "I thought about talking to you about makin' love with Bill."

   "Bill," she said softly.  "Dad ...  Y'all really have fun, don't you. 
I..."

   I almost said 'I don't know what made me do it,' but I do know.  I don't
understand, mind you, but I know.  "I got pictures of 'im..."

   "Noooo..."

   My head bounced, nodding in the affirmative.

   "How'd you get those?"

   "We were playing around ...  iPhone takes pictures, so..."

   Giggle.  "Show me!" She sat up.

   The giggle kind of told me that 'ewwwww!' wasn't going to be her
reaction.  I reached into the puddle of clothes I'd left on the floor and
fished out my iPhone.

   First one.  Frame full of a totally erect Bill.

   She took the phone from me, her fingers hit the screen, expanding the
picture.  "Wowwww.  Neat..."

   She scrolled.  Crotch shot.  Warm day.  Bill's balls are big and heavy
and his sack was drooping between his legs under his erection.

   Several more like that then, "Haley!"

   "What?!?"

   She turned the screen toward me.  Yeah, I already knew what she'd find.
Bill took that one.  And the next few.  I was the star, playing with my
favorite toy, sucking, licking.  One shot had me with his shaft sideways in
my mouth, my teeth biting him lightly.  He loves that.

   "You know this is kiddie porn, don't you?"

   "It's not like I'm putting them on FaceBook," I giggled.

   "Just sayin'," she said.  "You look soooo abused..." She scrolled a bit
further.

   "He came!  I see that dribble from the corner of your mouth.  He came."

   "That's sort of the point of the exercise sometimes.  Sometimes it's
foreplay, sometimes it's just sort of like MORE than a kiss, and sometimes
I just wanna suck 'im inside out.  And THAT'S what happens."

   I could see the flush on her face.  She scrolled more.  "OMIGOD!!!  He's
IN you..."

   "And then we put the stupid phone down," I giggled.

   "I'm putting the stupid phone down," Deena said.  She touched me as she
lay back.  I didn't need much encouragement.

   It's making love.  I knew it when it was over.  It's making love.  Not
just sex.  And how do I reconcile me making love with somebody who's NOT my
husband?  I came to that conclusion as we showered together afterward.

   We got dressed after the shower, had a quick run at the kitchen, tossing
together a pasta salad that took care of both of us, with leftovers for
Bill if he didn't grab a burger on the way home.

   Situated on opposite ends of the sofa, she had the TV remote.  Turned it
on, found something mindless and not too intrusive.

   "Are you sane, now?"

   "ME?!?" she squeaked.  "You're the one who dragged me to my bedroom and
seduced me."

   I stuck my tongue at her.

   She giggled.  "Yeah, that's part of it.  The nasty pictures are the
other part ...  Haley, am I a freak?"

   "What makes you think you're a freak?"

   "Seeing pictures of..."

   "Bill," I injected.

   "Dad," she corrected.  Seeing those pictures and getting soooo horny I
could almost scream..."

   My turn to giggle.  "You DID scream."

   "Your fault," she said.  "Those pictures of his dick.  You playin' with
his dick.  Y'all doin' it..." She paused.  "You know I've seen pictures
before.  I mean, Internet, okay?  And 'No viewers under eighteen allowed',
right?  Peel me a grape!  So I've seen big ones and little ones and hard
ones and soft ones and white ones and black ones and none of 'em made me
wet myself like those..."

   "Because you know who it belongs to and how much fun I'm having with
it..."

   "Haley, I'm gonna say something.  I'm taking a big risk because you
could throw me out..."

   I knew what was coming next.  "So say it.  Nothing you say or do would
make me want to throw you out, and besides, it's Bill's call, too, okay?"

   "This is BIG," she said.

   "'Bout THIS big?" I questioned, holding my index fingers six inches
apart.

   She nodded, taking in a deep breath, then blurting, "I want 'im.  Too."

   I didn't know what either of us expected at this point.

   She studied my face, then, "You're actually thinking about it."

   I said nothing.  She's right, though.

   "I thought you'd come unglued and scream and call me a slut and..."

   "Deena, I got into bed with your dad..."

   "Bill," she corrected.

   " ...  when I was fourteen.  I wanted Bill.  Nobody else.  Some kind of
magic he worked on me, but nobody else in the universe would ever do what
your dad..."

   "Bill," she corrected again.

   " ...  did to me on every plane of my existence.  It had to be him, and
I knew that with him, there would never be another man." I gazed at her. 
Saw a resolve there.

   "What if he had TWO like that?" she said.

   "You mean, me 'n' you and Bill..."

   "Works for Carlita and Brindy and Dave..."

   "I've never talked with either Lita or Brindy when I mentioned their
mates and didn't get a smile.  I think what they have is real," I said. 
"But Dave sort of bought into it..."

   She fixed me in that blue-eyed gaze of hers.  "You think that we can get
Bill on board with US?"

   "You didn't say 'Dad'."

   "Those pictures.  Didn't make me think 'dad' thoughts."

   "Stop talking about those pictures.  I get all gooshy just thinking
about the day we took 'em.  Seriously, Deena ...  we just have FUN. 
Anything I want, he's good for it."

   "Ever did it in your butt?"

   "Ewwwww!  No!" I said, screwing my face into a grimace.  "I asked him
about that.  I mean, I've read things..."

   "Me too," she said.

   "Just isn't something I'm interested in, and Bill is plenty happy with
the orifices we use now..."

   "I wish I could've seen his face when you made 'im come."

   I had to giggle.  "It's not one of his better looks, babe," I told her.
Yeah.  'Babe'.

   "You're cute when you come, sis," she replied.

   "You are, too.  You squeeze your eyes shut so hard..."

   "When you're suckin' 'im..."

   "I can't see his face.  There's a point ...  I mean, while I'm doing it,
I like to look up at 'im.  He likes that too.  I can feel the difference.
But when he gets close, I can tell, and I'm taking care of what's happening
in my mouth."

   "We need to change the subject."

   "You're right," I said.  "Although if he walked in and found us eating
each other out, he'd suspect something had changed."

   "Yeah, that would be subtle..."

   "He's my Bill, Deena.  I need to take care of him properly.  He's good
and he loves you and me both, it's just that this is going to kind of take
some doing.  Might take a while, babe, but it'll happen.  I almost
guarantee it."

   "You keep callin' me 'babe' and you're gonna slip," Deena giggled.

   "I know.  I need to be careful."

   Bill finally got home.  As we'd predicted, he'd grabbed a burger. 
"Texas," he said.  "Couldn't pass up a chance for a Whataburger."

   "I can see that," Deena said.  "We'll have that leftover salad as a side
dish for dinner tomorrow."

   Deena and I (and Bill, for that matter) share kitchen duties.  Yes, we
go out to eat a lot, but we also cook.  Bill's good at it.  I'm getting
there.  Deena's an excellent helper and can also follow recipes and the
instructions on boxes.  Between the three of us, we won't starve.  The
opposite might well be true.  Membership at a local gym gets us two nights
a week.

   So that's what happened next.  Gym night.  Home.  Good shower.  A bit of
TV.  And then to bed.  Bill is Bill and I'm still me and god knows I love
him - everything he does to me, and he's equally satisfied.

   Laying there, the table lamp still on, and my phone rings with Deena's
tone.  Bill knows it, too.

   I pick up.  "What's up, Sis?"

   "Are you'n'dad finished?"

   "If we weren't, we would be now," I snickered.  "Why?"

   "I think I pulled something at the gym.  I'm hurting.  I need help."

   "Bill, Deena needs help.  She hurt herself at the gym."

   "Can she walk?" he asked.

   "Can you walk?"

   "Yeah.  Hurts.  Leg.  Thigh."

   "She can walk."

   "Tell 'er to come here," he said.  He stood up and pulled on his pajama
bottoms.

   "Come to our room," I said.

   "'Kay..."

   I was just dropping my nightshirt over my head when she knocked at the
door.  "Come in," I said.

   She opened the door.  "Sorry ...  Hurts..."

   "Come lie on the bed, baby," Bill said, tugging the vigorously displaced
covers up.

   I noticed Deena's nostrils flare as she encountered the musk of recent
sex.  She stretched on our bed, on her back.

   "Where's it hurt?" Bill asked.

   "Left leg.  Thigh.  Front and back.  I think I strained something."

   "How'd you do THAT?" I asked.

   She giggled.  I thought I saw a wink to go with it.  "I was down at the
other end, there was these guys on a weight machine, working out.  I asked
what they could do with that, and one of 'em said that there are all KINDS
of exercises.  I said I thought my thighs and butt needed work..."

   Bill started changing colors.  "Deena!  Those guys ...  you're FOURTEEN!
They have ONE thing on their minds..."

   "Oh, Dad," she sighed, exasperated.  "I wasn't going HOME with one ...
Just talkin'.  Wanted to know about those exercises."

   I'm thinking 'Okay, Deena, get him into a bit of jealousy and at the
same time, have him realize that his fourteen year old daughter might be of
sexual interest to men.'

   "You need to be careful, punkin," he said.  "You're turning into a
delectable young lady and guy's'll do anything they can to..."

   She smirked, " ...  to what, Dad?"

   Bill got flustered.  "You know what I'm saying..."

   "Thanks for worrying, okay?  I think I can take care of myself.  It's
not like I live next door to YOU, bein' all fourteen 'n' everything,
right?"

   My turn.  "Deena!"

   "Just pickin' on two of my favorite people," she countered, faking that
'pouty' look.  "It hurts right here..." She ran her hand down the front of
her thigh.  "Dad, rub it.  You know how you do that..."

   I think Bill was totally innocent.  That makes ONE of us.  His hands
circled around the front of her thigh above the knee.  He moved them up
higher, flexing his hands, kneading.  When he got quite high up on her
thigh, Deena squealed and jerked.  Her nightshirt flew up, exposing where
her panties SHOULD be.

   Bill and I both hissed "Deena!!!"

   Her hands quickly jerked the hem of her nightshirt down.  "Sorry!"

   "Where're your panties?" I managed to squeak.  Really.  I was a bit
shocked.  I mean, I sort of figured that Deena was working on something,
but this was a surprise.

   "Sometimes I don't wear panties," she said.  "Most of the time.  I
forgot..." Innocent Deena look.  Should be copyrighted.  "Dad, that felt
really good.  Sorry I jerked.  Can you do it again?"

   "Go put on some panties," he said.

   Devious little thing.  "Haley, could you get me a pair of panties?"

   Mine are a little tight on her, but ...  I opened my dresser and gave
her a pair of panties.  I expected her to stand and at least turn away,
giving Bill time to do the same, but nooooo...

   She took the panties, stuck her feet through, and in one motion, pulled
them up, raising herself off the bed, giving everybody a view of a
particularly delightful pussy.  She settled back down.

   "Deena, I can't believe you just did that," Bill said.

   "Oh, Dad, no big deal ...  You used to change my diapers.  Help me get
dressed.  Bathe me..."

   "You weren't fourteen..."

   I stood there with folded arms, watching.

   "My leg, Dad..."

   "Okay." He went back to massaging.  After a few minutes, he said, "You
need some painkillers.  I'll get you some."

   He stepped out of the bedroom to the medicine cabinet in the hall
bathroom.

   "I can't BELIEVE you did that," I whispered.

   "Just sort of keeping things going," she tittered.

   Bill came back in, gave her a couple of capsules and a glass of water.
"Here.  Sit up and take this."

   She did that, handed the empty glass to me, then flopped back onto the
bed, this time on her stomach.  Mostly.  At first she turned halfway,
drawing that left leg up, the nightshirt doing a poor job of covering her
thigh and buttock.

   "Still hurts, Dad.  Could you do the back of my thigh like that?"

   "Lay on your stomach," Bill said.

   More massage, including the not unexpected, "Higher ...  Right up
against my butt.  It hurts there."

   And finally, "Thanks, Dad," she said, wrapping her arms around his neck,
pressing herself against him just a little bit tighter than the normal
'daddy kiss' hug.

   She looked at me.  "I'm sorry, Sis.  Didn't mean to interrupt."

   "'S okay," I said.  "Hope you sleep good."

   "Thank you.  I think I will, now." And she left, and yes, there was a
limp.  Might be acting, but at least she tried.

   I pulled the covers back on the bed while Bill shut our door.  We
crawled in together.

   "Baby," I said.  "I was all relaxed ...  Maybe we could..."

   And when my hand reached him, he was already hardening.





   Chapter 26

   Deena's turn:

   If what Haley and I have done is incest, because we're half-sisters, we
argue that it's not quite the same because we weren't raised together as
sisters.  That specifically presents a quandary to me.

   I want Bill.  Yes, I know he's 'Dad'.  Been 'Dad' all my life, you know.
But speaking from the standpoint of DNA, he's NOT Dad.  And what should it
matter anyway?  It's not like if he and I started fucking (I hate that
word. Can I say 'making love'?) that I can get pregnant from him.  Mom had
some serious issues having me and Bill - or Dad - had a vasectomy.  So,
Haley's been doing Dad - or Bill - for years now without birth control and
she's not pregnant, therefore I know that's not an issue.

   Loving him in a different manner than a perfectly spectacular
father-daughter relationship is an issue.  Being sexual with MY Haley and
MY Bill in one of those 'triangle' things, that's an issue.

   At a basic level (I know - I get really analytical at times.  Used to
drive Mom batty) I know that there ARE successful ones.  After all, I know
of one - Brindy and Carlita and Dave.  I also know that before they became
a triangle, they weren't related, other than the fact that one day they'd
shared each other and Dave's sister.

   I think I can be safe in stating that Haley is mostly for it.  I mean...

   She had to be thinking about her and me.  I came in after Kaylee's mom
dropped me off.  She dragged (Oh, yeah, I put up SUCH a fight) me into my
bedroom.  I could tell by her look.

   "Don't you have to, like, save this for him?"

   She giggled.  "Girl, there's been days that we didn't get out of bed for
hours.  Ate.  Got right back in.  So I'll have plenty for him."

   "Mmmmm," I sort of moaned, thinking about it.

   "Does it really turn you on, thinking about me and your dad?"

   I giggled.  "Stick your hand down there and you tell me." I was juicing
up majorly.  If she didn't make me come, I was gonna have to make me come.

   Clothes came off fast.  So did a couple of orgasms.  Funny.  Me thinking
about dad and Haley got me wet.  Haley thinking about ME thinking about her
and dad got her wet.  Common denominator?  Dad.  Or Bill.

