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Chapter Twenty-four

When Alex dropped Maeve off at Johnny's house she saw Gloria's Rambler in the drive next to her Thunderbird. She and Alex kissed and then she dashed to the front door. She'd left her dress goodness knows where. She opened the door and went in, waved to Alex and watched him drive off.

Gloria and Gladys were chatting in the dining room with cups of coffee. Maeve heard Johnny's name, but they stopped when they saw her.

Gloria smiled. "Gladys, last week when I was in this house, Johnny wanted me to wear only heels and sit with my legs open. Just like that."

Maeve sat with coffee from the kitchen and relaxed. "Heels on, legs open."

"What's it like keeping yourself shaved?" Gladys asked.

"Just like shaving your legs and arm pits; you get used to it." Maeve looked at Gloria. "Have fun?"

"The second ship made up for the first." Gloria smiled. "They're just like little boys."

Gladys shook her head. "It was never like that for me."

Maeve stretched her legs. "Little boys, little devils, sometimes an angel in the lot."

"Meet an angel last night?" Gloria finished her coffee. She opened her purse, passed the envelope to Maeve.

"Several."

"Sore?"

Maeve grinned. "I may have overdone it. There were devils, also."

"Horny bastards." Gladys pushed her cup away.

"Sounds like you had a great night with Johnny." Gloria closed her purse. She sat back in her chair and glanced at Maeve.

"Little boy, devil and angel, all in one."

Gloria smiled.

"Well," Maeve said, "we're waiting for all the gory details."

Gladys looked at Gloria. "When you're with your sailors, anything happen or do you just fuck and suck?"

"Fuck and suck. Sometimes, often, something happens."

Gladys said to Maeve, "And you, with your angels and devils?"

Maeve smiled. "Alex shot several loads on me. I was kneeling in his tub. My eyes were shut. He's quick, comes and comes again. And then he washed the come off with his piss."

"That's one of your angels?"

"Before and after he was an angel. I didn't come then. I came after, in his bed with him. And before, with his friend, Greg. Greg was nice. Alex was nice." She looked off in the distance.

"Your devils?"

Maeve turned to Gladys. "For some reason, the devils are better for me. Not always. Last night it was a string of men, one after the other, over and over. I was on the floor of an auto generator shop. Cement floor." She grinned at Gloria. "Not graceful like you or Kitty. I was sprawled. I didn't know what was happening to me until it was over."

Gloria nodded. "It's like that sometimes."

Gladys shook her head. "Never. Not once for me. Sometimes it hurts, sometimes it's boring, sometimes it's nice."

Gloria leaned forward. "Kitty showed me something that has helped me. Would you let her show you?"

"Dyke thing?"

"Woman thing. I can show you. I can show you right now if you want." Gloria stood. "Maeve, I need you to sit on the counter."

Maeve finished her coffee, stood up. "You're doing this because I'm dressed for the occasion." She backed to the kitchen counter, put her hands on it and pushed, giving a little jump. She sat on the counter.

"Knees apart."

"Up?"

Maeve put her feet on the counter. "Last night I did a show for a group of men this way. Legs spread while one of them fucked me with a beer bottle."

"Don't get yourself worked up, dear," Gloria said. She pointed to Maeve's pussy. "Gladys, you'll need to come here." Gloria walked to the refrigerator.

"There's a basket in the bedroom closet." Maeve blushed.

Gloria left the room, came back with the basket, grinning. She set the basket on the counter by Maeve. "Should Gladys choose?"

Maeve said to Gladys. "I recommend the carrot, not that one, hairbrush handle, any of them."

Gloria held the carrot up. "What happened to it?"

"Gloria," Maeve said sharply.

Gladys chose a trowel with a wood handle.

"That's a good one. Stick it in."

Gladys looked to Gloria. Gloria nodded. Gladys put the handle to Maeve's pussy. She pulled it away. "Don't you need something?"

Maeve smiled. "Gloria will help, won't you dear?"

Gloria stepped in front of Maeve and licked her pussy.

Maeve shut her eyes and leaned back on the counter. "Stick it in Gladys." She paused. "That feels wonderful."

Gloria grinned. "What are you thinking about?"

"You won't laugh?"

"Of course not."

"Seriously. You won't laugh?"

"Promise."

Maeve raised her head and eyed them. "When Johnny was gone I was desperate. My only moment of solace was imagining myself face down in the grass, ass in the air in Kitty's yard. All the neighborhood dogs, the male ones, were taking turns with me. The neighbors sat in chairs and watched. I can't explain it." Maeve looked shyly at Gloria. "But a Scottie was the best." Maeve dropped her head back; her long black hair lay on the counter. "I still think of him. Like now." She grinned. "He's stuck in me. Go ahead, Gladys. Move it." Maeve sighed. "He's stuck, Gladys. He's in the throes of passion, his doggy prick buried in my cunt. That's it."

Maeve moaned.

"That's it?" Gladys asked.

