CHAPTER – 14: Fair Play

Sarah came back with her guitar and pulled up a chair, facing the guests. I moved to a spot facing her and sat on the floor, crossing my legs. One by one, the guests found seats, some on the carpeted floor like me, and some on the chairs and couches. Mark was on a couch, with Kathy on his lap cuddling with him. She had her arm around his neck, her head resting on his shoulder. She really looked like a little cat; her 5’7” frame a warm and loving bundle in Mark’s protective embrace. He was gently caressing her back as they exchanged loving looks, lost in their own world. It was apparent that both of them had missed each other and both looked happy and content.

Good for you, Sis.

After tuning the strings, Sarah was ready. She gave a small smile to me and started singing. Man, was she good! I had forgotten how pure her voice was. I wasn’t the only one feeling like that. For half an hour, she enthralled everybody with the clarity of her voice and her handling of the guitar, before taking a short break. Even though the guests were all friends and acquaintances, the applause and cheering were genuine. Once again, I couldn’t help but wonder why she never turned professional. During the break, I asked her about it.

“I owe your sister big time, Mitch. My parents tried to tell me, but I wouldn’t listen. Kathy, however, convinced me to continue my studies. I was too young. If I had turned professional at the time, I would have botched it up. Now, I really enjoy med school and I want to finish it first. After that I might reconsider, maybe as a part-time thing. I really want to be a doctor. Music is fun, but I’m not sure if it would continue to be fun if I turned professional,” she said.

After the break, she did the last part of her recital. The songs were a collection of various genres: ballads, country, pop, rock—from various singers and bands like Joan Baez, Anne Murray, John Denver, Kenny Rogers, Randy Crawford, Neil Young, Leonard Cohen, Scorpions, and many others.

While Sarah was singing Almaz, an old song from Randy Crawford, I noticed she was keeping her eyes on Mark and Kathy. She had a look of adoration in her eyes. Curious, I turned to see what was going on. I saw Mark brushing tears from Kathy’s eyes, and kiss her forehead and top of her head a few times. For a moment I wondered what was wrong, before I realized Kathy was just being emotional. When the song was ending, Kathy raised her head and they shared a long, sensual kiss.

After Kathy, it was my turn, but I didn’t know it. Towards the end of her recital, Sarah sang Lady in Red, the only Chris de Burgh song in her repertoire. I was lost in her voice, feeling very relaxed. When she started singing that piece, I couldn’t resist the pull of the memories and instead of fighting them, I let them take me on a short journey. It wasn’t an uneasy experience, as it had been a year ago with Pops at the rig. This time, it was a remembrance of happier moments. But, melancholy and longing were still mixed with it.

Sarah sang a couple more songs before ending her recital, and I went to the dining room in search of something strong. I had enjoyed the recital, but I wanted to get a bit of a buzz. Locating a bottle of vodka, I filled up a glass mixing it with orange juice. Then I went to the kitchen to get some ice. Sarah found me in the kitchen busy filling the empty ice maker. I returned the ice maker to the freezer and stirred the ice cubes in my glass before taking a sip. It was strong, but that was what I needed after the short trip down memory lane.

“You know, I forgot to ask what your favorite song was, before the recital,” she said.

When my eyes returned to her face from the glass of vodka, I saw her eyes were searching my face.

“Sarah, it was great. I enjoyed your selection. But more than that, I enjoyed your singing.”

“Why were you—” she stopped, as if changing her mind at the last minute, and switched to something else. “You saw Kathy and Mark, when I was singing Almaz?”

She had a quizzical look in her eyes and I wondered what she was planning to ask. “Sarah, what was it you wanted to know?”

“Nothing,” she replied, quickly. “You saw Kathy and Mark...”

“Yeah, I saw them.” I was still wondering what was running in her mind, what she had been planning to ask. “Sarah, I can see you have something in your mind, and I got the feeling you wanted to ask something. Are we not friends?”

With a resigned sigh, she said, “It’s... I just thought you reacted to one of the songs, but I wasn’t sure if you liked it or hated it.”

“I told you I loved your selection, Sarah,” I replied, with a reassuring smile.

“I didn’t want to pry,” she said. Her voice was soft, but colored with something I couldn’t identify. She reached and caressed my cheek, making me close my eyes, and give in to her gentle touch. I opened my eyes, and took hold of her hand, kissing her palm, getting a fond smile.

“Was it their song?” I asked.

“Kathy’s favorite, but Mark loves it also. Sometimes, your sister can get pretty emotional,” she answered with an emotional timber in her voice.

“Yeah, I noticed. Mark seems to take good care of her.”

Her face lit up with joy, and she said, “Yes, he does.” It was easy to see she was happy for Kathy, reminding me how close they were. Moving in, she pulled me for a kiss, rubbing her body to mine. “Mitch, may I...” she started, but collecting herself she stopped herself before asking what she wanted to ask.

I raised an eyebrow, questioning.

She hesitantly asked, “May I take care of you, tonight?”

She was having an effect on me, and I had not forgotten her earlier remarks. I still remembered how I had lusted after her when I was young. Grown up, she was really something. I was starting something (perhaps a relationship) with Dana, and I loved her, but I found myself lusting after Sarah. I was hungry for the physical contact as much as love. What’s more, I didn’t want to be bothered by the past. Not tonight. I wanted to free myself from the melancholy that I felt a while ago. I examined my feelings. I wanted Sarah. It was going to be casual. No different than other times with other girls, although I had known Sarah much longer. But Dana bothered me. I wasn’t in a committed relationship with her, yet, but we were planning to get to know each other. Was it wrong to have some fun with Sarah? Was it cheating?

Sarah broke in to my thoughts. “You know, Kathy wants to take Mark to her place. Mark could take her to a hotel, but Kathy doesn’t care for hotel rooms.”

“So, you’re suggesting, I should spend the night here? To help them out?” I asked, with a chuckle.

“What a swell idea,” Sarah responded with a smile, but it was a measured smile, as if she was scared of going too far.

“You’re wicked, you know that,” I said, with a smile.

“I’m not wicked. I’m practical and horny. And I’m trying to help out,” she responded. I could feel her lust, and she was trying to keep herself under control.

“You mean, help yourself?” I laughed, trying to put her at ease.

Seeing me laugh, she relaxed considerably, and retorted, “Well, it’s not only me. I’m helping out you, Kathy and Mark as well.”