   "That Chem 101 book didn't do THAT to you," I observed.

   "No," she replied.  "I thought about talking to you about him and me
making love."

   "You have fun, don't you.  Really."

   "I really have fun because we really love each other..."

   "I can't help it, Haley ...  Yes, I AM curious." Then it really got
strange.

   "I got pictures of him."

   "Nooooo..."

   "Yeahhhh.  Playin' around.  Cellphone takes pictures.  We were bein'
silly..."

   "Show me."

   She dug through the pile of clothes, pulled out her iPhone, showed me
the first one.

   A dick.  A hard dick.  I took the phone from her, expanded the picture,
looking at the detail, the ridges, that purple cap on the end.  Next one
had his dick and his balls in it.  Fascinating.

   I scrolled though a few more then gasped, "Haley!" because there my
sister/best friend/lover was with that dick next to her mouth and she was
smiling.  Next one, she had her tongue under it, licking, then the head in
between her lips, then a couple more with half his dick in her mouth, one
of her sideways like she was eating an ear of corn, and the last one with
it in her mouth and a little dribble of white on the corner of her lips.

   "He came," I exclaimed.

   Giggle.  "That, my juicy sister, is the point, sometimes.  Sometimes
it's like an extra-special kiss, sometimes it's just play, maybe even
foreplay, but sometimes I wanna suck 'im inside out.  That's what that is."

   I flipped my fingers to scroll one more frame.  I could feel myself
flush.  "He's IN you."

   "That's when we put the phone down," she giggled.

   We're both naked.  I put the phone down.

   We showered together afterward, then we talked.

   "Haley, I'm taking a big risk telling you this, because it's entirely
possible that you could throw me out of the house."

   "Say it.  You're my sister and then some.  Nothing you can say will make
me want you to leave.  It's Bill's call, okay?"

   So she more or less already knows.  Still, I have to...  "This is BIG."

   Giggle.  She's charming and disarming.  She held her index fingers about
six inches apart.  "'Bout THIS big?"

   Still, saying it out loud ...  I took a breath.  Blurted, "I want 'im.
Too." I watched her face.  "You're actually thinking about it.  I thought
you'd scream and call me a slut and..."

   "Deena, I was fourteen when I got into bed with your dad..."

   "Bill," I corrected.

   "I wanted Bill.  No other man.  He had some kind of magic on me.  No
other man in the universe could do what your dad..."

   "Bill," I corrected again.

   " ...  Did to me in every way possible.  It had to be him, and I knew
that when we mated, there would never be another man..."

   "What if he had TWO like that?"

   "You mean like me 'n' you and Bill?"

   "Works for Carlita and Brindy and Dave."

   "You know, I've never been with one and mentioned either of the others
and they didn't smile..."

   I said, "So, can we get Bill on board with this?"

   "You didn't say 'Dad'."

   "Those pictures didn't make me have 'dad' thoughts."

   We talked some more about her and dad - Bill - having sex.  Deena's got
a new goal.  But only if Haley and Bill are totally on board.  Of course,
right now I'm thinking that we just might have to convince him a little
bit.

   The next day was one of our 'gym' days and that night I sprung my first
trap.  We went to bed, like normal, me in my room, them in theirs.  I gave
'em forty-five minutes before I called Haley's phone, asking if they were
finished.

   I complained that I hurt my leg, strained something at the gym.  Made up
a little story about a couple of guys on a weight machine, let Bill think
that other guys might be just a little bit interested in his daughter. 
That part's somewhat true.  Guys hit on me quite a bit.  Know what?  None
of 'em's Bill.  Or Dad.  Whatever.

   Second step.  Before I go to their bedroom, I shuck my panties.  He's
gonna get at least a glimpse of me.  He hasn't seen me there for years.

   So he's being all fatherly, massaging my purportedly strained thigh, and
when his hands get near the top of my thigh, I jerk up just right.  The hem
of my nightshirt flips up, exposing my pussy.

   I know he got an eyeful.  Quick exchange where I intimated that I often
slept without panties.  Well, I did when Haley and I slept together, okay?

   "I'm sorry, Dad," I said in my best 'little girl' voice.  "That felt
really good.  I'm sorry I jerked.  Could you do some more."

   "Go put on some panties," he said.

   Now I could've limped out of the room (for effect) and gone and gotten
some panties, but hey ...  Haley's dresser is right there and her panties
are little snug on me, but...  "Haley, could I borrow a pair of yours?"

   She opened the drawer, passed me a pair.  I guess I was supposed to turn
away or something, step into them and pull them up under my nightshirt, but
that's not the effect I want.  I sat back on the bed, put my feet in them,
then rolled backward, sticking my legs in the air, pulling the panties all
the way up.  I think it should have given a nice view.

   He did go back to massaging my leg.  I rolled over on my stomach and let
him do the back of my thigh as well.  When I rolled over, I pulled the leg
up like it was giving me pain, let him get a good view of my thigh and my
panty-clad butt before I lay flat for the massage.

   When he finished, I gave him a good night kiss that I imagine was just a
little more than a 'good night, daddy' version.

   And went into my bedroom with a fake limp.  And diddled myself to sleep.

   Next day ...  Laundry.  We usually take care of it in a timely fashion
so it doesn't pile up, but this week, between his work and Haley and me in
different places, there's a big pile of laundry on the sofa that needs
folding and putting away.

   "After I shower, Dad," I say.  "Haley and I will get it..."

   So Haley's on the sofa, textbook and computer open.  Dad's in his chair,
reading.  I come bopping in, wrapped in a towel.  ONLY a towel.

   "Baby," Bill says.

   Haley's looking at me.  I know she's wondering what's next.

   "I messed up and put my nightshirt and my last pair of panties in the
wash.  I need to get them out."

   "Okay..." Bill said.

   So there I am, towel wrapped around me, pushing through a pile of
laundry rather more than I needed to, looking for my big ol' floppy
nightshirt, waving a pair of panties in my free hand.

   You DO know that those towels aren't very secure, don't you? 
Predictable.  It went 'zoop!' and hit the floor, leaving me standing there
buck naked in the living room.

   "Oops!" I said, trying to sound convincing.  I bent over to at least get
my panties on, presenting what I hoped was a delectable view of my bare
butt and my titties from the side view.  I stood as I dragged the panties
up into position, wiggled a little to get them straight.

   Bill sucked in a breath.  "Deena."

   "Oh, you've seen me naked before, Dad."

   "Not since you got titties..."

   "Nice of you to notice," I giggled, dragging the nightshirt over my head
and letting it drop into position.

   Okay, Deena.  Push your luck.  Haley loves sitting in his lap.  So do I
ever since I was little, although in the last couple of years, I haven't
exactly sat IN his lap, staying on a knee or a thigh, or when he's in his
recliner, on the arm of the chair.

   So I walked over, acted like I was going to sit on the arm of his chair
and be all contrite, but instead I slid off, into his lap.

   Another 'Oops!  Sorry!' moment.

   Took enough time climbing away to feel ...  Yes.  Male reaction.  Energy
I need to channel.

   Haley closed her book and shut her laptop.  "Let's get these folded so
we don't have to run around the house naked quite as much," she said, eying
both of us.

   "It was an accident," I protested.  "'Sides, I bet I'm not the FIRST
teenaged girl to be naked in this room."

   "I married the other one," Bill said.  "She can run around naked all she
wants.  I get to see her..." Before he finished his sentence, Haley's
nightshirt was off.

   She giggled.

   "Haley!" Bill blurted.

   "Well, you said..."

   "I was exaggerating because my smart-mouthed daughter..."

   "You know we used to like that, baby," she countered.

   "Yeah, but..."

   "Felt good ...  skin breathing ...  At least that's what you used to
tell me.  That wasn't some cheesy line to get me to expose myself, was it?"

   "No, but..." Bill protested.

   "But it felt good.  Now, if..." Haley in her exposition and argument
mode, " ...  you had other than prurient interests, nudity is not a bad
thing, right?"

   "But ...  Okay, you maybe, but not..."

   "Deena, if you saw Bill naked, would you be able to restrain yourself
from getting the vapors or something?"

   I was a little surprised, but, "I think I could restrain myself.  It's,
like, Dad..."

   Haley was stepping out of her panties.  She turned to face between me
and Bill and stuck a pose.  "Ta-Daaaa!"

   "Is this gonna be, like, a new THING?" I asked.

   "Deena, I don't think I should be naked ...  Haley, this is nuts,
love..."

   She giggled.  "Okay ...  I suppose I need to get dressed."

   Bill eyed her.  So did I.  After all, I LOVE that neat little body in my
own way.

   "Suit yourself."

   "Or unsuit yourself," I giggled.

   "Deena, you're not helping."

   "I'm thinking of joining her," I said.  "She's right.  It does feel
good. In my own room ...  but that's so restrictive..." I walked over to
him, bent over...  "But if it's gonna make you mad..."

   "I'm not mad.  Confused, all of a sudden ...  But not mad."

   "You told me that nudity wasn't necessarily a sexual thing, baby," Haley
injected helpfully.

   I'm thinking that if she's successful, I get to see Bill naked, one step
closer to...

   "It's not, baby," he replied, "But you remember ...  We did that all the
time, but how many times did I see you and get aroused?"

   "You ...  Oh, a few, but most of the time, we just went about business,
right?"

   He said nothing.

   "Right?" she prodded.

   "Haley, I just don't think this is gonna work ...  I already have..."

   I looked.  Yes, it's obvious.  I turned my head so he didn't see me lick
my lips.  I replayed that picture of Haley smiling.

   "It'll go away," Haley cooed.  "Just the act of undressing..."

   "I doubt it."

   "Well, don't then, baby..." she said.  Played a little bit sad into her
tone.

   Success!  He stood up.  "I still don't think this is a good idea..." and
he pulled his scrub top off.  Haley scooted over to help him.

   "Nuh-uh," he said.  "You KNOW what YOU do to me..."

   "Okay," she said.  Little girl voice.

   He pulled the drawstring, let them fall to the floor.  No undies.  Haley
says that he never wears them under his scrubs.

   My first live glimpse.  I try not to stare.  It's not as hard as the
picture.  I really need to get familiar with the different ways it can
look.

   "Deena!" He snorted.  "See?!?  That's what I mean.  You're looking..."

   "Oh, sorry.  I just never saw an adult one before..."

   He started to bend over to pull his pants back up.  Haley put her hand
on his arm.  "Don't, baby ...  it'll be okay.  Let the novelty wear off."

   As if to solidify this new thing as 'normal', Haley sat down and started
folding and sorting clothes.  I sat on the other side of the pile and
started helping.

   She looked at me, smiled.  And winked.

   We made short work of folding clothes.  Bill carried the basket for us,
first to the hall bathroom, then to theirs, and finally to my room.  Okay,
I know he's looking.  He did get soft.  Then half-hard again when we walked
back into the living room.

   I giggled.  "I guess us sitting on your lap is off the table, huh?" as
he sat back into his recliner.

   "Not for me," Haley snickered.  She flopped backward into his lap.

   "Haley, darling," he sighed.  "You know..."

   Giggle.  "Always have, baby." With a sublime smile.

   Bill's turn:

   I'm very much confused when Haley and I finally get to our bed for the
night.  Unusually, we don't have to get undressed because we've been naked
most of the evening.  When the door closes, she crawls across the bed on
all fours.  I know what that means.  I step close to the bed.  With an
'Mmmmm' that reverberates through my being, she sucks me into her mouth,
loves me with her tongue, then releases me to join her in bed.

   "Baby," I ask, "What was that all about?"

   "I love suckin' you," she said, playing coy.

   "You know what I mean..."

   "Oh, THAT!  Nothin'.  Just us trying to relax..."

   "Haley bug," I said, "I know you better.  There's more to the story."

   "Let's just leave it at that.  Was it THAT bad?"

   "Guys aren't made to have teenaged girls running around nude in front of
them."

   "You did okay," she giggled.  "You only got fully hard once..."

   "It's..."

   "Was that for me?"

   "Of course it was for you..."

   "Deena's cute, I think," she said.

   "She is.  That's part of the problem."

   "Why's it a problem?"

   "I'm married to YOU," I said.  "She's my daughter.  Two problems."

   "Oh," she said.  "If you weren't married to me, then it'd be okay?"

   "You know that's not what I mean.  I mean I'm only supposed to have
those thoughts about you."

   "Ooo-ohhh," she returned.  "Are you having those thoughts about Deena?"

   "She's my daughter..."

   "Except that you're not related..."

   "I raised her as my daughter."

   "Okay, I understand that.  But as a female, she's attractive, right?"

   "Well ...  dammit, that's not supposed to happen..."

   "This is supposed to happen, though," she said, her hand teasing my
dick. "This thing knows it wants Haley.  I love you, Bill," she said. 
First kiss was on the lips.  Second took my breath away.

   "I love suckin' you..."

   "You know I love it.  Everything we do ...  You..."

   "Good.  Eat me, please..."

   I can do that.  Love sixty-nine with Haley.  Love even better when she
turns around, aroused, impales herself on me and starts riding to her
orgasm, each time she bottoms out, I feel the hard lump of her cervix push
the head of my dick.  She comes.  I come.

   "I want to drink you," I told her.

   "Oh, god, yes..."

   It all still works.  Seeing my Haley bounding about naked is something
that I truly did miss since Deena moved in.  We used to have some truly
memorable days, like the day Haley invented 'the sucking game', where every
time I sat down, she'd get on her knees and suck me.  The next day was her
turn, and I think that she had a dozen orgasms.  I missed that.

   Still, even if nudity did come back, I still wouldn't get the sucking
game or its variant, where she simply teased me to hardness and mounted me,
not to orgasm, but "I love the way I feel myself getting pushed open to
accept you".

   I guess I lay awake a bit longer than usual because when I roll back
toward her, her breathing is regular.  She's asleep.  My own angel, my
little brown-haired sprite, there in the dim light.  My heart almost bursts
with love ...  A caress that gets me a faint 'mmmm' and I go to sleep
beside her.

   Waking the next morning, I'm reminded immediately of last night's events
because I'm naked, and so is Haley.  I start to get dressed.

   "No," she says.  "Our daughter - let's see if SHE remembers..."

   So we both walk out of our bedroom and there's Deena.  She remembers.

   Giggle.  "I thought you'd forget," she said.