"Don't stop. He's stuck for twenty minutes, thirty minutes, maybe more. He can't help it."

Gloria pointed. "The trowel might do it. This will. Watch." Gloria rubbed her finger lightly over Maeve's clit.

Maeve's body stiffened.

"Don't stop the trowel. You want to try?"

Maeve felt a different touch on her. She jerked her hips.

"Don't stop," Gloria said. "You ever do this to yourself?"

"You mean with a trowel?"

"Don't stop. A finger, two fingers, more in the pussy, a finger on the clit?"

Gladys shook her head.

Maeve stopped moaning and arched her back.

"Don't stop."

Maeve's body thumped the counter, she screamed.

"Okay, you can stop. Don't be afraid to let go like that. All three of us scream, now and again. Kitty didn't, now she wails and cries real tears." Gloria rubbed Maeve's inner thigh.

Maeve raised her head. "Thank you, Gladys. Do you want us to reciprocate for you? We promise you'll still like men."

Gladys looked at Gloria.

"Go ahead. There's a bed in the garage. You two can frolic. I'd better get going. Johnny's all alone and who knows what trouble he'll get into without one of us around." Gloria went to the table and picked up her purse. She asked Gladys, "How was your night with Johnny?"

Gladys laid the trowel on the counter. "One of the best ever, just no fireworks. I feel like I let him down."

Maeve hopped off the counter. "You didn't let him down. He ask you to do anything special for him?" She watched Gloria's face.

"He wanted me to tip the elevator boy."

Gloria smiled. "Our Johnny."

"How did you do it?" Maeve asked.

"I gave him a blowjob." Gladys looked at Maeve.

"Just gave him a blowjob or did something special?"

"My top was off, Johnny held it. I just wore a swimsuit bottom. Yours," Gladys said to Gloria. "I rubbed my breasts while I did it."

"Swallow?" Maeve asked.

"God yes. It was Gloria's swimsuit."

"What did Johnny think?" Maeve grinned at Gloria.

"He seemed to like watching. He made me walk to the room without my top on."

"How did it feel?"

Gladys stared at Maeve. "It's almost winter and you're asking me how it felt to walk around a drafty hotel wearing almost nothing?"

Maeve nodded. "That's what I'm asking."

"I have to tell you?"

Maeve nodded. She smiled. "I'm nosy."

"It was late, I'd just given a freebie to some pimple faced kid; me and Johnny had been to the beach and it was wonderful, but it was also . . . It was cold. He wore a jacket and pants, dammit. I was cold."

"So you weren't thinking anything?" Gloria asked.

"I have to tell you that, too?"

Gloria nodded.

"I was thinking if Johnny asked me to fuck that boy I would do it. I was thinking maybe we'd meet someone in the hall and he would want me to go off to their room with them. I was thinking about his smile when I handed him the twenty or whatever. I was thinking about his smile." Gladys looked at Maeve. "Don't do anything stupid and lose him."

"My feelings entirely, Maeve," Gloria said. "I better go. Lakefront Park at five with the kids."

"Do I have to use a fucking trowel?" Gladys asked Maeve.

"That isn't a trowel, it's a cute little, eager little Scottie. No."

Gladys walked to the refrigerator. "Orange is my favorite color. I want a frigging carrot."

Maeve smiled at Gloria. "Bye, dear. Give Johnny my love."

Gloria and Johnny walked hand and hand along the bay seawall. Gloria wore her sandals, pants and blue and white striped shirt. To help accentuate her breasts she wore a bra. Johnny seemed relaxed. He was comfortable with anything she wanted to do. She squeezed his hand and led him toward a park bench.

"How was your night with Gladys?" Gloria asked.

Johnny smiled. "You've talked with her, want to hear my side, which you'll then report to her, to Maeve and to Kitty."

Gloria handed him her straw hat, unfastened her ponytail and shook her head to free her hair. "Don't forget Darlene and Winifred. They want to know also."

Johnny groaned. "It's not funny."

"It isn't for them." Gloria took back her hat, flapping it up and down in her hands. "Like her?"

"Stupid question." Johnny crossed his legs and held his knees.

"How much do you like her?" Gloria stopped tossing her hat.

Johnny stood. "Let's go back to the room."

Gloria didn't move.

Johnny sat down. "I enjoyed last night. I like her company. She's fun."

"Finish it, then we can go back to the room."

Johnny took out his billfold, took out a twenty. He put his billfold back, took his roll out of his pocket and peeled off a fifty. He handed the bills to Gloria. "Here."

Gloria took the money, folded the bills, put them in her pocket. "Talk to the manager?"

"Five hundred a month each room, plus fifty for him, for each room. No parties. No constant stream of men. No wastebaskets filled with liquor bottles. That's it."

"Cheaper than the motel. I like it at that hotel. It feels nice." Gloria stood. "If you don't want to talk about it that's all right." She held out her hand.

"I don't know what to talk about." Johnny stood.