Working her hand down to my crotch, rubbing my cock, she pulled me down for a kiss. I found myself responding to her attentions, kissing her back and rubbing my free hand on her side, massaging the outer swell of her tit. I was hard under her expert ministrations, and made up my mind. I liked her and lusted after her as a teenage boy. I was curious how she looked under her clothes. I wanted to know how her body would feel under mine. As she had said, here was a chance to live out a teenage fantasy.

When the kiss was over, I said, “You know, I’m a great believer in fair play.”

When she heard that, her nostrils flared, and for a moment I thought she was going to have a go at me right there in the kitchen. She was steaming. She took a few deep breaths, trying to calm herself, then gave me a short kiss, her hand still busy rubbing my cock, over my jeans. Pulling back, she took my glass and put it aside.

“I don’t want you drunk, Mitch. I never thought I would get the chance to live out my fantasies, and I don’t want to miss out. Do you mind?”

Pulling her in, I pressed her body to my chest, trying to feel her tits. “I wouldn’t miss it for the world, Sarah. I’ve lusted after you for a long time, too.”

“Good. I hope I can hold out until the party is over.”

“You waited longer than that Sarah. How difficult will it be to wait a few hours?”

“Very difficult, Mitch. It’s always remained a fantasy. Now, it’s a reality. God, I need to change. My panties are soaked,” she replied, her breathing getting heavy.

“Do you need a hand?” I teased her mercilessly.

“In fact I do. I need to put in a tampon to keep my panties dry. You can help me with that. After all, you’ve seen how it’s done,” she retorted with a snort.

“You sure it’s only a tampon you have in mind?”

“Yes, I’m sure. I want to save the other for later. It will be difficult but worth the wait.”

Putting my arm around her waist, I said, “OK, lead the way.”

“Lead the way?” she asked confused.

“Well, I don’t want you to soak your panties.”

“You serious?” she asked, surprised I would go ahead with what started as a teasing quip.

“Sure, Sarah. We can even use the bathroom to enact the whole episode. Do you really need to change your panties?”

“Oh, my God! I didn’t, but now, I need to,” she said, giggling like a school girl.

“We better use your bedroom. It will be more comfortable and private.”

She led us through the living room to the short hallway. Her room was at the end of the corridor and there was a bathroom halfway. Before we passed the bathroom, the door opened and Kathy emerged. Seeing us headed in the direction of the bedroom, she gave a questioning look.

“I need to give a hand to Sarah with something. We’ll catch you in a few minutes,” I replied.

She almost bought my explanation, that is, until she caught sight of Sarah. Well, Kathy knew Sarah too well not to notice Sarah was on fire and we were up to something, and she didn’t need a crystal ball to guess what that something might be. She raised her eyebrow, questioning, but I shook my head ‘no, it’s not what you think’ manner.

I didn’t think she bought it, but she replied, “OK, I’ll see you later.”

I caught her exchanging a brief look with Sarah, before she turned and headed for the living room. When we were inside Sarah’s bedroom, she closed and locked the door.

“What was that, Sarah?” I asked.

“What was what?”

“The brief exchange between you and Kathy.”

“It’s nothing, Mitch.”

“Come on, Sarah.”

With resigned sigh, she moved in to caress my cheek, and put me at ease. Then she said, “Your sister loves both of us and she’s trying to protect us. When I was talking with her, I told her about my teenage lust for you. She was concerned that I would get hurt, or that your current relationship might be affected. Mitch, I know you don’t like it if Kathy interferes with your private life, but this isn’t really interference. Please don’t get angry with her, OK? She’s a dear girl and she can’t help herself sometimes. And you know she loves you very much. I don’t have any siblings, but Kathy had been better than a sister. You know sisters are allowed a bit of latitude.”

“She has lots of latitude,” I replied, with a resigned sigh.

“Yes, you’ve given her lots of latitude, but she tries hard not to take advantage of that.”

I nodded. Then something else occurred to my mind. “I’m not going to be the subject of your girl-to-girl talks, am I?” I asked.

“I’m generous with my grades, don’t worry!” she teased.

“I wonder why that doesn’t reduce my performance anxiety,” I retorted.

“You think too much, Mitch. We’ll have a great time. We lusted after each other too long. I don’t think either of us is going to have any performance anxiety,” she replied and pulled me in for a kiss.

Disengaging, she went to her wardrobe and got a clean panty and a small towel from a drawer. Rummaging in her dresser drawer, she took a tampon, then spread the small towel on the edge of the bed.

“It will be easier to put the tampon in if I lay down. I’m soaking wet and I don’t want to leak on the comforter.”

I moved her close to the edge of the bed, and took off her belt. Then I started undoing the buttons on her jeans. I could feel her excitement. Her breath was coming fast, in short gasps, heavy with arousal. After unbuttoning the last button, I knelt in front of her and asked her to hold onto my shoulders for support, before gently grabbing her ankles to remove her shoes one by one. She had shapely feet, with dainty toes. Taking hold of the waistband of her jeans, I pulled them down, as slowly as possible, teasing us both. I could smell her womanly scent. When the jeans cleared the crotch of her panties, I saw they were translucent from the wetness. She wasn’t kidding when she said she was soaked. Once the jeans were on her ankles, I helped her out of them, and put them to the side, next to her shoes. When my gaze returned to her center, I could hear her breath catch with expectation. Leaning forward, I inhaled her heady fragrance. Her inner thighs were wet with her seeping juices.

Taking hold of her panties, I pulled them down with the same teasing slowness. I watched carefully the unveiling of her pussy. She had pale yellow pubic hair on top of her mons, neatly shaved in a triangle. Her clitoris was already out of its protective hood, and looked large. There was no hair to be seen around her vagina or the lips. I pulled the panties to her ankles and she stepped out of them. She moved to sit on the edge of the bed, but I gently cupped her ass cheeks, stopping her from sitting on the towel. Moving my hands to her legs, I nudged her to spread her legs. Taking the towel, I wiped her juices from her thighs. Putting the clean side of the towel on the bed, I took a closer look at her vagina. Her labia were thin, but swollen. I traced the outside of the lips with my finger, feeling for any signs of stubble, but found them to be baby smooth. It was obvious that she had shaved recently. I didn’t have to wonder if she was hoping to get lucky. I knew she was watching me, so I looked around as if searching for something, then looked up at her.

“Looking for something?” she asked, her voice throaty, coming out as if she had difficulty talking.

“Yeah. I don’t think the tampon will help much. We need to get the excess juices. Do you have something like a... vacuum cleaner?” I asked with a serious expression. She was so gone, it took a moment for my question to sink in. Before she could respond, I said, “No? Well, OK! Then I’ll have to improvise.”