   "No," Haley countered.  "But wait 'til your butt hits that cold chair.
Sometimes clothing is necessary for comfortable living.  Me 'n' Bill, we
saved the nudity for night-time..."

   "Then why're y'all naked?"

   "To see if YOU were serious..."

   She maneuvered to the breakfast nook with a bowl of cereal and "Eeeeek!
You're right!"

   "So, okay," Haley said.  "Clothing is okay at breakfast..."

   "Makes sense," I said.  I still think it's some kind of game, and that
the novelty will wear off.  At least I don't have an erection while I'm
making coffee.

   After breakfast, I get dressed alongside my Haley, then it's off to
work.

   Haley's turn:

   Bill left the house to go to the office.  Deena came up behind me,
close. I sort of backed into her.  She put her arms around me.

   "I want 'im soooo bad, Sis," she said.

   "I can totally understand." I twisted around to face her.

   "You ...  That 'I dropped the towel' thing..."

   "Spur of the moment, really.  Kind of a fib.  I had clothes in my
drawer."

   "Figured that.  Bill would, too, if he thought about it."

   "But you," she smiled.  "You played right along, then passed me up. 
Nudity.  I didn't think you'd actually..."

   "Girl, you don't know WHAT I wanted to do when I saw him naked," I said.
"Before our daughter came along, we used to play 'the sucking game'."

   Deena squeezed her thighs together.  "Mmmm.  I can imagine.  When I saw
it, I thought of you in those pictures.  You looked so happy..."

   "Yeahhhhh," I sighed.  "But that's a big next step..."

   "I know.  I'm thinking ...  I don't want Bill to ship me off to a home
for wayward girls..."

   "He won't do that," I told her.  "But I do NOT want an unhappy Bill."





   Chapter 27

   Haley's turn:

   "Go slow, Deena," I told her after Bill left for work.  We have nine
o'clock classes on campus, so we have a little time alone in the house.

   "We are.  I am.  We've been our own nudist colony for a week.  I don't
think I'm getting to him."

   "You're not 'sposed to get to 'im," I said.  "We talked.  He's still in
'dad' mode with you.  We're all getting relaxed about being nude."

   "Yeah," she replied sadly.  "He didn't get hard once last night.  Unless
I count that particularly relaxed look on your face over breakfast."

   "That's a GOOD sign," I said.  "He ...  When he gets me into bed, he's
plenty aroused.  I know what happens when we spend a day in public where I
can tease him a little bit all day.  Last night was like that."

   She gave me a wry smile.  "Glad YOU get to benefit..."

   "I'm sorry ...  I mean, I understand ...  Something will come up..."

   Giggle.  "I'm sorry, sis ...  I shouldn't hold that against you.  He is
YOUR husband, after all."

   "I kinda feel like I'm depriving you," I said.  "Believe me, I think
about us ...  All three of us..."

   "I do that, too," she said, "and my little fingers get a workout ...  I
mean, last night, he was just sitting there watching TV while I was
studying.  I looked up, and I could see his balls just hanging there.  I
wanted to lick 'em."

   Giggle.  "He loves that.  When I catch 'im all soft, I can do that and
'boingggg!' So I know he likes that."

   "I wanted to crawl over there and just DO it.  Put my head in his lap
and slurp 'im up.  Like that game you told me about."

   "We'll play that game," I said.  "But we gotta do this right.  We can't
push him too fast.  He has to get over the idea that you're totally his
daughter and understand I'm good with us sharing everything."

   "I know," she answered.  "Let's get dressed..."

   Okay, in the mornings, sometimes getting dressed evolves into me taking
care of my Deena.  Like I said, I feel like I'm depriving her.

   We spend almost an hour loving each other.  When it's over, we're
getting dressed after a quick shower.

   She giggles.  "Maybe we should video US and leave it where he finds
it..."

   "Uh, yeah ...  I can put it on my iPhone and play it over Apple TV. 
That's not exactly subtle..."

   "You wouldn't!"

   "You're right..."

   We went to class, just like normal, well, 'normal' for us.  I hung
around waiting for Deena to get out of class.  We went home, checked out
some meat we'd left in the fridge to thaw, and then started putting
together a meal.  When Bill got home, I kissed him long and hard because I
miss him.  I noted that Deena's kiss involved a hug that might be a little
past 'hi, Daddy'.

   Two weeks into this, nudity starts after showers.

   I'm sitting on the sofa, Bill's in his recliner.  Deena comes in with
her hair wrapped in a towel, pushes her butt between my calves and sits on
the floor in front of me and says, "Dry me."

   "We have the same haircut, Sis," I say.  "I'll dry YOU, then you dry
ME."

   I note that Bill watches this.  I dry her hair with a flourish, then we
swap places.

   We found a movie on TV.

   "Babe, why don't you sit on the sofa so I can sit next to you?" I said.

   "Sure," he said.  He sat down.  I sat next to him for a little bit, then
slid down the sofa, resting my head on his thigh.  I saw Deena catch a
glimpse, then smile.

   Seriously, we used to do this all the time, even after Deena moved in
with us.  I lie there, he just sort of caresses me like he's petting a big
cat.

   Yes, I know he's naked and my head is inches away from my favorite toy.
We're watching the movie.  He's idly playing with my hair.  I scoot up a
little further on him.  That way, if he does it right, some of my hair will
fall on his dick.  I know my Bill.  That's something he likes.  I shake my
head a little before I lay it back down on his thigh.

   I know that if Deena wasn't there, the guy would be in serious danger of
being sucked.  Self-restraint, at least for now.  Perhaps one day...

   Isn't long before a commercial comes on.  Deena turns to look at us.  I
wink at her, then sit up.  "I need to go to the bathroom."

   When I get back, Deena's sitting beside Bill.  He's got his arm around
her and aside from the fact that they're both nude, it's completely
innocent father and daughter watching TV, snuggling.

   "You want your place back?" she asks.

   "No, I'm good," I reply as I stretch out on the blanket on the floor.  I
make sure that I'm on my hands and knees, smoothing out the blanket,
pointing my butt at my Bill.  I've seen pictures he's taken of me like
that. My pussy peeks out at him.

   Pictures?  Yes, it's a game for us.  He says I do some things that turn
him on, like that pose I just described, and I say 'show me', so -
pictures. Some we save for a while.  That's why I had those on my phone to
show Deena.  Those were NOT old photos.

   I settle down to watch TV, but before I do, I look back.  Deena's
sliding down on the sofa, laying her head on Bill's leg.

   "Feels good," she said softly.

   I glance back, he's stroking her hair.  I wonder...

   I look back a minute later, his eyes are closed and he's hard ...  Okay,
Haley, let's see what YOU can do here.

   I get up on my knees and scoot over to him, kneel in front of him, and
lay my head on his other thigh.

   "Got your girls, baby," I said.

   "Yeah," he said, almost dream-like.

   I turned my face a little and blew softly on his erection.

   "Mmmmm," he moaned, then, "Y'all need to get up!"

   Both of us immediately jumped up, looking surprised.

   "What's wrong?" Deena said.  "I was comfortable..."

   "This is what I meant," he said.  "Nude.  I know it feels good, but
there's a point where I can't help myself.  I get sexual feelings."

   "'S okay, Dad," she blurted.  "She's your wife."

   "Uh..." he stuttered.

   "I'm sorry," I said.  "I didn't mean..."

   "It's okay baby..." he said to me.  "You and me ...  But it's BOTH of
you together.  You're both beautiful and it's just too much..."

   "Me?!?" Deena squeaked.

   "Yes, you ...  Sorry, baby," he said.  "You're my daughter..."

   "Uh, I am.  And I'm not ...  Too ...  It's okay.  You're Dad, or you're
Bill, I love you both ways..."

   He gave her a strange look.  "What?!?"

   "I love you both ways.  You've taken care of me since I was born. 
Always.  Spectacularly.  That's the 'dad' part.  But my sister Haley's got
the perfect man.  Handsome.  Caring.  Intelligent.  Funny.  Loving.  And I
get a little jealous..."

   He sat down heavily.  "Haley?"

   "Yes, love?" I said gently.

   "You know about this?"

   "She's my sister and my best friend.  We talk about everything."

   "And you're okay with her feeling like this about me?"

   "My Deena's intelligent like me.  It should not be surprising that she
sees the same things I see.  Falls in love with the same man I love."

   "What's that mean?"

   I kissed him.  Several of them.  "Calm down, love ...  Nobody wants
anybody hurt here."

   "But my daughter..."

   I kissed him lightly this time.  "My sister..."

   "That's..." he started.

   "Not really ...  She loves you.  I love you.  I get you..." and I
lightly brushed his dick.  Yes, it was soft.  My man's got turmoil in his
head.  "I love you ...  every way..." and I started sinking to my knees. 
"I wanna love you..."

   On my knees now, I did something I know drives him wild, showering
little nips and kisses around ...  Erection.

   "Deena, Bill needs kissing."

   She stepped close to him, looking into his eyes, scared, timid, nervous.
Leaned in, and their lips met.

   "You gotta understand, Dad," she told him.  "Sometimes it's not 'Dad'
that I want.  Sometimes I want Bill..."

   "Deena, baby..."

   "I wanna be Deena baby.  I'm greedy, though, Dad.  You spoiled me.  I
want both ways..."

   She looked down at me.  I was looking up, watching them.

   "Haley's gonna suck you, I think," she said.  "Kiss me again..."

   They kissed.  I grasped his shaft, licking my lips.  And softly spread
my lips over the head of my toy.  He shuddered.  Leaking pre-cum, too. 
Mmmm.  But I stopped.  Crawled up and kissed him, too.

   "I'm losing my mind," he said.

   "No, you're not," Deena said.  "I love you.  Haley loves you.  We love
each other.  We both want you." She sighed.  "Haley just had a taste..."
and she pulled away from him.  "I think I wanna ...  Are you going to tell
me no?"

   He was silent.  It was almost slow motion.  She approached his dick with
reverence, almost.  Reached her hand out, gently encircled it, then her
head moved toward it.

   "Lick your lips," I whispered.

   She did that, then just like I'd wanted, she put her mouth over him.

   I kissed him while she familiarized herself with a new experience.

   "She's..." he started.

   "Enjoying something that I enjoy.  That YOU enjoy..."

   "Deena..." He sighed.

   "Love you, Bill," she said, then there was an audible slurp.

   "Haley," Bill said.  "Too much ...  I'm close..."

   "Deena, he's close.  You want me to take over?"

   "Nuh-nnn," she said.  "Mine.  The whole thing." And another slurp, and I
know what my Bill looks like when he comes and he's not lying, he's very
close.  First time I ever kissed him while he came and he wasn't inside me,
though ...  Oh, except for the occasional 'I'm havin' a period' handjob.

   "Nnnnngoddddd!!!" he groaned.

   I started to touch the back of Deena's head, my hand running into his.
At this stage of the game, he's doing those little thrusts and I remember
the first time I experienced those.  Deena was getting them now.

   I'd harbored a horrible thought that just maybe that the reality of a
load of hot semen in her mouth would gross her out and she'd jump up and
puke or run out, crying, or something.

   No.

   I was still kissing him, moving from his lips to his face and neck and,
"Ohgod Deena ...  Too much..."

   "Want it!" she blurted and then his body shook.

   I've done that - sucked him to wonderful spurting orgasm and that wasn't
enough for me, so I kept sucking.  Drives him crazy.

   "Slow down a little bit, Deena.  He's very sensitive right now.  Just be
gentle, but don't stop."

   I looked down just as she looked up, my blue-eyed blonde sister with two
inches of Bill's dick in her mouth.  The corners of her mouth turned up and
her eyes laughed with happiness.

   That makes ME happy, as well.  That's two out of three.  Right now
Bill's still in another dimension.  A good sucking does that for him.  We
laugh about it.

   He's gonna come back to us eventually though, and then we're going to
have to deal with repercussions.  Like the fact that he's been sucked off
by his daughter and that his wife was sort of encouraging it.

   Right now, though, he's got a giggling female attached to his genitalia.
Finally she lets him go.

   "You do it..."

   "You got it all," I said.

   "Yes, I did," she said proudly.

   I took him into my mouth.  His hand fluttered to the back of my head...

   "Too much..."

   "Okay," I said.  "But it's very good, you know..." And I got up and
squeezed beside him on one side while Deena took the other.

   "Are you okay?"

   "I just did a horrible thing," he sighed.  "I can't believe I let y'all
do that..."

   "Bill, baby," I said softly, "Don't tell Deena it was horrible..."

   "Wrong..."

   "That either..."

   "Dad," Deena said.  "For a little while you were Bill to me.  I wanted
you.  Still do," she paused for effect.  "Bill." And she reached over and
gently touched his sack.

   "Oh, damn, Deena ...  Haley, you're in on this..."

   "We love you, Bill.  You're our strength and our provider and our
protector..."

   "I'm supposed to protect Deena from this..."

   "So be Dad and protect me.  Don't let other men do this.  I don't wanna
do this with other men, boys, whatever.  But you're mine..."

   "I married Haley," he replied.

   "And Haley's right here and she's still married to you, right, Haley?"

   "I am."

   "But me 'n' Deena..."

   "All she did was suck you.  Like a super kiss, huh?" I said.  "But baby,
she needs more..."

   "I can't ...  Not right..."

   "I'm fourteen, Dad.  Haley was fourteen.  You loved Haley.  You love me.
Why not?"

   "You know why..."

   "That won't change.  In public, as far as people are concerned, you're
my dad and I'm your daughter and Haley's your wife and my best friend. 
gBut here, we want things to be different..."

   "It's not right," he protested.

   "It's not wrong, Bill," Deena said.  "Genetically it's no different than
you and Haley.  You just started out loving ME from a different angle."

   Poor Bill.  He was strained, shaken.

   "Baby," I said, "Me 'n' you - still forever.  You and Deena, that's
forever, too, unless Deena decides to go find herself somebody else..."

   "Which I won't do," Deena said.  "Married.  Just like you 'n' Haley,
'cept we can't get paperwork..."

   "Bill," Deena said softly.  "I can't stop.  Haley showed me how happy
she could be, being your mate.  I NEED that ...  I guess you could send me
back to Mom..."

   Okay, Deena's playing her biggest card.

   "Won't do that, baby, not unless you want to go..."

   "I don't want to go.  And I don't want to go back to being just 'Deena,
academically precocious daughter', either.  I get to have the same feelings
that Haley had." She sighed.  "Dad, I have feelings, and I can't deny them.
Not any more."