"Did you enjoy yourself?"

Johnny rolled his eyes. "Yes. I had fun."

She took his hand; they went back in the direction they had come. "Fun?"

Johnny nodded.

"That's good. Are we going to have fun?"

"I hope so." Johnny walked silently.

"Gladys has never come, never seen stars, never felt the earth move, never jumped up and shouted."

"So it wasn't just me, then."

Gloria squeezed his hand. "She loved last night with you. She's feeling like she let you down."

"She's not had an easy life."

"None of us have, hers has been harder than most."

Gloria began to say more; he cut her off. "Give me the seventy back."

Gloria stopped and looked at him. "Why?"

"Just do it."

Gloria handed him the folded bills. "Happy now?"

"Exceedingly so." He began walking; she kept up.

Johnny lay on his back, his arm across Gloria whose head rested on his chest. He loved the way her hair felt, the way it stuck to his hand when he lifted his hand away from her head. "I'm not sure Gladys should be a whore."

"Isn't it her choice, Johnny?" Gloria's fingers moved lightly on his neck, to his jaw, to his chest.

"I'm not sure you should be a whore."

Gloria pushed off him and sat up. "It's too late, Johnny." She climbed off the bed, searched the floor for her clothes.

"Would you be upset if I got more girls?"

Gloria sat down on the bed. "What's your problem, Johnny?"

"Say three or four more girls. Just business, nine to five, none of the other stuff." Johnny turned onto his side and propped himself on his elbow. "Maybe you, Kitty, Maeve, Gladys wouldn't have to be whores."

"Three or four? The girls? Little Darlene as your money maker?" Gloria stood up, looked for her clothes.

Johnny lay on his back. "Can you see Darlene do what you do, what you've done this week? She's not . . ."

Gloria drew on her pants. "Johnny, I want that seventy back." She put on the shirt, with the bra. "I mean it." She went into the bathroom; he could hear her brush her hair. She sounded angry.

Johnny lay on the bed staring at the ceiling. He heard her walk into the room, wait by the dresser.

"It's in the pants pocket, Gloria. I like Gladys a lot but I'm not sure it's good for her to be a whore."

Gloria found the money in the pocket, dropped the pants and walked to the bed. "What about me, Johnny?"

Johnny shook his head.

Gloria threw the money at him. "Fine pimp you turned out to be. Go buy yourself a habit." She searched in the closet for her bag.

"It's by the dresser." Johnny sat up. "Come here."

Gloria stood with the purse in her hand. "Why should I?"

Johnny curled his finger and smiled.

Gloria dropped the purse on the floor, made a face at him, and walked to the edge of the bed.

"Come here."

Gloria climbed onto the bed, crawled toward him.

"Wednesday, three ships at the port, all at once, all night. Friday, I'm loaning you to a bar. You'll work upstairs. Heavy traffic. Sailors, dockhands."

"Loaning?" Gloria lay next to him and rested her hand on his chest.

"Saturday night they'll loan us one of their girls."

"You have a theme already?" Gloria grinned. She leaned on an elbow, kissed him.

"Okay. So maybe you are a whore. Gladys wouldn't react the way you did."

"She could work here."

"You think so?"

"I'm not sure. Johnny, I have to go."

"I expected a bit more appreciation for the nautical adventures." Johnny grinned at her. "Go." They kissed. Johnny sat up; Gloria got off the bed and picked her purse up off the floor.

"Gloria, take a hundred off the roll in my pants pocket." Johnny paused. "Just a hundred. I'm watching you."

Gloria walked over and kissed him. "Thanks."

Johnny watched her cross the room.

"Gloria, was I okay?"

She grinned and nodded. "You were okay." She left him.

Johnny hunted for five minutes before he found the fifty Gloria threw at him.

Kitty watched the kids on the beach play and run along the edge of the waves. Darlene sat quietly at Kitty's side on the old Army blanket. Winifred is good with them, Kitty thought; she keeps them moving from one thing to another. Winifred is like Gloria in that way. Mary reminded her of herself at that age. Awkward, part girl, part boy. She hadn't the slightest clue who Darlene reminded her of. She'd never known anyone like Darlene, hanging from the merest thread at the cliff's edge, laughing and playing with how long she could let go before grabbing that lone twig supporting her. It had been a long night.

Kitty looked at her watch. Gloria should be here soon. Kitty said to Darlene, "Let's walk." Kitty stood and held out her hand. Darlene took it, but didn't look at Kitty. Instead she faced the row of cars parked on the road, one hundred feet from the beach's edge.

Kitty waved at Winifred. Winifred waved back. Kitty looked at Darlene, she smiled at her, and she looked up the beach. A glorious warm day. She was holding hands with a strange child; she was in love even though nothing had happened last night. Nothing, lying in bed, skin against skin, mind racing, heart pounding not knowing.