With that I grabbed her ass cheeks firmly to keep her stationary and, leaning in, I quickly stabbed my tongue between the folds of her labia, giving a slow lick from bottom to top. She gave a small scream of surprise and stumbled back, but I caught her. As my tongue made its way towards the top of her vagina, I felt her leaking more juice, wetting my beard, so I returned to the bottom and dug my tongue deeper to collect them, making her moan. Her channel was flooded with her oils. She was not only a horny thing, but a very wet one. I locked my lips around her labia, while my tongue got busy in her channel. I wasn’t going for finesse. I was trying to get her juice. My beard and moustache got soaked very quickly.

“Mmmm. You’re delicious, Sarah.”

My efforts were having an effect on her and I felt her legs shake. She was desperately trying to stay on her feet, holding on to my shoulders to keep her balance, even though I was supporting her with my hands on her ass cheeks. I ceased my efforts and stood up. When she felt me standing up, she opened her eyes. I could see she was far gone, trying to focus on my face. I gave her a soft kiss, letting her taste herself. As our kiss continued, she started shaking like a leaf and I was surprised by the intensity of her arousal. Her lust and need was palpable, running through her body like a forest fire, unstoppable.

Breaking the kiss, I softly said, “Sarah, baby. Calm down.”

It took me several tries, before I could get her attention.

“Easy, baby. Take deep breaths... Yes... like that... one more time... yes...”

I realized, this little re-enactment of the embarrassing encounter from years ago had opened the flood-gates for all her pent up fantasies. She had waited too long, had lusted too much, and now, she was getting what she thought she would never experience. It had proven too much. I had an extremely horny girl in my hands, who was burning up with lust and going crazy with her need.

“God, I need you, Mitch. I need you to fuck me... Now! I can’t wait... I’m burning...” she said, almost pleading; her words coming in a rush interrupted only by her panting.

I knew I had to get her off at least once if not twice before she could gather herself. Breaking the kiss, I gently caressed her cheeks to focus her attention on me. She was panting heavily and her eyes were unfocused, unseeing. I guided her to the bed and laid her down, with her ass on the edge.

“Please, Mitch. I need it,” she whimpered.

“I’ll take care of you, Sarah. Relax. Don’t worry,” I replied, and gave her a kiss. I kept caressing her face, watching her carefully, until she realized she was laying down on the bed, and I had her attention.

“Just close your eyes and enjoy, Sarah,” I said and moved to a kneeling position. Holding her legs up and spreading them, I placed them on my shoulder. She was seeping her juices onto the towel and her clitoris was distended. Licking her from bottom to top, I hit directly on her clitoris with the bottom of my tongue, to get her off as fast as possible and take the edge off her need. That one touch was enough. She screamed, and I mean, she really screamed; the sound echoing from the walls of her room, and her hips lurched.

I locked my lips and gently sucked her clitoris, feeling her come like a freight train. She gave short, sharp screams, her hips shaking and her hands clutching my head, pulling me to her pussy. Before her clitoris got too sensitive, I dipped my tongue into the folds of her vagina and licked her inner lips, to keep her going. Once her orgasm was over, I switched between her labia, inner lips, and clitoris, while working a finger into her slick channel. I could feel the erratic fluttering from the aftershocks of her orgasm. Her channel was flooded with her juices, and I knew I could bring her again, while she was still hot. I worked a second finger in and stroked them together, while I worked on her clitoris. She responded with soft wails that turned into yelps and little screams each time I stroked with my fingers. I didn’t dare try the ‘ON’ switch, as I was scared of the reaction I might get. Instead, I worked her to a second orgasm, stimulating her clitoris, while working her channel with my fingers.

A few minutes later, she gave another scream, this time softer, and had her second orgasm, wailing like a wounded animal. It wasn’t as sharp as her first one, but it was a long one. She kept wailing and I was getting concerned whether she would breathe. Her body was shaking and trembling, her head whipping from side to side. Her hips kept lurching against my face, and her thighs tried to squeeze me. Then, her wail turned into moans and she started to gasp and pant. Her inner muscles kept fluttering and pumping her fluids, wetting my fingers and the towel under her ass. I brought her down gently, drawing out her pleasure and listening to her breathing. Her belly was contracting and I was sure she would feel sore from all that workout.

When it was over, I used the end of the towel to wipe my hand and chin, then went about cleaning her juices from her thighs and pussy. The part of the towel under her ass cheeks was soaking wet with her juices and I was sure the comforter had a stain. She had lost a lot of body fluids. That done, I sat next to her and caressed her face, watching her carefully. Her hair was tousled, but because it was cut short in an easy to keep style, it wasn’t messed too badly. She had a fine sheen of sweat from all the thrashing she had done during her orgasms and her make up needed refreshing. Her skin had a pleasant glow. When she finally opened her eyes, they were soft and relaxed but, instead of the lethargy of an orgasm, her gray eyes were shining with a strange hue. The arousal was still there. I could see she would be ready to go a few more times in a short while, but the edge was off; her burning need temporarily satiated.

“Sarah, baby. Rest a moment and I’ll get you something to drink, OK?”

She closed her eyes to indicate her understanding.

I left her room, making a stop at the bathroom to wash my hands and face. Picking up a fresh towel and filling the cup I found in front of the mirror, I returned to Sarah’s bedroom. The water helped with her thirst. I used the towel to clean her up more.

“How are you feeling, Sarah?”

“God, Mitch. I’ve never felt this kind of need before. I thought I was going to die. I was burning up. I scared you, didn’t I?”

“Yes, for a while. I didn’t expect such a reaction, but I understand. You must have fantasized about it a long time. All the built-up emotions inside... had to come out.”

“I did fantasize a lot! I told you I lusted after you, but I didn’t expect it would be like this. I’m sorry.”

“It’s all right, Sarah. We still have the whole night.”

“You’re not scared to continue?”

“Why should I be scared?”

“I don’t want you to take my reaction wrong, Mitch. I love you, as a friend and a bed partner. Do you understand?”

“I understand, Sarah. We’ve been friends since childhood and we lusted after each other. We just didn’t know what to do about it then. Now, we do. You still have a lot in your system and you need to get it out,” I replied.

She smiled at that. “Yeah. You’re right. I didn’t know how much, until a while ago. How about you?”

“I have some pent up lust as well, but I can wait. Not many people get to realize a childhood or teenage fantasy. In that respect, we’re lucky. Now, we need to get you ready. We’ve taken longer than we planned and I’m afraid you’ve been pretty vocal.”

“Really?”

I nodded.