   "I don't ...  You shouldn't..." he tried to argue.

   "Maybe so," she said.  "But I do.  And Haley and I, we want to share
you."

   "What?  What kind of marriage ...  Haley?"

   "Baby," I said, "I love you.  So does Deena.  We already told you that.
And we'll both tell you that every day for the rest of our lives together."

   "But we want YOU to want this, too," Deena said.  "I loved that. 
Sucking you.  It's like I finally got parts of you that I've been
missing..."

   "Deena," Bill said, putting his arm around her, pulling her close, "I
didn't do this ...  bring you here to live with me, for this..."

   "I know, Dad," she said in her 'little girl' voice.  "This is something
that just grew ...  I mean, I saw my SISTER with you - so happy, so
fulfilled.  I had to drag it out of her, to tell me how much THAT part
meant.  It was missing for me, Dad ...  I had more love, DIFFERENT love
that I wanted to share with you..." she stopped.  Looked back at him, a
tear starting down a cheek.  "That's all.  I wanted to be everything to you
like Haley's everything to you.  Dad, is that wrong?"

   He pulled her over into both arms, holding her.  "No, I guess not,
Deena. You've always been different ...  You know that.  I was surprised
that you and Haley became friends years ago."

   "Haley's my sister.  Didn't know that then, Dad.  You have sisters..."

   "It ...  you two ...  this is going to be difficult for me ...  Deena,
you've been my daughter for fourteen years..."

   "But if I wasn't your daughter, then ...  If it was me 'n' Haley,
sisters..."

   "It was hard for me to steel myself to accept Haley as my lover, Deena.
She knows that.  But once it was a fact, I couldn't, didn't want to stop.
Never..."

   "And me, Dad?" she asked.

   "Haley, what all have you two talked about?"

   "Everything.  She wanted to know why I look so serene sometimes..."

   "Dad, Mom gave me her version of The Talk.  She left out a lot of stuff.
I listened to a lot of stuff at school, and from what Haley's told me, a
lot of that stuff they think they know is pure crap.  Haley told me the
truth.  Trouble is, my sister's defective."

   "Defective?!?" I squawked.

   Bill looked at Deena.  "How's Haley defective?"

   "She did a poor job of making sex sound like it wasn't that much fun. 
She can't tell me about anything having to do with sex without thinking of
her and you doing it, and she starts smiling..."

   "Well, I can't help that, Deena..." I started.  "He's that good!"

   "Thank you, baby," Bill said, starting to smile.

   "Was I good?" Deena asked.

   "Very good," Bill said.  "Fantastic."

   "My first time," Deena grinned.

   "It had better be, little girl," Bill retorted.

   "Uh, speaking of first times..." she said.

   "Deena," Bill said.  "That's a big step..."

   "Dad," she answered, "tonight.  With you.  Once and forever." She
paused. "Or would you prefer I do it with a stranger?"

   "I'd prefer that you wait until you're married."

   "You 'n' Haley didn't wait..."

   I'm thinking that I don't want to play cards with Deena.  She keeps
pulling trump cards out.

   And then my Bill, MY terribly smart Bill, played the wrong card.  "When
Haley and I mated for the first time, THAT was when we became married."

   I noted his expression, like he was confident that he'd won at least a
little bit.

   Wrong.  Deena kissed him.  At first he fought back, but then I saw his
lips soften to meld with hers.  She pulled back.

   "So marry me, too..."

   He looked stunned when he turned to me.

   "Don't make us tie you to the bed in your sleep, baby."

   "Deena, first time might hurt..."

   Giggle.  "Baby, we talked about that..."

   "I've been sort of stretching things..."

   "In other words," he said, "you two were pretty sure that I was going to
be on board with this..."

   "Sooner or later, baby.  If we kept running around nude ...  Like just a
little while ago, she had her head on your lap, and I don't think you were
paying attention.  That thing you do with me, where you drop my hair on
your dick?  You were doing it with Deena."

   "I was just zoned out," he said defensively.  "And I guess part of it is
that Deena is a pretty girl and I am a normal male..."

   "And that's what this is about.  We all go into the bedroom and get in
bed and you and Deena mate."

   "Is that what you two have planned?  He asked.  "How much thought HAVE
you given this?"

   "Some," Deena giggled.  "I'm the one that came up with the idea of her
bein' there the first time me 'n' you did it.  But if having her there
watching ...  I heard that it can be a turn-off."

   "Although you didn't seem to have any problem with having both of us
love you just now..."

   "And make no mistake, Dad," Deena said.  "This IS about love." Smirk. 
"And you're not complaining about this..." and she squeezed his shaft.

   He moaned.

   "My hand.  Did you lose track of our hands, Dad?" she giggled.

   "Yes, I did.  You two are very distracting."

   "What?" I giggled, sensing that the battle was over.  "Titties?" And I
rose up, putting a nipple in front of him.

   "Tease!" he said, right before his lips fastened to it.

   I love it.  I clapped my hand on the back of his head, tossed my head
back.  "Mmmmmm."

   "Do me!" Deena squealed, positioning herself.

   "You stopped," Bill whined.

   "I got it," I giggled.

   Deena's titties, like I said before, are a bit bigger, rounder, than
mine.  I know exactly how suckable they are and exactly how much she loves
having them attended to.

   Thought I did, anyway.  She reveled in Bill's lips and tongue.

   "Oh, look what I found," I said.

   "What?!?" Deena gasped.

   "A wonderfully hard dick."

   "Goody." She hopped backward off him, grabbed his hand.  "Dad, it's
time..."

   "Oh, you'll HATE it," I giggled.

   I guess my Bill just gave up to the inevitable.  I mean, his other
option would leave us crying, and I really don't see my Bill as one who'd
make either of us cry.

   Master bedroom.  OUR arena.  We pulled the covers back, pushed Bill down
in the middle.

   "I give up," he said.

   "Good," I told him.

   Deena plopped down beside him on one side, I took the other.

   "So you're not gonna freak if I play with this?" Deena asked.

   "Haley, did you explain the laws?"

   "She knows," I affirmed.

   "It's beautiful," Deena said, getting close, worshiping his new
erection.

   "Let 'im play with you, Deena."

   "Oh god, yes, Dad," she paused.  "Bill..." and she turned around in the
bed to present her bottom.

   "D'ya like it, Bill?" she asked.

   "Beautiful," Bill said.

   "Kiss it," I said.

   "You want me to kiss it, Deena..."

   "Wonderful," she said.  "I'm gonna..."

   And he winced as she sucked him into her mouth again.

   Bill pulled her over the top of him for their first sixty-nine together.
Didn't stay that way long, though, before she rolled sideways.

   "Gotta have it, D ...  Bill," she said.

   "You need to be on top for your first time.  That way YOU control how
fast and how deep."

   I smiled.  I remember that speech given to me once myself.

   "Like this?" And she swung around, tossing a long, slender leg over him,
positioning herself, lowering, so she could rub...

   "Ahhhhhh.  This is REALLY good..."

   "Bet you're glad you came earlier, huh?" I asked.

   "Ohgodyes..."

   "She's beautiful, Bill.  You both are beautiful together..."

   Deena looked at me, euphoric smile on her face.  "It's time..."

   She raised up, reached, tentatively guided his dick and eased down. 
"Ohhhh..." Rose up.  Back down.  "Ohhhmmmm." Deeper.  One more and a little
heave and...  "Dad.  You're in me ...  All the way in me."

   Bill curled up and gathered her in his arms and they kissed.

   "Deena, baby," he sighed.

   "Make me ...  push.  Move..." she breathed huskily.  She rose a little,
settled back down, a bit higher the next time, then "Ohhhhhh" as he went
back inside her.

   "Hold onto me, baby," Bill said.  She wrapped her arms around him and he
rolled the two of them over, putting himself between Deena's thighs.

   "Oh yeah ...  like this..." she smiled beatifically.

   Bill thrust tentatively.  "Are you okay?"

   "More like that..."

   I couldn't stand not having a little participation.  He didn't yet know
of the sexuality between me and Deena, so I gently reached up under his
butt and cupped his balls.

   "Mmmmm ...  Haley..." and he kept thrusting.

   Deena was breathing sharply with each thrust.  "Yeah, Dad ...  Yeah... "
and in a minute...  "Don't stop ...  I'm gonna...  " and then
"ENnnggghhhhhh!"

   I felt my Bill's balls draw up and then start bouncing as he squirted
his fire into his Deena.  My Deena.

   She was still squealing through clenched teeth with her own orgasm.

   Bill's balls stopped jumping, so I knew ...  He bent down and kissed
Deena.  She responded by wrapping him up.  "I love you ...  Dad ...  Bill
...  Whatever.  I love you..."

   "I love you too, baby," he said.

   "Like that, Dad?"

   "Like that, too..."

   "I felt you doin' it..."

   "I felt you doin' it, too."

   "I saw you doin' it," I said.

   Bill rolled off Deena, his dick flaccid, covered with juice.  Okay, I've
been taking care of THAT problem for more than two years, so while my two
mates are drifting down from orgasm, I simply crawl over and suck and lick
him clean, letting him shake and moan from the attention.

   Then I look over and see something indescribably sexy and irresistible
...  Deena's got a pretty pussy.  And right now it's still bright pink and
distended and a rope of Bill's semen is starting to drip out of it, running
toward her butt.

   'Haley, you've licked that pussy before,' I told myself, 'and this is
even better'.  And I gently spread her legs and crawled between them and...

   "Ohgod Haley ...  I can't take it!"

   "Mmmmm, tasty," I said.

   And Bill propped up on an elbow and saw me eating Deena's pussy.

   "I suppose this is part of the package, huh?" he sighed.

   "Y ...  Ohgod Haley ...  There..." Deena gasped.

   Now I harbored a tiny thought that him finding out that me 'n' Deena
were doing it would turn him off.

   The bed moved.  Bill, moving around.  I felt his hands grasp my hips,
raising them, then I felt the indescribable ecstasy of his dick pushing
into my pussy from behind.

   I guess that me eating Deena's not a problem.

   It's us now.  All three of us, I'm thinking, and he pounds me ...  My
face is in Deena's pussy when I start to come.  And I think Bill's
Superman, because mine triggers his.

   Now all three of us...

   No.  Giggle.  "I always loved eating you when y'all'd had sex before,"
Deena tittered.

   Three of us, all in a pile in the bed, almost immobilized.  I moved just
enough to kiss my Bill.

   "Baby?  Can we please make this work?"





   Chapter 28

   Bill's turn:

   I'm surely bound for hell.  Taboos.  I've broken too many of them
-having sex with fourteen year old girls, two of them now.  Haley was just
a few days past fourteen when we went to bed together for the first time.
And now Deena...

   Double hell.  Deena's my daughter.  Has been for all her fourteen years.
For those fourteen years I've been 'Daddy' and now 'Dad', even though at
the time of her mom's impregnation, that woman was not being particularly
wifely.  I sometimes harbored the idea that maybe Deena wasn't genetically
mine, but that never stopped me.  My daughter.  Deena.  Cute, fourteen year
old blonde.

   Losing her in the divorce was horrible, but even though many fathers
can't or won't stay in their kids' lives after a divorce, that wasn't me. I
did weekends and weekdays, each time picking her up at her mom's, my
jealousy grating me as I saw her mom with a new husband.

   I bought the house, and thought that I had a great opportunity for me
and Deena to get close.  The new house got me Haley.  Haley who seemed to
need my friendship.  Haley who, at first, Deena treated as a second-class
human.

   I didn't let my daughter become one of THOSE people, and she soon
treated Haley as part of the family when she was with us.  They became
friends.

   I married Haley.  I married Deena's best friend.  I married the person
that Deena saw as a sister.  Deena moved in with us, claiming that her
step-dad was starting to make little remarks.  I believed her.  After all,
the sleazeball had already demonstrated that morals were flexible in his
eyes.

   So Deena and Haley lived with me.  Haley as my wife.  Deena as my
daughter.

   Things happened at school and at work and we found ourselves on
completely unfamiliar territory in both arenas.

   My teen wife and my teen daughter - in college.  I thought it was cute
the way they bantered about them being sisters one moment and step-mom and
step-daughter the next.

   Seeing the two of them bound around the house was very pleasant from a
strictly physical vantage.  They were a study in teen feminine contrast. 
Deena at fourteen was equal in height to Haley, two years older.  Deena was
blonde, blue-eyed.  My Haley was every sexy possibility one could imagine
from her brown-eyed, brunette self, and I suppose that I did get some
measure of pleasure from seeing the two of them every evening, clad in
nightshirts around the house.

   I survived without lusting inappropriately because Haley took me to bed
with her each night and loved me, relieving me of any pent-up tensions that
might be spent lusting after forbidden fruit that was shown me by my
daughter.

   Then came the news.  The two of them were interested in heredity and
DNA, so we took a test.

   Disaster.  As I feared, Deena's not my daughter, at least from the
aspect of being a product of my sperm and her mom's egg.  From the aspect
of fourteen years of 'Daddy', she's my daughter.

   Other side of the coin is that her actual male progenitor had also
deposited a load in Haley's mom two years before creating my Deena.  The
two of them - half-sisters.

   There was a little, no, a lot of discussion about Deena's status in MY
life.  I told her she was MY daughter, test or no test.

   Life started to level out.  It was still joyful to me to see the two of
them around the house, just plain pleasant on the eyes.

   I thought I noticed that Deena was finding excuses to end up in my lap
just a little more frequently than before.  That was after my trip out of
town.  I was gone two nights.  When I came back, it's almost as if I sensed
some change.  She was a little more huggy-kissy.  Haley was still Haley,
this perfect little bundle of brains and cuteness that pushed every button
I had.

   Seriously, I felt a change in atmosphere, but I kept telling myself that
I was imagining things.

   Then there was the night that she dropped her towel in front of me and
Haley.  She was going through some laundry looking for her nightshirt,
wrapped in a bath towel.

   "What's the big deal, Dad?  You used to change my diapers.  Bathe me..."
she said, exasperated.

   "You didn't have titties then."

   She dropped her nightshirt over her head.  No panties.

   I should've noted that Haley said nothing.

   "Besides, I'm not the first teen girl to run around here naked," she
said.

   "I married the other one.  She can run around naked all she wants.  I
get to SEE her."

   Sometimes I think I'm indescribably dense, because when the words left
my mouth, I turned to see Haley stripping her night shirt over her head.

   "Haley!" I blurted.