Darlene looked exhausted this morning. She ate like a bird, not her typical voracious self. Kitty had wanted to pull the girl to her last night, lose herself in Darlene's silly seriousness, beautiful figure, leering face. Kitty turned over, hoping one thing, praying the other. She'd felt a kiss on her shoulder. Was that it? Had it started? Her fears were she'd have to leave Gloria, Maeve and Johnny. She couldn't live with them. Not consumed. Darlene would destroy her. She ached to be in shambles under this child.

Darlene had kissed Kitty's shoulder, then turned over herself.

"A week ago," Kitty said, "we brought your sisters to this beach. Winifred was so angry. Maeve talked to her. Maeve talked to her again last Sunday. On Saturday Maeve tried to explain how things were different now from what Winifred and her sisters knew and expected." She looked to see if Darlene was listening, she couldn't tell. "She tried to explain our relationship with one another. It's hard to explain. Maybe, a week later, Winifred can see it better."

They walked in silence.

"He's giving that car a ticket," Darlene said.

Kitty looked at the parked cars. There was metered parking along the beach. A dime bought a lot of time. A motorcycle cop kept an eye on the meters, a special three-wheeled motorcycle. He could give change, he could write tickets all day long. "Ever wonder what life must be like for someone like that man?"

Darlene watched the cars.

"Gloria likes what she's doing because of the adventure. She never knows; there's always a new room to explore. Johnny's good that way. Me, I like the money. I get an enormous amount of pleasure from sex."

"Thought you didn't like men?"

"I like sex with men, it's just that there is so little to talk about afterwards. Cars, what they want to do next. You know? I can always talk girl things with women. Cooking, kids, no man wants to talk about kids, clothes, you know?"

"Why aren't you talking girl things with me?"

"Want to? All right. I lost my virginity when I was fifteen. My virginity to a man. To a woman was six years later. When I was fifteen, me and my friends came out to the beach on weekends like this. One day there was this beautiful man on the beach. Handsome, slender, but muscled, you know so the muscles on his stomach were well defined. I like that. My two girlfriends and I watched him. He was there the next day, then the next Saturday, and so on. I was his ninth or tenth girl. Late one night, in a car, after driving me around all day, he screwed me not too far from here. He dropped me off at my home. My parents were frantic. All they knew was I'd left the beach with some guy. My two girlfriends were numbers ten and sixteen in his series of conquests. I was someone he smiled to afterwards. He was polite but I was invisible to him. That was it. The next time was two years later. I knew a little more, got a little more. Now your turn." Kitty sat on the ground. "I'm listening."

Darlene sat across from her. "I can't remember the first time. All of them run together. There is the hazy time, there is the bright time, there is the boring time."

"Go on."

"I'm in bed and a man comes into my room, my and Fancy's room. We do things. It wasn't every night. Fancy was barely too young, Winifred was almost too old. But he fixed on me so it was nearly every night. I had to make him like me so he wouldn't see Fancy. Their attention wanders so easily. Notice that?"

Darlene smoothed the sand with her hand. "That's it. There were certain things he liked to do. I'm not going to talk anymore." Darlene pushed the smooth sand to the side.

"Okay." Kitty covered her foot with sand and patted it with her hands. "Did anyone ever show you how to make a toad home? No. What you do is pack dirt around your foot like this. I'm not sure if sand will work or not. We'll see. You pull your foot from the dirt, there, it fell. With dirt, if you do it right, it doesn't fall. At night, if a toad likes it, he will make it his home. He'll leave a nickel in it when he leaves in the morning." Kitty patted the sand hard over the impression. "There was a nickel this morning in a toad home Mark made. He hasn't seen it yet, he's been too busy."

Kitty held out her hand. "Take it."

Darlene held Kitty's hand.

"I don't think you and I should become lovers." Kitty squeezed Darlene's fingers. "I would lose Gloria, Maeve and Johnny. I might lose Mark. I would lose everything but you and you would only stay for a short while, wouldn't you? I don't think I could stand such loss. It would destroy me. I fear loving you would destroy me. Look at me." Kitty waited. "Thank you. I can't take away your hazy times, your bright times or your boring times, but maybe I can help you replace those times with something better, something easier to live with. Okay?"

Darlene gave a slow nod.

"Honey, if you weren't special you wouldn't be so hard to live with. Darlene, I have a friend who has a hazy time. Would you be willing to talk with them? Okay. Now I have to see if it would be okay for them to talk with you. You've been beaten by men. I've been beaten; we can talk about that. I know. Who wants to talk about that?"

She paused, looking past Darlene's shoulder toward the street. "Darlene, Gloria's walking toward us. I need to go. Thank you for the kiss last night. Last night was beautiful, intense, fraught and special for me. If I didn't have so much shame I would kiss you right now and tell you how much I love you." Kitty released Darlene's hand and stood. She hugged Gloria. "Time to go?"

Gloria laughed. "Johnny is pining. He can be such a bastard. Where are the others?"

"That way. Darlene and I have been talking. Ready to go back, Darlene?"