“Screw that. This is my house. I got my bells rung and I’m not going to apologize for it. Especially for something that I never thought I would ever have,” she replied, with an uncompromising tone. I could see she wasn’t concerned or bashful about what people might have heard, or any gossiping.

“Still, you might want to brush your hair and refresh your makeup.”

“OK. But first, I want you to put the tampon in.”

“You sure you can handle that?”

“Yes, Mitch. I can handle that. You took the edge off.”

I got off the bed and kneeling in front of her spread legs, I put the tampon in, taking care not to hurt her. I could see she was already juicing up when I was busy with the tampon. After the delicate operation was over, she got off the bed. Then she picked the wet towel. As I expected, on the comforter, there was a wet spot. When she saw it, she chuckled and shrugged her shoulders. “I guess I’ll have to take it to the cleaners, but it was worth it.”

She put on the new panties and then her jeans. Sitting in front of her dresser, she cleaned up all her make up, but didn’t put on new make-up, going for a natural look. She didn’t need to. She had the freshly fucked look and was going to flaunt it. After brushing her hair, she was ready. Before leaving the room, we shared a gentle kiss.

“You washed up?” she asked.

“Wouldn’t do to go out smelling like that, would it?”

“No, but it could help you keep the sharks away,” she teased.

“I don’t think I need any shark repellant, anymore. Not after your public announcement,” I quipped back.

Laughing, she said, “Well, they can eat their hearts out.”

“I don’t want to sound arrogant, but some may, when they take a look at you. You positively glow. You’re going to flaunt it, aren’t you?”

“What can I say, I feel absolutely wicked. Why not add insult to injury?” she quipped with an impish grin.

Putting her arm around my waist, she said, “Let’s go. I’m dying of thirst.”

 

* * * * *

 

Back in the living room, Kathy saw us. From the smile on her face, it was apparent she had not missed what happened. I would have been surprised if anybody had. Sarah led us to the kitchen to get a glass of water. A few minutes later, Kathy joined us.

Why did I think she would not?

She didn’t beat around the bush and went directly to the point. “Are you staying here?”

“Yes. Sarah asked me to help with the clean up after the party and we want to catch up on old times,” I replied without skipping a beat, before I realized I had said the wrong thing.

“Catch up on old times? I thought you already did that?” she quipped.

“Well, we still have some more catching up to do,” Sarah said.

I added pointedly, “We also thought you and Mark would like to have some quiet time at your place.”

“Thank you,” she replied, her tone softer, without a trace of teasing. “You guys want to join us for a late brunch, tomorrow?” she asked.

I looked at Sarah to see what she wanted to do.

“Sure, Kathy. Can we make it a bit later than usual, say two or three o’clock?” Sarah replied.

Hearing that, Kathy laughed at Sarah. Then with a knowing look, she quipped, “No problem, Sarah. Just don’t kill him. He’s the only brother I’ve got.”

“I wouldn’t do anything you wouldn’t, Kathy,” Sarah came back.

“If you excuse me ladies, I think I’ll join Mark. I don’t think I want to hear anything further.”

I must have been brain-dead—‘probably I imbibed too much pussy juice’ I thought—as I realized I had repeated my mistake a second time. It was not only the wrong thing to say, but was also like waving a red flag to a bull; an invitation.

“Yeah, you do that. We’ll join you later. We have to catch up on things,” Kathy came back, stopping me dead on my tracks.

When I looked at Sarah, she had an unabashed smile on her face, enjoying my discomfort and Kathy’s incessant teasing.

“I changed my mind,” I said, hoping they would not talk about some things in my presence—Yeah, call me stupid! I know I can be a dumb ass!

“OK, keep us company then,” Kathy said casually, with a shrug. Without skipping a beat, she turned to Sarah, and asked, “So, how was he?”

Would somebody kick me in the ass? Please? Better yet, can somebody lend me some brains?

I didn’t know who was using my mouth, but it sure wasn’t me—I wouldn’t be that stupid, would I?

As I stood there, shocked at her gall, Sarah replied, “Very good, Kathy. You wouldn’t believe it.”

“Oh, I think I would. I heard you. Loud and clear,” Kathy responded.

Their tone was casual as if they were having a conversation about a movie or something. The only thing that was out of place was the smile they both had, knowing the effect they were having on me.

“That doesn’t do justice to how it felt, Kathy. It was much better than that,” Sarah continued.

My stubborn side kicked in. I wasn’t going to give them the satisfaction of being run off the kitchen, so I gathered myself and assumed a nonchalant stance. I was also curious how far they would take it.

“Oh, I wouldn’t be so sure, Sarah. The conversation almost came to a stop, when we heard you,” Kathy piped up.

At that, Sarah colored a bit and gave a questioning look to Kathy to see if this was part of the joke they were having at my expense or if she was being serious, but Kathy was not giving anything away. I took heart at that development, and was sure that Kathy’s comment would put a stop to the charade.

Composing herself, Sarah forged on. “I disagree, Kathy. Nothing I could say can compare to how good it was.”

Not wanting to stop the joke early, Kathy relented. “Hmmm. I guess I have to take your word for it. Tell me, what happened?”

Getting back into the swing of things, Sarah continued. “Well, he took off my belt. Then he unbuttoned my jeans. After helping me off with my shoes, he slowly pulled my jeans down. Once he had them off, he took hold of the waistband of my panties. He could see I was soaking wet. Oh, that reminds me... I’m forgetting what brought the whole thing on in the first place.” At that Sarah gave a meaningful look to Kathy.

Taking the hint, Kathy responded, “Yeah, tell it from the beginning. I don’t want to miss the story.”

“Well, he agreed to spend the night here. I was pretty worked up by then, so I told him I needed a change of underwear. He reminded me that we could enact a teenage memory.” With that, Sarah took a dramatic pause.

Of course, Kathy didn’t miss the signal and asked, “Teenage memory? I don’t remember you telling me about a teenage memory involving Mitch.”

“No, I didn’t tell you. It had been pretty embarrassing, but since it was long ago, now I can. After all, that’s what started this whole episode.”

Nooo! They aren’t going to stop.

Of course, not, you ding-dong! What were you thinking? Were you thinking at all?

I wasn’t really embarrassed, but I felt awkward. Not only that, but I wasn’t sure how much detail Sarah was going to get into. If I had learned something about women, but especially about Kathy and Sarah, it was obvious they were going to get pretty explicit. After all, they had known each other too long and shared too much. I had a growing suspicion they shared more than some sisters did. I gave a pleading look to Sarah, who returned it with a teasing smile.