   "Well, you said..." she said with a little smirk.

   "I was exaggerating for my smart-assed daughter," I said.

   "We used to like it, you know.  Skin gets to breathe ...  Unless you
just said that to get to see me running around naked."

   Okay, that's the second reason.  It DOES feel good.

   Manipulated.  Maybe I wasn't that difficult to manipulate, but we all
ended up nude, and agreed that nudity at night was an option.

   And from that night, EVERY night they exercised that option.  If I
thought the two of them werecute while clothed, they're even cuter nude.

   My Haley's got these beautiful conical titties - not even a B cup. 
Deena's beaten her by a bra size, and Deena's are rounded.  Haley's got a
patch of brown, sparse pubic hair.  Deena's - light brown - blonde.

   Two shapely little butts.

   I thought that the nudity would be a reason for Deena to be less huggy,
but I was wrong.  If anything...

   The nudity became the norm.  After showers, in the evening, whatever we
did around the house, we did behind pulled shades, but it was just the same
stuff we did before, when we did it all while wearing clothes.

   Then the one evening.  Started off when Deena came out of the shower,
towel wrapped around her wet hair.

   Haley was on the sofa.  I was in my recliner.  Had we been dressed,
Haley would have likely been curled up in my lap, but with us both naked,
well, I didn't think it proper for Deena to walk in and find Haley and me
coupled together.

   Deena pushed Haley's legs apart, sat between them on the floor and told
Haley to dry her hair.

   I'm thinking it's cute - the two females I love most in the world,
together.

   They changed places, Deena providing the service for Haley.  I watched
Haley lounge back between Deena's thighs.  Okay, I got hard.  Happened
often enough, but I was getting used to the sight of the two of them.

   We chose a TV show, I sat on the sofa, Haley lay down and put her head
in my lap.  I like this.  All along, it's almost innocent.  I stroke her
head, playing with her still-damp hair.  I pick up a few strands and drop
them on my dick.

   We've done this for years, usually a precursor to her rolling over and
fondling and sucking me.  With Deena, that's not going to happen.

   Haley got up to go to the bathroom and Deena took the same position. 
This was something that Deena did from time to time - same thing - caress,
touch - my daughter.  Except this time, I sort of zoned out, picked up
strands of blonde hair, still cool and damp, and dropped it on my dick.

   Haley slid up on the floor, laid HER head on my thigh and said, "Got
your girls, huh?"

   I did.  Still mostly zoned out ...  And I felt breath blowing across my
exposed dick.

   "Y'all need to get up," I blurted.  When they moved I jumped up.

   Deena was first.  "What's wrong?  I was comfortable..."

   "This is what I mean," I said, shame rising.  "I know it all feels good,
but I get sexual feelings.  I can't help it."

   Deena spoke again.  "It's okay, Dad.  She's your wife."

   I stuttered.  "I'm sorry," Haley said.  "I didn't mean..."

   "It's okay baby..." I told her.  "You and me ...  But it's BOTH of you
together.  You're both beautiful and it's just too much ...  TWO of you..."

   "Me?!?" Deena squeaked.

   Shame burned my cheeks.

   "I'm sorry, baby.  Yes.  You.  And you're my daughter..."

   Haley stepped close to me, putting her hand on my arm.  Deena continued,
"I am.  And I'm not ...  It's okay.  Dad.  Or Bill.  I love you both
ways..."

   "Huh?"

   "You've been my dad since I was born and you're perfect like that.  But
Haley got you - the perfect man.  You're handsome an' intelligent an' funny
and caring.  All that.  But she's got you and I'm a little jealous."

   I dropped back onto the sofa.  "Haley?  Did you know about this?"

   "My sister and my best friend, baby.  We talk about everything. 
Including you."

   My eyes darted between the two of them.  "And you're okay knowing that
she feels like this about me?"

   Haley looked toward Deena, smiled.  "She's intelligent, like me and you.
Why wouldn't she see the same things?  WANT the same things?"

   "What's that mean?" I asked.

   Haley sat on my thigh, kissed me.  I started to protest but I relented.

   "Relax, baby.  We don't want anybody hurt here.  You love me.  You love
Deena."

   "I do.  But ...  She's my daughter..."

   "My sister," Haley said, kissing me.  "She loves you.  I love you.  I
get you..." her hand brushed my dick.  "I love you in every way," and she
sank to her knees.  "I wanna love you..." She's always done this thing,
little kisses and bites around my pubic area before she sucks me.

   "Deena, he needs kisses," she said.  Haley's mouth - hot, sucking...

   Deena leaned in, our lips met.  It was NOT a 'hello, daddy' kiss. 
"Sometimes I want it to be Bill, male, like the man my sister gets to
love..."

   I protested, "Deena, baby..."

   "I wanna be 'Deena baby'.  But sometimes I wanna be 'Deena baby' like my
sister is 'Haley baby..."

   Haley left my dick, came up, cheek to cheek with Deena, and kissed me.

   "I'm losing my mind," I sighed.

   "You're not," Deena said.  "Haley just had a taste.  I wanna taste." She
gently replaced Haley's lips with hers, then, "Are you gonna tell me 'no'?"

   I knew Haley was kissing me, the little brown-haired angel, her lips
magical on mine.  Then whose lips closed over the head of my dick?

   "Nnnnn..."

   "Shhhhh!" Haley said.  "Let 'er love you, baby..."

   "She's..."

   "Enjoying something that I enjoy..."

   "Deena..."

   "Love you, Bill," she said, then went back to hotly drawing me into her
mouth.  If she'd never done this, somebody told her what I liked.  Haley, I
thought.  Haley KNEW about this ...  Plotted with her.

   "Haley..." I gasped.  "I'm close..."

   "Deena, he's close.  You want me to finish?"

   "Nnnn-nnnn," Deena voiced.  "Mine.  The whole thing."

   Haley was kissing me when I came.  I came.  In Deena's hungry mouth. 
Sometime later it occurred to me that she was well-informed.  Didn't gag.
Just sucked, making happy noises.  Past my orgasm, she kept sucking. 
'Haley thing,' I thought.

   Haley.  Moved down there, took my dick from Deena, sucked it herself,
right in front of her.

   Sisters.  Sharing.

   Then they squeezed me between them on the sofa.

   "I can't believe I let y'all ...  I did a horrible thing..."

   "Baby," Haley said softly, "Don't tell Deena she did a bad thing..."

   "Dad," Deena said, "for a little while you were Bill to me.  I liked it.
I wanted to love you that way.  I want you to love ME that way.  Me 'n'
Haley..."

   "Dammit, Haley ...  I can't believe you're in on this."

   "Baby," she replied, "You're our provider and protector.  You're our
strength.  We love you."

   "I'm supposed to PROTECT Deena from this..."

   Deena hugged herself against me.  "So protect me.  From other men. 
Don't let them do this.  I didn't want another man, I wanted you.  You're
mine."

   "But Haley ...  We're married."

   "And you're still married to Haley.  Right, Haley?"

   "Only forever..."

   "But she just sucked me, Haley."

   "Like a super kiss, baby," Haley said.  "But she needs more..."

   I protested.  "Not right."

   "Genetically, it's the same as me 'n' you," Haley said.  "You just
started loving Deena from a different place first." She kissed me like she
was comforting a child.  "You and me ...  Forever.  You and Deena, forever,
too.  She could go out and find another man, but I doubt it.  Forever, us,
okay?"

   "Won't happen, Dad," Deena said.  "You 'n' me, just like you 'n' Haley,
except we can't get a license.  But the same..." She sighed.  "Or I guess
you could send me back to Mom."

   I knew I couldn't do that.  Deena's my charge, my responsibility, my
DAUGHTER.  "I won't do that."

   "Then I don't want to go back to being just your daughter.  I have
feelings that I can't deny.  You know what they are now.  I get to have the
same feelings Haley has.  I want you to feel the same way about me as you
do about Haley."

   "I can't..." I protested.  "I shouldn't..."

   "Maybe you shouldn't," Deena said, "but me 'n' Haley, we want to share
you..."

   "What kind of marriage?  Haley?" I asked.

   "We both love you.  We already said that.  And we'll tell you that every
day for the rest of our lives."

   More talk.  They're convinced.  They want me.  I don't know how this
happened.  Strange enough that I get Haley.  Now both of them.

   Deena told me about dragging facts from Haley about how we loved each
other, extracting details, getting more and more convinced that not only
did she have those feelings for me, but that she wanted to experience that
same totality of love.

   Haley had protested, but Deena says Haley just couldn't hide the joy she
got.  What started out as 'The Talk' between teenaged girls, one
experienced, the other virginal, turned into this.

   And this was heading for the final step.  I knew that the next step was
supposed to be a line of demarcation in a young girl's life.  I protested.

   "Baby, that's a big step.  You don't have to..."

   She interrupted.  "Tonight.  With you."

   "You need to wait until you're married..."

   "You 'n' Haley didn't..."

   "When Haley and I did it, that's when we became married," I said.  I
remember the conversation, as much Haley's affirmation as mine.  I thought
I might have won.

   Wrong.  Deena scooted up to kiss me.  "So marry me now."

   And there I was, between my daughter's thighs, coming hard inside her,
Haley's participation marked by her hand feeling my balls pulse as I
emptied into Deena.  I retained just enough sentience to feel her, hear her
as she came with me.  She pushed up from the bed with her hips, wrapped her
arms around me, said, "I love you..." breathlessly, "Dad, Bill,
whatever..."

   "I love you too, baby..." I said.  No guilt right now.  I'm still buried
in heaven.

   "Like that?" she asked.

   I kissed her.  "Yes, like that."

   "I felt you squirting in me.  Haley says it squirted.  I felt it when I
was suckin' you, but I felt it there..."

   "I felt you come, too, baby."

   "I SAW you come, baby," Haley said.

   I rolled sideways off Deena, my dick flaccid.

   Almost without hesitation, Haley crawled over, sucked my slick dick.  No
surprise ...  She's been doing that after we make love for the last two
years.  The surprise is that it's not HER juice mixed with mine.

   Big surprise.  She moved right over and started lapping at Deena's wet
pussy.

   "You're really tasty today," Haley said.

   Today?  Is this part of the package?  The fact that Deena's not
surprised and Haley didn't hesitate - this is something they're familiar
with.

   "I suppose this is part of the package," I said.

   I don't think either of them heard me, because Deena was gasping "Haley!
Right.  There!"

   Oh, gee ...  where'd this erection come from?  Haley - she's on her
knees, bent over with her face in Deena's pussy and her butt...

   I knelt behind her, saw a slick, pink pair of lips parting just a tiny
bit in expectation.  I maneuvered a bit closer, dragged the head of my dick
between those juicy lips, then pushed into a slick, tight cavity.

   This was gonna be number three - a lot for an evening for a
forty-something dude, but if this whole situation didn't cause...

   Oh yeah ...  there it is ...  thrust.

   Giggle from Haley.  "He's IN me, baby..."

   So Deena's 'baby' to Haley now.  Okay, thrust ...  feel her push back,
muscles in that youthful pussy squeezing, milking, and Deena squealing
through another one, then Haley throwing her head back.  "GO, BABY!" she
squeaked through clinched teeth.

   And I went.  Came.  Whatever...

   No muscles left, I just fell over on my side, gathering Haley into my
arms.

   "My turn," Deena said.

   "Dad, you're all sticky..." and her mouth drew me in.  Giggle.  "You and
Haley taste good." Smack.  Suck.  A little bit, then she let me go.  I was
sad until I heard Haley suck a breath in sharply.  I raised my head enough
to see a blonde bunch of hair bobbing in my Haley's crotch.

   I rolled over and kissed Haley, feeling her breathing change, then a
whimper into my mouth as she came.

   Then I had Deena crawling atop me.  "Guys, I don't know how this is
supposed to work..."

   I rolled onto my back, Haley on my right, Deena on my left.

   "Dad, please don't be mad at us," Deena said.

   "I thought I was Bill just a few minutes ago..."

   "I dunno.  You've been 'Dad' all my life..."

   "Dads don't do what we just did..."

   Haley was propped up on her left elbow now, paying attention.

   "I know," Deena said.  "S'posed to be all wrong ...  But you 'n' Haley -
fourteen.  I'm fourteen."

   "You sure loved me when I was fourteen," Haley inserted.

   "I STILL Love you, princess.  I will love you for the rest of my life.
This..."

   Deena put her finger to my lips.  "Are the words you're going to use,
will they make me happy?  Acknowledge that what we shared tonight was
LOVE?"

   "This is not the normal thing," I said.

   "So neither me nor Deena are normal," Haley said.  "I accept that."

   "I accept that," Deena affirmed.  She grabbed one of my hands, one of
Haley's hands.  "These are my family, husband and wife.  Forever."

   Haley sat up.  "My family, husband and wife, forever."

   I guess that means it's up to me.  I sat up.  "My family.  Wives. 
Sisters.  Daughters.  Forever."

   Kisses were exchanged.

   "It's still a mess," I said.  "Deena, doesn't matter a bit.  I am a
felon for what we've done tonight, no matter how much you wanted it."

   Her head bowed.  "I know.  I can't tell a soul."

   "You can't," I said.  "If word got out - I'm in jail for incest and
statutory rape and those guys don't last long in prison.  If you tell
anybody else, THAT person then has the rope to hang me at any time."

   "Nobody, Dad..."

   "That's what we talked about, Deena," Haley said.  "That's the tough
part.  Me 'n' your dad did that for two years ...  Hardly even held hands
in public.  You and me - we talked.  That's the hard part.  You love 'im so
much, but never in public..."

   "I know," Deena said.

   "And stopping doesn't make it go away, baby," I said.  "We did it..."

   Deena smiled.  Yes, okay ...  TWO smiles on the planet that completely
melt me down, and both of them are in this bed.  "We did it, Dad ... 
Bill..." she sighed.  "Dad, is it gonna freak you out if I call you 'Dad'
while we're making love?  I can't get myself to do 'Bill'."

   "Whatever you want to call me.  I've been proud to be your dad for
years..."

   "Yeah, but..." She paused.  "Dammit, Haley!  No wonder you smile so
much..."

   Haley giggled.  "That's part of why I wanted YOU to do it.  I wanted you
to have the best thing in my life, and he's it!"

   "And now I can pay attention to it," Deena said.  "Bein' nude and seeing
it soft and seeing it hard and ...  Dad, Haley stopped me."

   "Stopped you from what?"