Darlene stood, brushed the sand from her rear and legs. The three walked together not talking, Darlene between Gloria and Kitty. At the blanket, Kitty picked up her purse, said goodbye to Mark, said goodbye to everyone. She walked to her car.

Darlene sat on the blanket, using a corner of it to cover her feet. Gloria sat down beside her, opened her purse and took out the hundred Johnny gave her. She handed the bill to Darlene.

Darlene looked at the money.

"If you decide to go I don't want you to leave with nothing but the clothes on your back. Take it."

Darlene took the bill, slipped it into her shorts.

"I hope you stay. You know that, I hope?"

Darlene turned to Gloria, started to speak, and shook her head.

"We all want you to stay. We like you." Gloria grinned. "You've made life interesting for us. Kitty loves you. She'd be broken-hearted if you left." Gloria held up her hand. "But we don't know you and can't tell you what to do — beside a certain point as busybody adults. If you leave it'll be because that is what you must do." Gloria stood. "Let's walk in the water." She held out her hand.

Darlene stood and followed her.

"Your turn. Ask me anything. Anything at all." Gloria leaned to Darlene and placed her hand on her shoulder. She whispered into Darlene's ear. Darlene whipped her head around.

Gloria straightened. "Anything." She grinned. "Should we walk away from the kids? All right."

Darlene followed Gloria up the beach, away from the kids and away from most of the people. She stopped and faced Gloria. "What did you do to get that hundred?"

Gloria thought a moment. "Well, I could lie and say I found it on the beach. I could do that. I said you could ask me anything. I didn't say I would answer, did I?" She held up her hand and smiled. "But I will. I fucked a man, walked with him, talked with him, fucked him and talked to him some more. Several hours worth. Okay?"

"What did you do?"

Gloria took Darlene's hand and began walking. "Now we get to woman to woman talk. Secret lore handed down through the ages, one woman to another; not mother to daughter but friend to friend. Ready?"

Darlene nodded enthusiastically.

"I made him feel important, I made him feel that the experience was important to me. He was special; I made him feel special. Doesn't tell you much, does it?"

Gloria whispered, "I fucked him silly. With my mouth, my hands, my body, my pussy, everything, I fucked him silly. There are thousands of ways." She laughed. "You want more, I can tell. Men tell me they like me because I'm tight. They like me because I move my pussy. It's hard to describe, but I never just lie there. I can bring a man off lying on him, just using my pussy. It's a lot of work and if I'm doing forty or fifty men — I'm bragging a little — I pretty much just lie there. I worked hard for that hundred. Harder than he did and he's good. Next question."

Darlene shook her head.

"Why not?"

Darlene shook her head and looked away.

"Okay, I'll tell a little more about myself if you tell me how long you've been a whore. Selling yourself. How long?"

"Since February."

"That's a long time. What's the most you ever made off one man?"

"Twelve."

Gloria nodded. "The most I ever made was that hundred I gave you." She grinned. "You didn't even have to fuck him for it, did you? What's the most you've done at one time? Mine's forty or fifty."

"Nine."

"Not bad. You're what, thirteen? Most women can never say that. Okay. Now, how many men in all do you think you've fucked?"

Darlene shook her head.

"Countless or just don't know?" She thought for a moment, counting to herself on her fingers. "Maybe a thousand? Forty a week, three weeks a month, for nine months."

Darlene nodded.

"Or more. It could be two thousand, but a thousand is a safe number, right?"

Gloria stopped. "I want you to look out at the horizon with me. When I point, we'll count to five, turn and go back. Good. Now when I was in college I had an affair with a professor. I lost my virginity to him. Shortly after that I met the man who became my husband. That's two. He was killed in Korea. Years later I met Johnny. He was three. I've been one of his girls for two weeks now. I've fucked maybe two hundred. Maybe more, maybe less. I'm not keeping count either. You've been doing this for nine months; I've been doing it for two weeks. You've done things I haven't, you know things I don't know. I've done things you haven't, I know things you don't. Ever notice how adults talk a lot?" Gloria pointed to the horizon. "One. Two. Three. Four. Five." She laughed. "Nicely done."

Kitty looked out the hotel window. She turned and studied Johnny. "What's the other room like?"

"Next floor up. Same view. Not so good of the street, better view of the water."

"Can we see it?"

"You'll have to dress."

Kitty pouted. "Why?"

"So we don't get kicked out. I've had to shell out eleven hundred."

Kitty jumped onto the bed. "Changed my mind."

"Because you don't want to get dressed?"

Kitty kissed Johnny. "No you fool. I think that with a little persuasion on my part. Like that. You'll be ready to fuck me again and I want to be fucked a million times this afternoon."

"Did you tip the elevator boy?"

"I was supposed to tip him? I didn't." Kitty stared at Johnny in consternation, then giggled.