“Excuse me just a moment, Kathy,” she said, before moving to stand in front of me.

Wrapping her arms around my neck, she pulled me for a kiss. “Mitch, if you haven’t realized it yet, Kathy is simmering. We usually get each other worked up. This isn’t the first time. You know how women can get. I want to see steam come out of her ears,” she whispered.

“I knew this was going to come back to bite me in the ass. It didn’t when we were teens, and now...” I whispered back.

“Well, it was long overdue, Mitch,” she retorted with amusement.

“Darn, Sarah. She’s my sister. Can’t I have some dignity?”

“Come on, relax. It’s all in good fun. Nothing will happen to your dignity. We’ll have a great time tonight and so will Kathy, once she leaves with Mark,” she whispered with a wicked grin.

Why did I think they would not talk about it? Women were worse than men, when it came to such matters. Kissing her I said, “Don’t be generous about the details,” even though I knew she would be.

When Sarah released her hold on my neck, I took a look at Kathy. She was watching us with interest, but I could see she wasn’t concerned about my decision. Rather, she was curious about the story from the past. I could see she was also getting slightly worked up. Mark was going to get very lucky, if Sarah could pull off what she was planning to do. From what I had seen of Mark and Kathy, I knew it was a foregone conclusion, but now, it was easy to see my sister in a different light; a young, beautiful woman, very much in love, and simmering. When Sarah had commented earlier on how hot a woman my sister was, I had felt a bit uncomfortable, mostly because I didn’t want to think about her or look at her as a woman. My brotherly instincts had always been too strong and too strict. Of course I loved my sister, but as a brother. Now, with her merciless teasing, and apparent interest in what Sarah and I had done a while ago, I realized she was acting like a woman rather than a sister.

“Since you’re not in a hurry to keep company with Mark, I better tell him he’s going to wait,” I said, trying get at her, to even the score somewhat.

She took it in stride. “I’ll make it up to him later,” she retorted with a snicker, and quickly followed it with, “Sarah will make it up to you as well.”

Losing my composure, I replied, “Kathy, the way you talk sometimes—”

“Don’t spoil the fun, Mitch. You’re my brother and Sarah is my best friend. We’ve known each other since childhood. Mark is my lover, and I don’t hide it. I didn’t get to know much about the girls you’ve dated. I missed out on the sister’s privileges. Now, I can get to hear what a stud my brother is.”

Except as teenagers, we never teased each other or talked about sex or our relationships. What’s more, we had been very close. On the other hand, in the last few years, I had been distant, a closed box. I realized Kathy had always been the one to try to bridge the distance. I guessed her interest and curiosity was partly fueled by her desire to hear something juicy from Sarah, and partly to know something about her brother.

“I give up,” I said and left the kitchen, muttering, “Women!”

“You can’t live with them; you can’t live without them,” they chorused behind my back, laughing.

I needed a drink, and Sarah had confiscated my glass of vodka in the kitchen. In the dining room, looking over the choices, I settled for a glass of beer. I didn’t want to disappoint Sarah, although there wasn’t much of a chance of that, remembering how quickly she got off. Back in the living room, I found Mark going over the CDs. After making a few selections, he went over them one more time to chose one, and put it in the player. When I heard the song I wanted to plug my ears, hit my head to the walls.

Why isn’t there an off-switch?

I felt like downing a stiff drink, but it wasn’t something I resorted to very frequently when old memories awakened; triggered by a melody, or a phrase I had heard, or a scene in a movie I had watched. I didn’t use sleeping pills when I couldn’t sleep. Yes, I had gotten drunk, on rare occasions, but usually among friends, or to blow off some steam after work hours (as it had happened with Pops), and mostly for recreational purposes and not as a solution to my problems. I had just gotten over the song Sarah sang, and now Neil Diamond was singing September Morn; another song from the past, perhaps not as memorable as Lady in Red, but almost there. And, it was pulling me on a journey I wasn’t willing to go on.

 

. . . . .

 

It was mid-summer... the beginning of my summer... and the end... the summer when my heart was broken and handed back to me.

I had finished six weeks of grueling work in the desert—the last industrial practice I had had as part of the college program at the end of my junior year—and was back at home; tired from the work, the stress, and deeply tanned from working on the rig. I was looking forward to eight or nine weeks of vacation at our summer flat by the beach, before the fall semester of my senior year started. My parents decided to join me later. Kathy was busy with something else, and she stayed with them, thus giving me the opportunity to have some quiet time by myself at our flat.

The morning I arrived at our summer flat, I spent most of the day opening the house, cleaning it and getting it ready. By mid-afternoon, I was at the beach taking my afternoon run along the coast that stretched for more than twenty miles. It was a ritual I had rarely let go when I was here, at my beach. Back in my hometown, I didn’t care much about jogging or running and had to force myself. (These last several years, on the rig-site, I rarely ran; the work was hard enough, and on rare occasions when I could find some free time in the afternoon, Tai Chi exercises offered some relaxation). But on this beach, I loved to run. There were also a few secluded spots where I could practice Tai Chi while facing the sea and smelling the salty sea air. Sometimes I did my practice in the sea, when it was calm (usually very early in the morning), belly deep in the cold water. Some combinations were not possible, especially when I tried to do them as slowly as possible, so I used a different variation of the forms.

That first evening, while I was thinking trying to decide whether to cook or go to town to grab a bite, Gillian dropped by and invited me to dinner with her parents. My parents had met Gillian’s parents when they were buying the flat. It had been a chance encounter at the real estate agent’s office, both families realizing they were going to be neighbors at the vacation spot. When we moved into our flat, the two families had quickly become good friends, and continued visiting each other back in town when we returned from vacation as the friendship between them grew.

Gil was a year younger than Kathy, but you couldn’t tell by looking at her. As tall as Kathy, she looked bigger, taking after her mother, who was a tall woman with big bones. With curly light brown hair that always looked tousled, and brown eyes that were alight with liveliness, she was a tomboy, and she and Kathy got along great. And for me, she was sort of an impish second sister. All of us spent a lot of time together all year around, but we had the most fun during the summer vacations with several other kids from the neighborhood.

So, that evening, when she invited me for dinner, I didn’t hesitate to accept it, looking forward to a great time with Gil and her parents, who were really very nice people. After dinner, I offered to take Gil to a small disco by the beach, even though I didn’t feel like it. I was feeling pretty tired, but my polite side won over my tiredness. Her parents were pleased, and Gil asked if she could bring a new friend of hers; a girl from next door. I knew there was no way I could get out of it.