   "About a million things.  I was gonna crawl in bed early one morning and
get you..." Giggle.  "Or wait until you were lounging on the sofa and just
go up to you and suck you..."

   "I don't think I would have reacted well, baby," I said.

   Haley smirked.  "That's what I told her."

   "I still ain't sure how I'm reacting."

   Haley bounced up and kissed me.  "You're reacting well.  This is a
thing. A permanent thing."

   I felt a hand toying with my flaccid dick and for the first time in my
life, I wasn't sure whose hand it was.  I glanced over at Deena.  I have a
pretty good idea, though.

   "This is okay, huh?" Deena asked.

   "What?" Haley and I asked together.

   "Me playing with it ...  Haley, you said y'all used to ...  all the
time..."

   "We did," Haley replied.  "So, yeah..."

   "But it's mine," I protested.  "I get to say..."

   "No," they both said.  "We'll be gentle with you," Haley said.

   "You're gonna have to be..." I paused.  "Uh, question..."

   "Answer," Haley tittered.

   "How long ...  You and Deena ...  each other..."

   "Dad," Deena said defensively, "That's my fault..."

   "Nobody's fault," I replied.  "Just how long..."

   "Your overnight trip last month," Haley said.

   "And this today is because of that?"

   "Not really," Deena said.  "But it put us closer together, so when I
asked about you..."

   Haley laughed, "And those pictures on my iPhone..."

   "Erase those," I said.

   "I will," Haley countered.  "They've served their purpose."

   "Nothing goes outside this house," I said.

   Giggle.  "Anything goes INSIDE this house," Haley said.  "Seriously.  We
get to share.  You.  Me.  Deena."

   "What about showers?" I posed.  "Not big enough for three."

   Deena smiled.  "We'll work up a schedule.  Every day, one of us gets to
shower alone.  The other two..."

   "You mean I shower alone and you and Haley..."

   "Fair, right?" Haley said.  "And if Deena and I shower together, we'll
make very sure you get taken care of, okay?"

   "Poor Daddy," Deena simpered.

   "We'll start tonight with me 'n' you," Haley said.  She turned to Deena.
"Is that okay?"

   "We already showered tonight," Deena protested.

   "Super sex," Haley said.  "Shower afterward."

   "Or not," I countered.  "I can shower in the morning before I go to
work."

   Haley looked thoughtful.  "Then we're already in bed..." She kissed me
softly, gently, something that saps all willpower I may generate, and said
gently, "Baby?  Can we please make this work?"

   "Yeah," Deena said.  "Dad, lay back down.  Haley, show me how to work
this thing..."





   Chapter 29

   Bill's turn:

   "Dave Johnson.  Can I help you?" the disembodied voice on the phone
said.

   "Maybe.  This is Bill Simon."

   "Hey, Bill!  How's it going?  I'm sorry.  I didn't program you as a
contact..."

   "That's okay.  You probably got tired of me trying to recruit you."

   "It's flattering.  What's up?"

   "Uh ...  Dave, guys don't usually do this, but I have some relationship
questions..."

   "Haley?"

   "Yeah..."

   "Oh gosh, Bill ...  Sorry to hear..."

   "No, no ...  It's just, well, different..."

   "Wanna get a beer after four and talk about it?"

   "Yeah ...  And don't think I'm a big pussy about this, okay?"

   "I don't play that game, bud."

   I just told the girls - heaven help me, now it's TWO of them - that I'd
be a little late today.  I know they could make a phone call to Maddie -
she's in the 'friend' circle now - and get more information, and I DID feel
a bit like I was sneaking something, but I had to talk to somebody and the
list of 'I know you have TWO girls in your bed' guys is surprisingly short.

   I showed up at the restaurant - bars are smoky - and ordered an
appetizer just as Dave showed up.  We each ordered a beer.

   "So what's up, buddy?  If you wanna talk..."

   "I have a couple of problems, and I'm hoping you have answers."

   "OK, Bill, I'll try.  But what's on your mind?"

   "Dave, it's actually a single problem, in two parts.  The parts at issue
are Haley and Deena.  And I think it has evolved into a situation similar
to yours with Lita and Brindy.  What should I do?  How should I handle it?

   "Uh, gee, dude!  Isn't Deena your daughter?  Don't you think that's a
little weird?"

   "Long story with a twist at the end.  Let's just condense it to say that
when Deena was conceived, her mom and I were having a rough time and I
didn't get to participate in the conception."

   "You knew this?"

   "I suspected.  But Laney and I, well, when she found out she was
pregnant, it could've been me, and she levelled off for a while.  When the
baby was born, I never searched for a paternity finding.  Just raised Deena
like she was mine."

   "So how'd you find out for sure?  Uh, still weird, though..."

   "Tell me about it.  People roast in hell for this shit..."

   "It's a good thing we believe in grace," Dave said.  "I need a lot of it
...  So..."

   "The little scamps pulled a fast one on me, involving DNA testing. 
Because, their story, and I believe it, they were studying DNA in one of
the biology courses, so they wanted to see OUR profiles.  I couldn't
protest because that would mean that I already suspected."

   "I heard those tests are pretty crappy..." Dave said.  "People send in
their samples twice, get two different results..."

   "That's for the cheap ones - the mass market crap you see in the ads on
TV," I said.  "We popped for a better lab."

   "So you have confidence in the findings?  One test?"

   "Oh, no ...  When we got the first one, the girls sort of freaked,
especially Deena.  We did a second one.  Different lab.  Even MORE
expensive."

   "Engineer.  Gonna get the facts, even when they hurt," Dave said. 
"So..."

   "As it turns out, Dave, Deena isn't actually related to me.  What's
worse, she actually is Haley's half-sister."

   "That's 'lottery ticket' random chance," he said.

   "Got two reports.  After a while you have to accept..."

   "So she's not your biological daughter..."

   "No.  And she's Haley's half-sister, and they have evidently decided
that "sharing their toys" somehow makes sense to them.  And it's scaring me
to death, nearly."

   He stared at me.

   "I know," I said.  "My daughter, for all intents and purposes.  Except
SHE loves my wife ...  and she says that she was jealous and that finding
out that she's not my flesh and blood is one thing, and that me being
father to her, even when I suspected she might not be my real daughter,
that's just wrapping on the package.  Good man.  Married her best friend.
And she's tired of not sharing ALL the toys..."

   "Bill, the only thing I can recommend to you is that you should avoid
this mess if you can.  And whatever you do, don't let Deena get into your
bed."

   "Uhhh," I sighed.  "Dave, I'm afraid the toothpaste is already out of
the tube on that one.  Now what?"

   "Oh, Lord.  Welcome to my world, I guess.  Take your vitamins -- you're
going to need them.  And I'll observe that you have two sets of problems --
one in public and the other in private.  The private one is easy: Treat
them and love them as equally as possible."

   "The public part is a bit more difficult, in some ways.  But appearances
count for a lot, so if they simply dress and act like ladies, that will
solve most of it."

   "Deena's fourteen..."

   "Yeah, okay..." Dave said.  "That means you have to be VERY careful. 
Does your ex know about the tests?"

   "No.  We decided that telling her would be a huge disaster.  She's okay
with Deena living with me ...  But if I wasn't the biological father,
well..."

   "Nothing good there.  Keep that relationship going.  Let her be mom to
her daughter, within the framework of the law..."

   "Got it," I said.  "Haley and I are legally married."

   "So are Carlita and I.  Brindy's forever just a little bit outside
that..."

   "Deena's fourteen."

   He looked at me, studying, for a bit, then, "Can you keep a secret?"

   "I just told you one that would put me in jail for twenty years..."

   "Okay, here's the deal.  Carlita snuck in behind the seat of my truck
when I was at a remote site in Texas.  She's one of those illegal aliens
you hear about all the time.  She traveled from Guatemala disguised as a
boy."

   "Wow!" I said.  I knew that Carlita had some indescribable presence, but
this...

   "She was fourteen, Bill.  Illegal."

   "How..."

   "Paid a five thousand dollar bribe to a guy with the Guatemalan
consulate.  Got her a fake birth certificate, passport and visa.  Those
documents says she's eighteen.  When she got those, we got married.  So,
okay ...  fourteen..."

   "I had no idea..."

   "Not the sort of thing you run around advertising," he said.  "Bill,
guys ain't supposed to say stuff like this, but here goes: I love Carlita.
I love Brindy.  They love each other.  They love me.  And that's in every
aspect of the term 'love'."

   "So it..."

   "It's possible," he said.  "You are in the middle of it.  I hope
everybody's committed, and I hope everybody's mature and intelligent enough
to make it work for you."

   "That 'intelligent' part..."

   "Yeah, the girls tell me.  Brindy's a little jealous.  Brindy's smart,
just not quite up to the rest of them.  And I love her.  Brindy's ...  Oh,
I can't begin to describe how I feel about her that's different about the
way I feel about Carlita, but I love 'em both ...  That's what y'all need
to grow into..."

   "I see," I said.  "Thank you..."

   "For what?"

   "For helping ...  Now, if you'd just sign the papers..."

   "Can you imagine how that's gonna look?  'We have an office down on the
Gulf Coast, two engineers, FOUR wives between them..."

   "They already know about you and yours..."

   "And they can't know about you and yours.  Incest laws ...  Statutory
rape..."

   "Believe me, I looked.  I may have to sand-blast the hard drive on my
computer..."

   "Well, if it's any consolation, when Deena turns seventeen, she can do
anybody ...  except ...  incest..."

   "She knows that.  Those two, I'd be afraid of what their search history
looks like..."

   "So she knows how serious..."

   "Yes.  And they're already plotting to legally reveal my non-paternity
when she turns seventeen..."

   "Holy cow..."

   "That's some of what I said."

   "Take your vitamins.  I won't tell you about exercise.  You're likely to
get plenty..."

   We paid the tab and parted on that note.  Really would like to have him
on board with the company.

   On the way home I am thinking about all this, and one of the things that
shows up is that my balls start tightening in anticipation.  Whatever my
conscience and my good sense may say, my gonads are very happy with the
arrangement.

   I hit the hands-free system on my car, dialed Haley.  Haley's still
first - official wife and all that.

   "Hey, honey," the voice said brightly.  "How'd your meeting go?"

   Okay, honesty's supposed to come into play here, so...  "Wasn't really a
meeting.  Met Dave..."

   "Carlita 'n' Brindy's Dave?"

   "Yep."

   "Why?"

   "Because I'm a man with two wives and I don't know how to handle it. 
What I'm supposed to think ...  How I'm supposed to work with TWO of you."

   "You just come home," she purred.  "Everybody here loves you and we'll
help you work it all out."

   "You didn't ask what he said."

   "Honey, I talk with Brindy and Carlita all the time.  I know that Dave's
figured it out.  So will we."

   I heard rustling, then "Hi, Dad..." Deena.  And that 'Dad' thing that
gives my conscience so many hurdles, none of which seem to affect the joy
that my dick finds.

   "Hi, baby..."

   "You talked with Dave?"

   "Yeah."

   Giggle.  "I told Haley you would."

   "Well..."

   "It's okay, Dad.  I know it's because you're a good man and you worry
about doing bad things.  I love you for exactly that reason." Giggle. 
"Well, that's ONE reason.  Hurry home.  Your other wife is touching me
inappropriately."

   "AM NOT!" I heard Haley squeal.  "It's entirely appropriate..."

   And heaven help me, I got harder.

   They had dinner ready when I got home, simple bit of beef, some
vegetables, some small potatoes boiled with herbs and butter.  I know that
between them they can come up with more elaborate fare, or they can simply
say 'restaurant'.  This is nice, though.

   To an outside observer, it looks like a completely normal scene, a man
with two young girls seated at a table enjoying a meal.

   "So what did Dave say?"

   "At first he was weirded out because you're my daughter..."

   Giggle.  "I am.  Sort of..."

   "You explained," Haley stated.

   "Of course."

   "That's a piece of data," she said.  I sort of told Carlita..."

   "So Carlita knows."

   "And she won't tell a soul, baby," Haley told me softly.  "She
understands."

   "So if you talked to Carlita..."

   "And Brindy," Deena added.  "They sort of go together." Giggle.  "I was
gonna say 'come together' but then you'd take it wrong..." her eyes
twinkled.

   "Y'all are going to kill me, aren't you?"

   "No, baby.  We'll stop if you become unconscious."

   Haley picked up a potato on her fork.  "We had to shop for the right
potatoes," she announced.

   "Yeah," Deena followed.

   "Because they had to be EXACTLY the right size," Haley spouted.

   "So we could do this..." Deena added, putting a similar-sized potato,
slick with butter, up to her mouth and very slowly licking.

   "Same size as..." Haley said, sucking the little potato into her mouth.
"Mmmmmm..."

   "You two are entirely too young to know what you're doing..."

   "My idea," Haley said.  "Deena's sooooo innocent."

   "Mmmmmm," Deena said, eyes laughing.  "I'm innocent.  But I'm thinking
'Deena, you know what's EXACTLY this size?  And don't you LOVE to suck it?"

   Made it through dinner.  Barely.

   "It's still NEW!" Deena said, taking me by the hand.  "Haley's been
doin' it for two years.  I've only had a few days..."

   Haley was behind me, pushing.  So much for questions about her being put
off by the arrangement.  The bed awaited.  New bed.  King-sized.  Sheets
... They'd already turned the covers back.

   The three of us stripped at the same time, the two of them on one side
of the bed, me on the other ...  Finished, they stood side by side.  I
could notice and savor the contrast.  Haley was that olive-skinned,
dark-haired thing that a lot of Cajun girls tended towards.  Deena was
pink. White skin.  Blonde hair.  Right down to the tuft of down on her
pubic mound, reminding me that she was THAT young.

   When I stood after removing my socks, I was erect.

   "Get in the middle," Deena said.

   I did.  Ended up with a nymph on either side of me.

   Giggle.  "He's already leaking," Deena said.

   "If you don't get it, I will," Haley giggled.

   That's the operative thing here.  These girls are having fun and I'm in
the middle of it.  I love them both, intensely, and I think they love me
and each other, but here on the bed, it's every man for himself.

   Giggle.  "Potatoes," Haley laughed.

   "AN' a plum," countered Deena.

   The result of that line of conversation was two heads in my crotch, one
with a testicle, one with the head of my dick.

   Giggle.  "it's soooo good." Deena.

   "Told you." Haley.