"When you're working here, tip him. Fifty cents when you go out. That's all, fifty cents. He should make two, three, dollars a day. He'll be happy. It's important to me that he be happy."

"No sucking him off while an elevator full of businessmen watch?"

Johnny smiled, shook his head.

"No letting him have a turn at the end of the day."

Johnny shook his head. "Certainly not."

"Johnny, it sounds so boring."

"That's why you only get to work two days here. Gloria two, then Maeve on Friday when we get back."

"Looking forward to meeting Dad?" Kitty grinned.

Johnny shrugged his shoulders. He lay back on the bed. "You'll wear me out that way."

Kitty climbed on top of Johnny. She knelt, put his cock in her pussy and slowly fucked him.

Johnny shut his eyes.

"You're not supposed to go to sleep." Kitty tweaked his nipples.

"Ouch." Johnny held her hands, spread them, and brought her down to him to kiss. "Don't you think going through a wedding isn't torture enough for a poor groom? I'm being fucked into oblivion. I'm surprised I can get it up . . ."

"I'm not surprised," Kitty said. "I have certain proficiencies."

"Which I've noticed and appreciate. What was that?"

Kitty grinned at him. She rocked faster on him, twisting her hips slowly.

When they held each other afterward, Kitty said, "I've fallen in love with Darlene."

Johnny nodded. "Me, too."

"No, I mean it. Really."

"Why do you think I jump a foot when she touches me?"

"She has the same effect on me." Kitty stroked his cheek with her hand. "We slept together last night. Slept as sleeping. I didn't sleep much."

Johnny thought for a while. "You want to walk in a few minutes?"

"That means I have to put on clothes, doesn't it?"

Johnny nodded.

"Nope, Johnny. You, Gloria, Maeve and Mark are all that is standing between me and disaster."

"That bad, hunh? Okay. You can prance around naked. I'll get an eyeful. My cock will stand, no lie, absolutely limp for the next twenty-four hours. Maeve will be disgusted. At home with her father, her girlfriends miles and miles away, her husband, on their honeymoon, can't get it up, because his cock has been fucked to death since yesterday."

Kitty yawned. "Done?"

"If I weren't trembling on the edge of exhaustion, I'd go on, but I can't."

"Sigh." Kitty climbed off Johnny. She lay beside him.

"I am. I'm exhausted." Johnny grinned. "You three."

"Four, Johnny."

"Four are slowly fucking me to death."

Kitty tapped her open mouth with her fingers. "Yawn, Johnny. What are you going to do when you get more? What are you going to do when Darlene finally — not if, when — nails you. Say, sorry?"

"That's a frightening idea."

"You mean not being able to get it up when she is in your arms and hot with passion?"

"Kitty."

"I'm throwing you to her to save myself, Johnny." Kitty slid her hand across his chest, held a nipple. "What haven't you done yet?"

"I think my tongue is turning a funny color. Are you sure this is safe?"

Kitty slowly squeezed his nipple.

"You know. I just realized I have an appointment I have to be at."

"Screwing number five."

"It's no business at all of yours, dear," Johnny said. "Let me up." He jumped. "That hurt."

Kitty pressed her nose to his. "You know what is even scarier than Darlene?"

Johnny shuddered. "No."

"Darlene and Winifred." Kitty lifted her nose. "Do you want to dwell on that or do you want to get to business? Right now." Kitty lay on her back. "I'll take five please. You'll have five girls, not counting Darlene and Winifred. You'll have to bring me off nice five times."

"What would I do with five girls?"

"Besides make more money?"

Johnny was silent for a minute. "I've been looking at the problem of too many girls selfishly. When I look at it from the viewpoint of it being a higher calling, making more money, I realize how shortsighted I've been. Of course I need more girls." Johnny sat up.

"Ho hum."

"When I get back."

"Johnny, Saturday is a lousy time to find women who want to be cheap prostitutes in your seedy little empire."

Johnny lay back down. "I'm a day late, dollar short."

"Johnny, five. Right now. Before I start counting."

He sat up and kissed her. "You'll let me know how I'm doing?"

"So far too much talk, too little action."

"Yes, mistress." Johnny opened her pussy with his fingers and used his tongue.

"That's nice, Johnny. Thanks for not getting mad about Darlene."

Maeve waited by her Thunderbird and checked her watch. Five o'clock. Everyone should be here soon for the practice. She smiled. She knew why Kitty was late. Maeve turned and looked across the grassy expanse to the tent. Gladys was there getting things ready. She liked Gladys. She heard a car, turned and saw Johnny's Buick drive into the parking lot. Gloria and the kids poured out, all talking at once. Mark and Walter looked cute in their suits. Maeve wondered how they and the younger girls would be able to remain clean before the wedding ceremony. Michael's car arrived; he and Gloria talked while the girls walked to Maeve. They looked beautiful, Winifred and Darlene in their dress gloves. Good, Winifred was developing poise. Darlene, awkward as she was, could charm the socks off anyone.