When Gillian introduced her to me, I felt something stirring inside me, as if I was standing at the edge of an abyss, and staring into the eye of a storm brewing, the feeling making me uneasy. I caught her brown eyes giving me fleeting looks, and she seemed as apprehensive as I was. Before I could collect myself, our eyes locked for a brief moment, and I saw the clouds that seemed to drift in and out of them. With an effort I tried to center myself, surprised at my reaction to this strange girl, but I was unable to. My insides were in turmoil, and I turned my attention back to Gil, trying to break the spell this girl was having on me. However it was a short lived relief. When we shook hands the touch was electric; I heard the beat of my heart loud in my inner ear, and felt the rush of blood; my skin was tingling as if it had caught fire. Our eyes locked again, and I knew I was hearing the Siren’s Song calling out my name. My heart was captured by the mysteries those brown eyes held in their depths. When I released her hand, her expression changed to something like relief. I didn’t understand her reaction at all, but to ease any disquiet she might be having, I averted my eyes, taking her in. I noticed the goose bumps on her arm, and realized I had goose bumps on my arm, too, despite the fact that it was a very warm night without any breeze.

That was the beginning... of the end!

In a short span of seven weeks, I experienced every known emotion and probably a few unknown, unnamed ones as well. Luckily, my parents saw only parts of the whole episode, since they arrived quite late. As things got worse, I didn’t stick around, but headed back home earlier than planned.

It was September, the trees and the streets covered with golden flecks, and the Fall Semester looming in two weeks time. It was melancholy time, unless I did something about it, so I got busy getting ready for my last year at the college. I spent most of the nights awake, pecking at the typewriter, writing my report (industry training I did at the rig) to be submitted for grading by the middle of the Fall Semester. When I got tired from it, the memories would come in a flood; the hurt and pain still fresh, the ‘what ifs’ and ‘whys’ following closely behind. The few hours of sleep I managed would be invaded by dreams of her: us in her bed as we pleasured each other, feeling that invisible chord that bound us tightening around me, taking me home. Those intimate moments would be replayed in vivid detail; so much so that I would wake up to her touch or her smell, finding myself either painfully erect or wilting from an involuntary ejaculation. But the worst part had always been the incredible feeling of emptiness that settled over me as that special chord got severed in that waking moment, and the longing and heartache that followed it.

After a week of constant nightmares, I dreaded falling asleep, and I started keeping a diary; scribbling the memories and whatever else that came visiting, hoping to get rid of them, and usually falling asleep with emotional exhaustion when dawn was breaking. During those times, I found myself listening to September Morn by Neil Diamond that played quite frequently on one of the music channels. After a few times of listening to it, it had come to symbolize my melancholy, but I had been unable to avoid it, hanging to each note, each word, as Neil kept singing. Aside from that, the diary didn’t help solve the problems. Worse, it had become a sort of a reference book, refreshing and strengthening the memories, in the end, forcing me to quit writing altogether. I knew I couldn’t continue that way, and since my course load was going to be much lighter than previous years, and I didn’t want to have too much free time in my hands, I lined up a part time job. Over time, as I got busy with school and work, the vivid wet dreams and the nightmares became less frequent.

Yeah. I didn’t have much free time that year. The job was pleasant and I didn’t have to interact with people too much. The rest of the time, the college kept me busy. But not busy enough. That’s when I worked out some of the things about her, in little parts, as the pain and hurt gave way to emptiness.

By the time I was graduating, I wasn’t able to deal with the emptiness, and I had filled some of it with anger. It had been easy, once I worked out some of the things about her and how I had failed us, but mostly how I had failed her. That was when I realized I needed to get away. Right after graduation, I signed up with a small outfit and got the hell out of town, back to the desert. It was a temporary job to fill-in the time until I had to go for my military service. Since no other company was willing to sign up somebody to let them go in half a year’s time, my choices were limited. But then, I didn’t care much about the money. I also knew the company was planning to pull some strings, and postpone my military service to get a year or two of work out of me; I had heard they had pulled the stunt on some of the students I’d known. A little bit of legal wrangling put a stop to their little scheme, though. I had no intention of delaying the army or anything else that stood as obstacles in front of me. I wanted to get over those momentary nuisances, so that I could get on with my life, and find something better, if there was something better—whatever it was.

 

. . . . .

 

Thinking back on those times, I was still surprised, even now, how everything worked out as I had planned.

Yeah, it did, didn’t it? Except her, of course. She’s still the one I think of, whether I admit it or not. Didn’t I fail that one time?

Jeeez! It just takes one stupid song to dredge up a whole lot of garbage from the past.

My unease and melancholy didn’t last long. It was another tiny piece from my past that erased the melancholy.

The diary. The fucking diary! What did I do with it?

I was close to panic trying to remember what I did with it. It was so long ago that I had forgotten about it. Carefully digging into my memory, I found that innocuous little detail. I had it packed among my school-books, in a box with my other books, in my room.

Shit. Why didn’t I burn it? Why? It could fall into the wrong hands.

I was concerned, but not overly so. I wrote in the foreign language I had learned in high school. Mom wasn’t familiar with the language, but Dad and Sis were fluent. I knew Dad wouldn’t do something like that, but Kathy was a different matter. She could easily be tempted, once she recognized what it was and what period of my life it contained. If it had been something else, Kathy wouldn’t snoop like that. But that period, on the other hand, was a black hole for her. Like Mom, she was protective of me—as I was coming to realize more and more. She would feel guilty doing something like that, after the fact, but she would also justify her actions (very logically and very rationally, I might add).

First business of the day, tomorrow: ‘Search and Destroy!’

I chuckled silently at my choice of a military term. I had learned quite a bit during my short spell in the service, but I hadn’t really enjoyed my time. What’s more, I had ended up doing some serious juggling, trying to hide my past and my skills. I wasn’t a predator, but I had the skills of a predator, and soldiering teaches you how to be an efficient predator (as if I needed to be more efficient, with the anger tucked inside me), so it had been a trying time. I abhorred violence, even though I knew I would resort to it if forced to. Pops had me pegged right a year ago. At the time, I could have easily resorted to violence; the daily exposure to news of random violence desensitizing me further and loosening my already weakening controls.

I shook my head, trying to physically shake clear the cobwebs of past, of history, but it didn’t help of course. I focused on tonight, and the delights Sarah was promising for both of us, which eventually helped to erase the unease that had settled in me. I noticed Mark was playing with the equalizer, trying to enhance the quality of the sound. A little bit more of twiddling with the controls, and he seemed to be satisfied with the results. When he stood up, he saw me watching him, and raised an eyebrow as he walked to me. I guess he was wondering where the girls were.