   "Don't make 'im come just yet." Deena.  That meant that my dick was in
Haley's mouth.  I don't know.  My eyes are closed in ecstasy and I haven't
yet learned to tell one pair of happy lips from another.  Ol' Dickie was in
nirvana - so many ways for him to be hot and wet and happy.

   "I'd like to eat somebody," I announced between surges of wonderful
sensations.

   "I got this," Haley said.  "You..." and she gave Deena a nudge.  I found
my nose tickled by fair hair, the pubic hair of Deena, who once was my
daughter.

   She's delicious.  And responsive.

   "OHGODDDDD!  That's gooooood!"

   "You come," Haley said between languorous sucks on my shaft.  "And I get
this one ...  Then somebody gets me..." suck.  "GODIloveyourdick..."

   Sigh.  "His tongue's ...  Nnngghhh ...  not bad either."

   Deena was sitting astride my face.  She fell forward.  "Let me have some
of that," she told Haley.

   "You do that, and I get to help 'im," Haley said.  She moved around,
joined me at Deena's pink butt.  She pushed Deena's butt aside, kissed me,
then gave Deena a lick.  "Delicious, huh?" she asked me.

   I was going to answer, but teeth sank into the shaft of my erection,
right on the edge of pain, a result of 'show me how this thing works' from
Deena to Haley.  Haley was early on, "Baby, can I bite it just a little?  I
need to bite it."

   I was being bitten.

   "Haley, uhhhh ...  oh..." Haley's tongue at one end and my tongue at the
other end of Deena's pink wet pussy was demolishing her speech
capabilities. Finally, "He's gonna come..."

   "I get that one," Haley said.  She kissed my face before she left for my
other end.  My hands grasped Deena's butt, holding her writhing hips in
place while I savored her juices.  I knew she was close to her peak.  I
know I was close to mine.

   Haley's mouth ...  Started at the base of my dick.  Tongue traced across
my scrotum, then teeth fastened to my dick, sideways, in her mouth.  She
shook her head, her tongue hitting that ridge, THAT spot, that she'd
discovered two years ago.

   "Like eating an ear of corn," she said to me then.  "And when I get to
the end, there's butter."

   She got to the end today.  There was butter.  Wonderful, sucking,
licking, her hand milking, my orgasm enhanced by the flow of juice from
Deena's post-orgasmic pussy.

   Deena rolled off me, almost unconscious.  Haley came up beside me,
kissed me.  "So good, baby..."

   "Oh, yesssss," I sighed.

   Deena turned around, kissed me, then where I could view at close range,
she kissed Haley.

   "Mmmmm.  I taste 'im."

   Giggle.  "Love it, don't you?"

   "Uh-huh." Giggle.  "Your turn." Deena pushed Haley onto her back.  I
rolled over to kiss her.  Our lips were welded together, tongues playing,
when she went 'Mmmm' into my mouth.  I reached down, felt Deena's tousled
head in Haley's crotch.

   Haley's still beautiful in that understated 'brown-haired girl' way of
hers.  I love her.  I would have certainly spent my life with her as my
mate.  Right now, though, she's sighing into my kisses, wiggling as Deena
does untold things to her pussy.  It's a cute pussy.  Plump, tight-lipped,
tiny inner lips that only reveal themselves when she's aroused.  I think it
magical.  Apparently, so does Deena.

   I showered kisses on her lips, face, that pair of delectable little
titties, held her torso when she whimpered through an orgasm.

   "That's one," Deena tittered.

   The sight before me, Deena's face glistening with Haley's juice, Haley
nude, that patch of straight almost black pubic hair there ...  I was hard.

   "I need you..." I whispered hoarsely.

   "Nnnnnn," was all she could manage to vocalize, but her legs spread.  I
moved between them, Deena's hands cupping my nuts.

   Haley managed a tiny little "Ohhh" when I entered her, hot, still
steaming from coming only moments before.  I sank right into tight, warm
heat, Deena's fingers still cupping, tugging, urging me ...  I felt teeth
on my butt.

   "Slowwww," Haley said.  "All the way.  Slowwww."

   I complied.

   "Man, that's sooo sexy," Deena said.

   I felt the bed move, Deena doing something, but I was too busy with my
Haley to care.  I kept on, meeting her upward thrusts with my happy
plunges.

   "I'm getting close, baby," she sighed.  "Faster..."

   "Can't.  I'm about..."

   "Faster!"

   I can do that, but...

   "Fasterrrrrrr..."

   Okay.  One two three four "Hunnnngghhhhh!"

   And a hiss escapes her lips.  "Yessssssss!"

   I ain't stopping with THAT push.

   "OHGODBILL!!!!  Yessssss!!!!!"

   One more push...

   "MMMMMMMYESSSSSSS!"

   We hunched into each other, gasping for breath, holding tight.  Finally,
she slumped back down, me still wrapped in her legs.

   "Best ever, lover," she sighed.  "Love you in me..."

   And we both heard a giggle.

   "Deena..."

   Giggle.  "Got it ALL on video.  Right up to where your stuff gets pumped
out of her at the end..."

   "Deena!" Haley squeaked.

   "Oh, you're one to talk," she laughed.  "Little Miss 'I got pictures of
me 'n' Bill'.  You gotta see it all.  I had no idea ...  I could see every
bit of it working."

   "Baby," I started.

   "Yeah, I know.  Child porn.  But I KNOW you wanna watch, huh!"

   "Let's run it on Apple TV," Haley popped.

   "You're still dripping," Deena noted.

   "Oh, whatever shall I do?" Haley faked a whine.

   "Mine," Deena giggled.  "I get BOTH of you." And she dove into Haley's
spreading legs.  Haley gasped at first, then relaxed and let an orgasm wash
over her.

   When she was back with us, she said to me, "You!  Go sit in your
recliner.  One of us will get YOU."

   I need to get one of those double recliners because I see where we're
all going to be squeezing into this one.  Well, after Haley finished giving
me a tongue bath.

   Three of us stacked into the recliner, a cozy arrangement.  I turned on
the TV, Haley handled the Apple remote, and there we were on a forty-eight
inch screen.  At least parts of us, anyway.  Haley's thighs, my butt, my
balls bouncing, my dick slick and shining as it pushed in and out of her.

   Deena's right.  I never imagined everything that went on when Haley and
I came.  My ball sack drew up, my dick obviously pulsing into her.  Haley's
whole pussy contracted, all the way to her tight little asshole,
contracting, expanding, like it was pulling life from me.  And at the end,
a big shining glob of white, my semen, oozing out under my dick, starting
to flow slowly down.

   "You can't enter that in the campus photography contest," Haley giggled.
She twisted, kissed me.  "Awesome.  We're awesome, baby."

   Another giggle.  "And you're hard!  I figured this would do it," Deena
tittered.  "Move, Haley.  This 'un's mine."

   The ordeals I have to endure ...  Yes, I was able to generate a third
between six and nine o'clock.  My poor deprived Deena, with a little
assistance from Haley for both of us, did three.

   I staggered to the bathroom afterward.  According to the published
schedule, tonight's a me 'n' Haley night.  Two people in the shower was
comfortable.  We had the water running, were soaping up, when the door slid
open.  Of course it's Deena.

   "Thought we'd push 'family time' tonight," she said.

   "Seriously, baby," Haley laughed.  "Let's get a contractor to look at a
bigger shower.  We can push into the spare bedroom."

   "We can get prices," I said.  "Look at options..."

   "One of those multiple showerhead things," Deena cooed.  "Of course,
there is something to say for being close..." Her hand ran into Haley's.  I
never have to worry about unwashed genitalia again.

   Rinsing time came.  Three-way.  And in the middle of that wet hug, I got
two looks.

   "Please tell us this is gonna work."





   Chapter 30

   Haley's turn:

   I suppose that if I talked to MOST people, I'd come off as badly
deluded, evil, or just plain wrong.

   I'd say I don't care, but I DO care about how people think of me and my
family, and right now my immediate family is me and my Bill and my Deena.

   I just got back into bed.  I shouldn't have drunk that glass of water
that close to bedtime, but right now, in the dim light of the darkened
room, I see my Bill and my Deena asleep together, and it's beautiful.  I
imagine that if I was in bed right now, one of them would look at me with
the love I'm feeling.  They're beautiful.  Bill was on his side facing me,
Deena close behind him, her arm drawn up between them.

   Poor Bill may never get a chance to stretch out by himself again.  I
gently crawl back into bed, back up into him, making a Bill sandwich.  I
reach behind me, find his right hand, pull it around me.  This is my safe
place.

   Let others say it's wrong.  I am Haley Simon, and this is Bill Simon, my
husband, and Deena Simon, my sister and wife, and there's love wrapped all
the way around the three of us.  I chose Bill.  Bill chose me.  Deena's
just entwined all around and in between and through us, my best friend.  My
fellow student.  Bill's daughter, or so we thought, and now, our mate.

   That last wiggle, I sort of struck paydirt.  I feel him soft, gently
pressing against me.  If the poor thing didn't have to go to work, if it
was Saturday or Sunday, I just might turn around and get something started.
Middle of the night ones are good.

   They've disappeared.  Since it became me 'n' Bill 'n' Deena instead of
just me 'n' Bill, we've just been TOO satisfied, I guess.  I'm waiting for
this coming weekend to see.  Gonna run some experiments.

   "How much is the MOST y'all did it in twenty-four hours?" Deena asked
me.

   "I think I got HIM five, maybe six times..." I smiled, got those twinges
in my pussy thinking about that happening, not just once, for the record
book, but several times, just because we REALLY like sex with each other.

   "What about you?" Deena pushed.

   "Me?!?  I lost count.  Really.  Passed out.  Might've had 'em while I
was unconscious, for all I know..."

   "You 'n' me," she giggled.  "We did pretty good..."

   "We're female.  Different..."

   "I know.  I looked..."

   "Poor Bill.  He's got limitations.  I had to really work to get that
last one out of 'im."

   "I love that you put yourself out for 'im," she laughed.

   "I think we had blisters."

   But this is still a weeknight and it's for sleeping.

   The next morning, Bill's off to the office, me and Deena hang back,
domesticize for a bit before heading onto campus.  They're starting to get
used to us there.

   History professor.  "Doctor Hanks, I wanna test out of the rest of
this." 'This' being American History since 1877.

   "Honestly, Haley, you feel you've mastered this book?"

   "I've run through this book..."

   "Run through.  Not 'read'." He caught that.

   "I'm more than passably familiar with the course matter."

   "Okay, let's do a little discussion," he said.  "What can you tell me
about the Teapot Dome scandal?"

   "First," I sighed, "government intrusion into energy markets today makes
Teapot Dome look like a snatch and grab at the corner convenience store,
but..." and I gave him a high altitude overview.

   "Okay.  Pre-World War II American policies toward Japan..."

   "Got that."

   "Isolationism pre World War I."

   He hit me with a few more.

   "Okay ...  Come in Monday, early.  I'll give you the end-of-course test.
Now, how do you DO this?"

   "That's just a gift I have.  I read copiously and I retain a lot.  I
looked at this book and said, 'Now, what am I supposed to get out of this
thing?' and that's my approach to most of the peripheral coursework."

   "History is peripheral?  That hurts." His eyes sent a separate message
from the sad words.

   "I LOVE history," I said.  "But engineering is going to pay the bills.
Might still entertain the idea of being a bit of a historian, though."

   "How so?"

   "My husband tells me of the things he sees as technology marches on. 
For instance, EVERYBODY knows somebody who restores old cars.  How many
people are making the effort to keep an old truck going?  And that's just
things on the road.  Industrial equipment of marvelous construction and
capability just disappears from the earth when it's superseded."

   He leaned back in his chair, put an index finger to his chin.  "And you
see that as important?"

   "The men, the equipment, the processes that make life possible, they
come on the scene, do their jobs quietly and just as quietly disappear."

   "Interesting."

   "History," I said.  "In a different perspective.  Like the difference
between a jetski, all fun and wet and happy, and a shrimpboat, just grey
and ugly and plodding along, going out in the morning, coming back in the
evening, putting food on the table in several different ways."

   "Dammit, Haley, you're playing me.  Sounding like a historian."

   I smiled, knowing I'd achieved more results this morning than I'd
planned.  "Just not going to be a person that drifts along on the tides of
time and doesn't see what's behind me."

   "More interesting..."

   "Things disappear.  My husband has a wooden bucket.  We bought it at one
of those craftsy stores.  It's real.  It's old.  They sold it as an accent
or a decoration feature.  Bill bought it because he saw the tie to a change
in the world."

   "How so?"

   "Bill showed me the tool-marks.  That bucket was made by a man who had
hand tools, steel, probably made by a local blacksmith.  The bucket had a
pair of steel bands, also by that blacksmith.  The bucket was wood,
harvested by hand from a forest, each piece formed and fitted, assembled,
by people who could, given a few natural resources and a lot of local
knowledge, have made the iron for the tools, as well.  Now it's replaced."

   "By..." he led me on.

   "By cheap plastic buckets that don't leak at the seams, don't harbor
strange life-forms in porous surfaces, brought into the village by the
dozens after coming from a factory where they're churned out by the
thousands - hundreds an hour, instead of old Wang in his cooperage,
knocking out one or two wooden buckets a day."

   "And you got that lesson from a wooden bucket."

   "Wooden bucket's representative of the grand sweep of history and
civilization."

   "Oh, just go ahead, Haley ...  You should be lecturing here.  Bring your
bucket..." he smiled wistfully.  "Sadly, YOU get it.  I have lecture halls
full of people who won't."

   "You and I - we have to be the keepers.  You, professionally, me,
because in a little way, I love it.  And I'd rather think about Wang, the
cooper, than a bunch of business-suited politicians trading influences for
dollars.  Those facts get recorded in newspapers and magazines and
scholarly books.  Wang the cooper lives on through the work of his hands.
Wang's gone, the bucket's a rustic bit of decoration, and who is going to
find the soul of a civilization in an injection molding machine?'

   "Okay, Haley.  You keep talking, I'm gonna tell you to write this down
and give you credit for one of our 601 courses."

   "You can do that?"

   "I'm the department head.  I can give credit.  601 is special topics in
history, and if you turn me in about twenty pages of Wang the cooper and
industrial history, you get three credit hours.  If you do another one, I'm
liable to give you three more.  Third one, you get a lecture hall to
yourself."

   "Now if you think that's unprecedented," I said.  "My friend in Alabama
was lecturing on math at Auburn when she was fifteen..."