"Walter, Mark." Maeve waited. They had become distracted already. Men.

She and the girls waited for them to come up. "You two will be ushers; you will need to direct people to the tent when they arrive. Watch for my signal. When everyone is here, you should join us." She smiled. "Thanks boys, you look handsome."

Gloria walked toward them as Michael parked his car. She held something in her hand.

Maeve and the girls walked to the tent, Gloria caught up.

"See," she said. "For me." She grinned.

Maeve looked, closed Gloria's hand. "Butt plugs."

"Michael said I was to put the smallest one in now."

Maeve opened Gloria's hand, picked through the plugs and chose the largest. "We'll all wear one, dear. You, Kitty, Gladys if she wants, and I." She smiled at Gloria. "Our restroom facilities are the bushes, I'm afraid."

"It's beautiful here, Maeve."

"You need anything, talk to Gladys. Pass it on." Maeve watched the girls rush ahead. "Cute, aren't they?"

"Heartbreakers, every one of them." Gloria dropped the plugs into her purse. "Where's your dress?"

"I've taken a room nearby. After the rehearsal I'm going there to change." Maeve looked behind her. "I wonder what Michael is telling those boys?"

Kitty pretended she was Johnny for the event. She stood to Maeve's right. Michael, Alex and Charles to the right of her. In front of them stood Mark and Walter. To Maeve's left stood Gloria, Gladys, Winifred and Darlene. It was easier than arguing. Fancy and Mary stood in front.

Michael did the la-de-das, after everyone stood in place. Mark held the ring, passed it to Kitty. Michael did more la-de-das, then she and Kitty kissed and that was it.

They'd have to sign the certificate, have it witnessed. They would talk for a bit in the tent, find the kids and head off to Johnny's afterward.

Couldn't be easier.

Maeve watched people talk together. This was the first time that Alex and Charles had met all the kids and Gladys. Walter helped Alex with his camera equipment. Alex would move in and out of the ceremony. He'd already received his special orders. Johnny needed good portraits of the girls. Unobtrusively done, of course.

Time to go.

Maeve stopped a minute by Gladys and Gloria, took Gloria's hand. "I'll see you later. Keep Johnny distracted so he doesn't see me until the last minute."

Maeve hugged Gladys, whispered into her ear. "Thank you for this morning, dear." They had a quick kiss, shyly done by Gladys, and then Maeve left.

Kitty felt awkward in heels and a dress. She looked at the girls and was surprised how comfortable they seemed to be in their clothes. Mark and Walter were at the parking lot. The girls managed the snack trays, walked on the grassy area better than she.

Kitty tried to imagine standing out on a street corner all day and night, or most of it, trying to attract attention. It couldn't be done standing still.

She saw Johnny arrive escorting a woman. Kitty began to approach them, then stopped, turned around and left the group. She stood at the edge of the palmettos and studied the shadows in the fronds. Shadows and light. She felt a hand in hers. She looked over, smiled at Darlene.

"Having fun?" Kitty asked.

"Sort of." Darlene used her shoe to make impressions in the sand. Darlene shrugged her shoulders.

"Everybody's pretty old, aren't they?"

Darlene nodded.

"No young men."

"Johnny's spending time with that woman. He doesn't have time for me."

Kitty turned and looked at the group of people. She could see Steve looking her way then turn. She could see Gloria talking with Alex and Sam. It was strange seeing Sam away from Joe's, strange seeing him dressed differently. She saw Gloria leave Sam and Alex, walk toward some new arrivals, Al and his friends. She saw Gladys pass a plate to Winifred, saw her talking with Johnny and the woman from the realtor's office. The one she'd joked about being ripe for the picking. She looked at Darlene, gave Darlene's hand a squeeze. "An old boyfriend is here; you've already met him. Let's go make him uncomfortable, shall we?"

Darlene grinned.

"Not too uncomfortable, nothing he'll lose sleep over. Maybe more like something he'll think about for a long time. One of those type things."

Darlene led the way; she released Kitty's hand. "Can I be the good girl this time?"

"Honey, you be the good girl, I'll be the bad girl. Half way through we'll switch." Kitty stopped. "Darlene, are you wearing panties?"

Darlene shook her head.

"I'm not either. Oh dear." Kitty touched her lips with her fingers. "Well. We'll both try to be good girls, won't we?" Kitty walked past Darlene toward Steve. She pointedly did not look at Johnny.

Gloria introduced Al to Charles and his wife, Elizabeth. Al and Charles went off to talk about man stuff; Gloria and Elizabeth watched the girls.

"I always wanted girls," Gloria said.

"They are beautiful children. Whose are they?"

"Their parents aren't here. The girls are staying with Kitty; she and Darlene are over there."

"I don't like it when children aren't well behaved." Elizabeth smiled at Gloria. "But I try to be understanding. Those girls look like they never gave anyone an ounce of trouble."

"Looks can deceive, can't they?"

Elizabeth laughed. "Lord, yes."