“They’re still in the kitchen,” I said.

“Did they run you out?” he asked with a knowing grin.

“Yeah. Something like that,” I replied, a bit uncomfortable where the conversation might be headed.

“Mitch, we haven’t had a chance to get to know each other. You don’t know me much, but I heard a lot about you from Kathy,” he said.

I didn’t have a response, so I waited for him to continue.

“You know, I love Kathy. Very much so.”

“I think it’s very obvious that you both love each other,” I replied, with a small reassuring smile.

He gave me a long look, trying to judge the sincerity of my reply. Satisfied with what he saw, he said, “I also know that she loves you, very much. I have to tell you, at first, I was surprised and almost jealous of her love for you, mistaking it for something else,” he said pointedly.

I almost turned red by the implication, and angry at the same time. But, before I could say anything, he raised his hands slightly in an apologetic manner, and continued, “At the time, I didn’t know what you did for work and where you worked. You may not have realized it, but she worries about you, a lot. I suspect she doesn’t show it around you.”

That gave me a pause. In the light of yesterday’s talk about the past, and how Kathy had kept my childhood struggles secret from my parents, Mark’s comment made sense. What’s more, I heard genuine concern for her in his voice.

Seeing the expression on my face, Mark asked, “She doesn’t, does she?”

“No, she doesn’t. At least not much. I guess it’s because I haven’t talked about things with Kathy for quite some time,” I replied, but my tone made it clear I didn’t want to get into what we haven’t talked about. Kathy had probably mentioned something about how distant and closed up I had been in the last few years. Mark was, after all, her lover and they were planning to get married.

Mark nodded his understanding. “Do you mind if I ask how bad it is, where you work? We read a lot on the papers, or see it on TV.”

“It’s bad, but not that bad. The media usually exaggerate. You just have to be careful. Plus, it’s mostly opportunistic targeting. We have pretty good protection where I work. There are softer, easier targets. That’s why I’m not worried about it too much. I’m pretty careful and cautious as well,” I replied, trying to downplay the situation as much as reasonably possible.

“But you never know what might happen. Wrong time, wrong place,” he commented.

“You can’t avoid everything, Mark. I’m sorry to say that, but you have to be there to see and understand how it is. It’s not a war zone. Yes, there’s a clandestine war going on, but... as I said. It’s not that bad.”

Seeing I was getting defensive, he changed tracks. “Well, I think Kathy seems to accept or understand it better now. She seems much happier than a few weeks ago.”

“What do you mean?”

“I’m not sure, but she’s not as tense as she used to be, especially tonight. Is that something to do with you and Sarah?” he asked, then hastily added, “I didn’t mean to butt my nose into something...”

However, there was an unspoken ‘but’ at the end of that statement, and from his embarrassed smile, he was referring to Sarah’s vocal escapade with me.

“I don’t know. Sarah and I... we’re not really an item, but we’ve known each other for a long time.”

“I’ve known Sarah for quite some time now. Well, she’s Kathy’s best friend, and really a nice girl. The two could be sisters.” Then with a grin, he said, “Both are something. They can drive you up the wall.”

“Well, Kathy does, since we were kids. She hasn’t changed. I hadn’t seen Sarah for some years, so I didn’t know what to expect. Kathy told me she changed.”

“You kidding?”

“Nope.”

“Then I have a word of warning for you. Don’t take what I’m going to say the wrong way, Mitch. I’m a straight shooter and I’m usually very blunt. I don’t think you care for sugar coating. I really love your sister and respect her. Same with Sarah. However, I know Kathy and Sarah can get pretty rowdy at times. I’ve been a victim of their teasing too long.”

I nodded.

“Were they teasing you or were they trying to get each other worked up?” he asked, in a conspiratorial tone, giving me a small grin, but it wasn’t lecherous.

I didn’t take offense at all, as there was a feeling of man-to-man confidence, perhaps the beginnings of brothers-in-law relationship in regards to Kathy.

“Both,” I replied, returning his grin. “I really didn’t expect something like that, from them. We were close as siblings, and still close, but... You know what I mean.”

“Yeah. I know what you mean. Your sister is a real gem and she’s a handful, but that’s what I like about her.”

“Do you mind if I ask why you guys decided to wait?”

“Your sister wanted to finish her specialization. If it were up to me, we would have been married. But I understand her reasons. I guess I was scared somebody else would grab her in the meantime. However, it worked out for the best. I do a lot of traveling and it wouldn’t have been nice being away from home for too long when we’re newly married. Just between the two of us, I’m making some arrangements to improve the situation.”

“What kind of arrangements?”

“I have the major accounts in this city with almost all the hospitals and a few of the private clinics. I had been making good money from the sales and commissions, so I managed to put aside a tidy sum, which will come handy when we get married. But most important, I finally convinced my boss we should set up a small office here to give after-sales service to our major clients. We have enough work to justify the costs, and we’ll probably get more clients if we have a presence here. There are quite a number of smaller clinics and other private establishments. By profession I’m an engineer, and I can run the service side as well as sales. That would also mean I wouldn’t have to be on the road all the time, perhaps once a month to the head office to wrap up projects and report.”

“You’re planning... to settle here?”

“Yes. Your sister is a very good doctor and she’s made quite a reputation. As soon as she finishes her specialization she’ll be offered a position. I know she likes that hospital and most of her friends are here. I don’t want her to have to start over someplace else, where she has to prove herself. It’s not that she couldn’t do it, but it would be a waste of time. She had invested a great deal in that hospital and she deserves to reap the fruits of her efforts. Since I can settle here, it’s the most logical solution. Neither of us is going to be giving up something.”

“She doesn’t know anything about this, does she?”

“No, she doesn’t. It’s going to be a surprise. She’ll probably figure it out though.”

“Why do you say that?”

“I would be spending more time here, setting up an office, and hiring staff. It will be hard to hide it from your sister. Don’t you think?” He grinned.

“Heh. Understatement of the year, Mark. You better come clean before she figures it out or you’ll not hear the end of it,” I replied with a laugh.

“That’s what I figured, too. I’m just trying to tie up the few loose ends and get an approval for my formal proposal. I don’t think it will take more than a few weeks. I’ve already pegged down specific office locations and prices. Half of the staff is already selected from our technical group, and I have been doing some unofficial reconnaissance for talent in the city during the last few months. Once I have the official OK, I’ll break the news to her. As I said, it will be difficult to explain my activities here once I get busy with the actual setting up of operations. How long are you on vacation, Mitch?”