   "I'd like to meet that one.  Much as I question math majors..."

   "Oh, she's not a math major.  She's an engineer.  With a PhD in physics.
Next time she flies in, I'll bring 'er here."

   "I'd enjoy the opportunity," he said.

   So I walked out of that office with a positive result.  Next one was one
of the engineering profs.

   "Good morning Doctor Lan," I said.

   "Haley, how pleasant to see you," he said.  Doctor Lan Hwi is third
generation American.  His English is perfect almost to a fault, belying his
strictly Chinese demeanor.  He's older, very pleasant to deal with, and
amused by both me and Deena.

   After forty minutes in his office, he hands me off to a teaching
assistant and I'm off to take a test.

   I'm late for lunch, but I have an engineering course behind me when I
finally answer Deena's text.  We meet for lunch, bringing along a couple of
other students who jump at the chance to get off-campus.  Quick lunch,
though, because we all have to meet the clock back on campus.

   At the end of the day, Deena and I meet again, walking back to the
student parking lot.

   "Worst part of college," she said.  "The walking back to the parking
lot."

   "Well, if I do that history lecturer thing, I'm gonna hold out for a
campus parking pass," I said.

   Giggle.  "I may try that.  Doctor Hanks doesn't think I'm real anyway."

   "I kinda got lucky.  Bill and I had several discussions about saving
industrial history, so it was an easy shot for me."

   Speaking of easy shots," she said, "what if we got 'im to take off with
us for a couple of nights out of town?  Restaurants.  Hotel room."

   "Thai restaurant.  Don't have one here in town," I returned.

   "That's the excuse we'll use," she laughed.  "Don't want him to think
it's all about sex..."

   "It isn't, but that part's soooo good, huh?"

   "Yeah, but see, I did it different than you."

   "How?"

   "First time I made love, it was to you.  You're female..."

   "Uh-huh.  I checked."

   "And then Dad ...  But you did Dad first, then me.  Haley, I love both
of 'em.  Yours.  His."

   "His what?"

   "Everything.  Really do.  But that thing inside me..."

   "I know ...  I could never be exclusively ...  Aside from being totally
in love with him, that thing ...  You and me?  We have fun, but when that
thing goes in..."

   She smiled.  "Nothing like it.  Truth, though..."

   "Always," I said.

   "Is it BETTER with the three of us?  I mean, when he's in you, I just
can't leave y'all alone."

   "We're still learning, you know," I said.  "But I think it's better."

   "I dunno.  I've never had 'im to myself."

   "You want that?" I asked.

   "I dunno..."

   "I could make sure that I'm not there when he gets home, or go run an
errand ...  But we have to ask him."

   "Ask 'im?"

   'Yeah.  I think that the main thing that keeps this from coming apart is
that when it started, he didn't ...  I guess he was able to build a case in
his mind that me and him were still ...  not quite exclusive, maybe." I
paused.  "Or maybe he does see it that way."

   "I'm an accessory?"

   "Not exactly.  But I think he sees it as an 'us' - the three of us, and
I know it's crazy, but if he just did you without me around, that's
different."

   "Complicated, in other words..."

   "Yeah.  Complicated."

   "I don't wanna get thrown out of the house."

   "You'll never get thrown out, Deena.  I want you, Bill wants you.  It's
just, well, he's still trying to deal with that 'daughter' thing."

   "I know ...  I guess it doesn't help that I keep callin' 'im 'dad'."

   "Yeah, but..." I giggled as we got into the car, "I was suckin' 'im last
night when you said 'Daddy' and I felt a definite pulse..."

   "Kinky," she said as she buckled in.  "Maybe we can play with that."

   "Look," I laughed, "we don't wanna kill 'im..."

   "And I can't imagine it getting any better ...  But it does.  Every
time."

   "I know.  We've done it a million times.  Never gets old." I reached
over and gave her thigh a squeeze.  "And you..."

   "Thank you ...  I'm gonna text 'im and tell 'im we're making hotel
reservations."

   "Okay."

   "I mean, it's FUN, you and me and him, right?"

   "I think so."

   "It's gotta be fun for Dad, too ...  I mean, he could've said 'no'. 
Instead, we cut our hair the same, so he has pink little me and olive
little you, and my blonde head and your brunette..."

   "And I get an innie when I want, and an outie when I want..."

   "Darn," said.  "Right now I'd like his dick in my mouth..."

   "Mmmm," I said.

   "But I'd settle for your nipple..."

   "Might not stop with nipples, okay ...  And when he gets home, we rape
'im."

   "Or we have everything loaded ...  Dammit, I wish I could drive ... 
Have you ever done it in the car?"

   I giggled.  "Once when we first started.  We had to be crazy.  Parked on
a road in the woods.  I unzipped him and sucked him off, then made him pull
his pants down and I rode 'im.  If we'd've been caught, it would've been
horrible..." I smiled thinking about that one.  "And one time I sucked 'im
off.  He didn't stop driving, but I did it.  Got a mouthful..."

   "I could drive and y'all could use the back seat, then you could drive
and I could get my turn..."

   "Throw that little blanket in the car when we get home.  Be sure."

   "Why?"

   "Your idea.  You and Bill get in the back seat, I drive.  Y'all do
it..."

   "But you..."

   "I'm sure I'll get my share of both of you.  Y'all are gonna owe me..."

   Two and a half hours later I'm driving on that long stretch of
interstate, looking in the rear-view mirror.  Bill's laying half-sideways
in the back seat, Deena's head bouncing in his lap.

   "Don't come yet, Dad," she says.  I figure that just about does it
there. She bounces up, smiling.

   "Won't you be glad when I can drive, Haley?"

   "Yeah, I will."

   Deena's wearing a skirt and blouse.  That had Bill asking questions when
he got home.  He knew we were planning the trip, but he didn't know what
else we'd planned.  Deena in a skirt, pushing him into the back seat.

   Now she's almost covered with the blanket, sucking him.

   "You're supposed to cover yourself with the blanket, Deena..."

   "Can't.  I like to see what I'm eating."

   "You okay, baby?" I ask Bill.

   "You two are gonna kill me."

   "How come you're smiling when you say that?"

   A giggle came from his lap.  She bounced up again, pulled the hem of her
skirt up.

   "Sit up, Dad."

   Bill straightened up.  I know what comes next.  Probably both of them.
Bill's pants are down, Deena's panties are off.  And she tosses one of
those athletic legs across him and "Ahhhhhhh, Daddeeee!" and she welded her
mouth to his.

   Okay, yeah ...  I didn't think I'd be so affected, but I saw her toss
that blonde head back and I knew exactly how Bill feels shoving up into me
in that position and she's whimpering in that little squeaky way she does
when she's right on the path to orgasm and Bill's breath is in snorts. 
He's close.

   And she goes 'OHGOD!' and slams down hard.  And Bill hisses.

   Silence.  Then he says, "Oh, baby..."

   And I'm driving with one hand because my jeans are unzipped and loose
and the other hand's...

   Just a little one.  After all, I'm trying to drive.  Fortunately the
road's straight and traffic in this section is light.

   "Baby," I heard Bill say, "the juices are starting to run..."

   Giggle.  "I'll get 'em, Dad, she said.

   I don't know how much of that 'Dad' business is reflexive from fourteen
years of that relationship and how much is because now it's a kind of
naughty way to play, but she slid off him, pushing him to the side of the
back seat then went face down in his lap.  His head lolled back.  I know
the talents of that little girl's tongue.  Now I'm jealous.  We have an
hour's driving yet to go as they reconfigure their clothing.

   "Poor Haley," Deena says.  "You need..."

   "Just had a little one," I said.  "First time I've had to finger myself
since I moved in with your dad," I said.  Now she's got ME doing it.

   "Even when you and I were spending the nights together?"

   "Even then.  Knew you were going home on Sunday and that we'd tear the
bed up after you left."

   "We'll make it up to you," Deena said.

   When we got into town, Bill took over the driving.  We hit the
restaurant for dinner, then checked into the hotel, bringing our own bags
with us.  Bill opened the door, letting us in.  I flipped the locks behind
us up.

   Privacy!

   I heard the splashing.  Bill hadn't made it past the bathroom.

   I giggled.  "Just leave it hanging out, baby."

   "You know I think that's weird..."

   I giggled again.  "And I think it's cute." And as he was making his way
towards us, Deena and I were stripping.

   As she kicked her feet out of the puddle of her skirt, her hand dipped
between her legs.  "I'm STILL sticky..."

   "'S what you get, you nasty little girl.  Doin' it when all we had was a
box of Kleenex ...  C'mere."

   She flopped on the bed, legs spread.  I love the taste of Bill and her
mixed together.  I felt Bill's hand on my ass as I gave her a little
attention with my mouth, then I turned and sat partway up, meeting him. 
Our lips met, causing sparks in me.

   "Y'all owe me ...  I can't believe y'all did it in the car..."

   "THAT was dangerous," Bill said.  "We shouldn't've..."

   "Yeah," I laughed.  "You protested soooo hard..."

   "Something was hard," Deena tittered.  "'Sides, it was YOUR idea,
too..."

   "You two are going to kill me."

   "We love you, baby," I said.

   "We do, Dad..." Deena said.  "I wanted to.  Haley says she sucked you
off in the car while you were driving..."

   "She did," he grinned.  "I thought I was gonna lose control."

   "Was good, though..." Deena tittered.

   "Yeah," he said, kissing me.  "Haley really gets me." He looked over at
Deena.  "You too, baby."

   "Thank you, Daddy," she said.  I had my hand cupping his balls and I
felt a definite twitch.  Yep, she's playing a little game and he's liking
it, but his lips on mine tell me that he NEEDS me.

   "I love you, Haley ...  from the first day..."

   I hooked my hand on the back of his head.  "I know, baby.  I do know..."
I urged him flat on the bed.  "I do know.  And Deena knows ...  It's kinda
strange.  I have you.  But I have Deena..."

   "Deena has both of us, Haley, but you're first."

   "And I know that," Deena said.  She pushed me down beside Bill, scooted
down in bed, crawled halfway over me, gave Bill a good, wet suck, then
pushed her face into my pussy, giggling.

   "You DID come in the car," she exclaimed.

   "I said I did.  You 'n' Bill doin' it in the back seat ...  I'm not made
out of steel..." Bill rolled towards me, his free hand exploring me.

   "I wanna eat you, princess," he said.

   "Like this," I said.  Gotta position that I like.  I sit on his chest, a
leg on each side of his head.  Kind of obvious, huh?  Well, he told me that
when it comes to sex between us, we can be obvious.

   I shuddered when his tongue made first contact, then Deena giggled.  "Do
you want 'im all to yourself, or can I join?"

   "Oh," I gasped.  "Do anything you want..."

   I felt the bed move, glanced back, she was going down ...  Bill jerked.
Yes, I can see her butt, so she's sucking him.

   "Play with 'im, but that orgasm belongs to me," I said.

   "Okay, just getting' 'im wet," she giggled.  Another bounce, another
sigh from Bill and ...  I felt her hands reach around from behind me,
cupping my breasts.  The extra stimulation, the feeling of Bill, tongue
lapping me, the tip circling my clit, then dipping inside, his bouncing as
Deena rode him, that was it.  I tossed my head back and squeaked.  Too
good. The world exploded in colors.  I woke up lying on my back, Bill's
dick right there in front of my face.

   "You're back, sis?" Deena asked.

   "Mmmm-hmmm," I purred.

   "Dad saved one for you," she purred back.  "Love you."

   "Love you, too ...  Bill, I love you, baby ...  Let me suck that
thing..."

   All he had to do was turn on his side toward me.  Six inches of heat and
happiness, and I can comfortably get two inches in my mouth.  It's just
perfect.  Yeah, in two years I've been able to get his whole erection into
my mouth and throat, only because I'd heard about that deep throat thing.
Other than maybe a visual effect, it does nothing for either of us, really.
Two inches.  And I've NEVER failed to fill my mouth with his load, if that
was the goal.

   Right now it's not the goal.  Hard and wet is the goal.

   "OHGOD, Haley..."

   "Doggie style," I said as I released him.

   "Me, too?" Deena asked.

   "Oh yeah," I said.

   She giggled as she lay back for me to crawl over her.  Neither of us
could resist sinking together to taste each other's pussies.  Bill got
behind me, rubbed the head of his dick up the length of my pussy, smearing
it with the juice that was flowing from me, before he pushed into me.

   Exquisite.

   Deena was licking everything within range, Bill's balls, my pussy lips,
his dick when he backed out, my ...  button...

   This is Bill's second today and I think we have him pretty charged up
because his hands grasp my hips, a move he uses right when he...

   "Getting ready, Haley," Deena said.  "Watchin' 'is balls..."

   "Button," I hissed.

   That's where her tongue landed as Bill's thrusts went deep, shallow,
deep, and...

   I felt the splash inside me.  Between KNOWING that and the tickle of
Deena's tongue ...  Oblivion again, just a flash of light then dark, then
light again.  I fell over sideways.  Bill's dick was floppy, sticky soft,
and Deena had dribbles of juice on her face.

   She moved around so we were all lying in the same direction, hovered
over me, sticky face, laughing eyes, giggling.  "Are we even now?"

   I pulled her face to me, my lips and tongue cleaning up the dribbles. 
"Even now," I said.

   I rolled over to Bill, kissed him.  "I'll never say it enough, baby.  I
need you forever..."

   Giggle from Deena.  "Dad's soft.  I like 'im when he's soft, but if you
wanna..."

   I love making Bill buck and shake like that.  And he WAS soft.  Whole
thing fits into my mouth, then starts growing.  Like he's life itself in my
mouth.

   The big tangle.  Me.  Deena.  Bill.  Like I'm in the middle of love made
real.

   "We love 'er, don't we Dad," Deena injected.

   "My perfect little Haley," he answered.  "I do love her." He kissed
Deena.  "I love you, too.  You're perfect in a different way."

   I wrapped him up, insinuating myself between him and Deena, making sure
we were ALL tangled again.

   "This is us.  This is the way it's supposed to be, y'all.  Loving each
other.  Working together.  Going to school together.  But this is us. 
Other people might not understand.  But this is us."

   "And it's gonna get better and better.  College is over until January
after next week.  I'm taking vacation for Christmas..."

   "And we'll make sure everybody gets the very best presents," Deena
giggled.  "Just like we got when we all got together."

   "Can't wait to see what next year brings us," I said.

   But it's gotta be good.

   The End