“About four weeks, roughly. Why?”

“As I said, I expect an answer very soon. If it works out, I would like to go out for a celebration to break the news to Kathy.” He gave a meaningful look, making me laugh.

“You’re scared of Kathy’s reaction, aren’t you, and want some support?” I asked.

He gave a hearty laugh. “Yes. I’m afraid you’re right about my ulterior motives.”

“You don’t have to worry about that, Mark. I’ve seen how she is with you. She’s very different. She’s a very independent girl. She had always been like that, even when we were kids. Very competitive as well. But around you, she’s different. I know that she loves you very much. What you’re trying to do tells me that you love her back. Long distance relationships are pretty difficult, and yet, you two managed it. I think she’ll be thrilled when you break the news. I know she feels lonely and she needs her man around. If things work out as you planned, count me in. I’ll certainly be there.”

“Thank you, Mitch. I appreciate the vote of confidence.”

“No need for thanks, Mark. If you don’t mind my asking, how did you fare with Mom? She can be a tough lady.”

He smiled at that. “I like your mom. She’s really sweet. It’s easy to see where Kathy got her looks and strength. I know she was concerned about the long distance relationship, but I think she understands I’m serious about your sister. To tell the truth, I agree with what she said to your sister: ‘first school then marriage’. I can’t fault her logic. And I love her cooking.”

“Well, I love her cooking, too, but I think every son loves his mother’s cooking. More or less,” I commented with a smile.

He replied, “True, I loved my mom’s cooking, but it’s been a long time.”

Seeing my confused look, he said, “Mom passed away four years ago.”

“I’m sorry to hear that,” I replied hastily, realizing I had touched a tender spot.

“It’s all right. You didn’t know,” he said, trying to relieve my embarrassment, then he added, “That’s why it was great to meet your mom. I had forgotten how good home cooking could be, and your mom is really an excellent cook.”

“Thank you. I’m sorry to hear about your loss. Please accept my condolences.”

“Thank you, Mitch.”

We were quiet for a few seconds, and I was hesitant to ask about his dad. However, he didn’t miss my unease, giving me a questioning look.

“I was wondering about your dad,” I said with a nervous tone.

He gave an understanding smile, and replied, “Dad’s alive. He’s retired and keeping himself busy with a part-time consulting job out of his home office. He’s an engineer, so you could say I followed in his footsteps. Kathy and I visited him several times, and he’s very fond of her. Yep, he loves her. Every time I talk to him, he keeps reminding me to tie the knot before I lose her to somebody else.”

I laughed at his remark. “You shouldn’t be concerned about something like that. I don’t think Kathy sees anyone but you,” I replied. Then, extending my hand, I said, “I guess it’s a bit late, but let’s make it official. Welcome to the family, Mark,” and we shook hands.

We kept on chatting about various subjects, before the girls returned from the kitchen. From the flush on Kathy’s face I didn’t have trouble guessing Sarah had done what she had promised. Mark must have recognized it as well, because he raised an eyebrow at Kathy, and received a naughty grin.

Kathy moved in close and whispered, “I didn’t know you were such a bad boy, Mitch. And, with my best friend. You’ve got some explaining to do.”

Sarah, of course, knew what Kathy was doing and grinned at me unabashedly.

Damn girls!

Then, Kathy moved to Mark, who was watching the developments with curiosity. He was aware the girls were giving me a hard time about something, but he was polite enough not to ask about it. He may have been glad that, for once, he wasn’t their target. Unfortunately, his relief would be short lived. Kathy turned her attention on Mark and without a preamble asked when they could leave the party. I looked at my watch and it was almost eleven o’clock, still early.

“Are you tired, Kathy? It’s almost eleven,” I teased her.

Mark picked up on it as well, and said it was indeed too early to leave the party. Sarah joined in by asking if her party was boring. Kathy knew all of us were conspiring against her, but she wasn’t going to give us the satisfaction of seeing her squirm, so she replied she didn’t realize it was that early. However, she was going to try underhanded methods, and moving under Mark’s arm, she started to work on him, discreetly, with innocent little touches here and there, and giving him smoldering looks. I wondered how long it would take Kathy to work her charm on Mark, and how long it would be before Sarah distracted me.

After a few minutes, Sarah reminded us we had to mingle, so I kept her company for the next hour, until the party drew to a close. While getting a drink for myself, I looked around for Mark to see how he was faring with Kathy, and I was surprised to see that he was taking it in stride. He noticed me and headed in my direction to refresh his drink, and perhaps get a breather from Kathy’s incessant attentions.

“You must have an iron constitution, Mark,” I commented.

He gave a wry grin, and replied, “Well, you know how it is. Good things come to those that wait.”

“Not only you have an iron constitution, you’re very brave as well. You’re not scared of repercussions?” I retorted with a grin.

“I’m not really brave, not when it comes to Kathy. But, she’d be disappointed if I give up so easily.”

“Yes. She loves challenges. No questions about that. I’m happy to see that she has finally met her match.”

At that, he laughed. “I don’t know about that. How about you?”

“Sarah is taking it easy on me. Maybe we should keep the girls separate,” I suggested.

He raised his glass and replied, “You’re a quick study, Mitch. It took me longer to realize that, but they’re inseparable.”

“It’s only survival instincts, Mark,” I quipped.

We had a good laugh about that. Just then both girls showed up at our side, asking what we were laughing about. Mark and I shared a look before bursting into laughter again.

“I think it’s time we tuck these two in bed, don’t you think Sarah?” asked Kathy.

“Yeah. They are getting silly,” quipped Sarah.

Luckily before a back and forth started among the four of us, the few remaining guests interrupted us to thank Sarah for a great party and bid goodbye. After the guests had left, Mark and I helped the girls, collecting the empty plates, glasses, and generally tidying up the place, while they rinsed and stacked the dirty dishes in the dishwasher. It didn’t take too long with four people working together to get the place picked up. Mark and Kathy stayed for a nightcap—coffee and Napoleon cognac—and both girls used the occasion to get us worked up, and get themselves worked up at the same time. It sure was going to be a hard night. Finally, Kathy and Mark bid us goodnight, Kathy reminding that we were expected at her place at three o’clock sharp. Needless to say, that started a short back and forth between the two at the door. Sarah said, she would try her best to be on time, and Kathy replied that wasn’t good enough. Sarah came back, reminding Kathy she needed to sleep instead of staying up too late, at which point Mark gently pulled Kathy by her arm, saying she needed to be tucked in, while I did the same with Sarah, before the two girls could continue further.

 

* * * * *

 

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