Gloria felt Kitty's hand on her arm. "This is Kitty. Kitty, this is Charles' wife, Elizabeth."

"Hi. Gloria, I need to see you."

"Sorry, Elizabeth. Please excuse me." Gloria followed Kitty. "What's the crisis?"

Kitty pulled Gloria out of the crowd. "See that woman with Johnny?"

Gloria looked. "Yes."

"She's the one I told you about."

Gloria hugged Kitty. "What one you told me about?"

"At the realtor's office, the secretary. The one who had eyes for Johnny."

"So? Kitty, there's something Maeve wanted you to do during the ceremony." Gloria looked in her purse. "There it is." She handed a butt plug to Kitty. "Stick it in."

Kitty held the bit of pink rubber in her hand. "Stick it where? What about her?"

Gloria leaned close to Kitty, held her shoulder as she spoke softly in her ear. "She's the one conducting the ceremony. Stick it in your ass." Gloria hugged Kitty. "I need to go back and mingle, Kitty."

Kitty looked at the butt plug. "This in my ass? What about her?"

Gloria walked away, then turned. "Yes, it feels good. If Gladys doesn't want to wear one should I ask that woman?" She grinned.

Kitty looked at her hand, closed her fingers. She nodded.

Gloria went to find Gladys.

Maeve waited in the hotel room until it was past time to leave. It wouldn't hurt if they had to wait for a few moments. She picked up her gold lamé clutch. Perhaps she was overdoing it. She locked the door, walked to her car. She'd leave the clutch on her seat; she didn't need it for the ceremony. She slowly bent and sat in her car seat, swung her legs into the car. There. She closed the door. Gloves on the passenger seat. Veil. She was ready. She laid the clutch by the gloves and turned the key.

When she arrived at Lakefront Park she spotted Walter, drove up to him. "Hi, Walter. Get everyone ready. I'll be there in exactly five minutes." Maeve parked her car and waited.

Four minutes later she opened her door and stood, gloves and veil in her hand. She placed the veil over her head, did the tedious work of slipping the gloves on and up over her arms. There. She thought she looked like something out of Poe's The Masque of Red Death. Red gloves, red dress, red veil, and red sandals that went halfway up her calf. Red lipstick, red nail polish on her toes and fingers. A touch of blush on her cheeks, nipples and pussy. One of Gloria's butt plugs stuck up her ass. She hoped she that neither she nor anyone had a coughing fit.

She walked toward her friends. She could feel the butt plug in her ass as she walked.

Johnny stood next to Michael. Michael elbowed him. "I see her," Johnny said.

Maeve walked across the lawn, a vision in red silk, tight sheath dress, red veil and gloves. Everyone was silent as they watched her approach.

When she was close enough for Johnny to see her eyes through the veil, Johnny winked and smiled. She winked back. She held out her hand. He took it and she stood next to him. Everyone turned to Penny who was officiating.

As Penny began to read the ceremony, Johnny could see flashes from Alex's camera. It was dusk. More and more, the light from the lamps became visible.

"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here this evening to join this man and this woman in matrimony." Penny looked at him and winked. Johnny felt Maeve squeeze his hand.

"Johnny, do you take this woman to be your wife, to live together in matrimony, to love for as long as you shall live?"

"I do," Johnny said.

Penny turned to Maeve. "Maeve, do you take this man to be your husband, to live together in matrimony, to love for as long as you shall live?"

Johnny remembered Maeve's face as she crossed out bits of the ceremony. "Don't need this, do we, or this." She smiled at him. "I know how impatient you men are, this will be over in a jiffy." She went back to the text. "Honor, obey, forsaking all others, humph."

Maeve turned to Johnny. "I do."

Penny said, "Repeat after me. I, Johnny, take you, Maeve, to be my wife."

Johnny repeated, looking into Maeve's eyes. ". . . to be my wife."

"To have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health."

Johnny repeated her words, watching Maeve's eyes.

"To love and cherish, till death do us part."

"To love and cherish, till death do us part." Johnny smiled at Maeve.

Penny turned to Maeve and had her repeat the same words to Johnny. It felt strange to Johnny hearing Maeve say the ritual words to him, seeing the look in her eyes. The way she smelled. The way he wanted to let go of her hand, turn and walk off. I'm a goner, he thought.

Penny said to him, "Place the ring on the bride's finger and repeat after me."

Johnny felt a hand pressing his. He looked down; Mark held the ring for him. He took it, tried not to drop it and placed it onto Maeve's gloved finger. Now, when she's not holding me, Johnny thought. No, I'm a goner. He found himself repeating, "I give you this ring as a token and pledge of our constant and abiding love." He didn't feel any better after saying it.

Penny smiled and gave Johnny a big wink. "By virtue of the authority vested in me under the laws of the State of Florida, I now pronounce you husband and wife. The bride and groom may now exchange a kiss."

Johnny watched as Maeve lifted her veil, the ring over her red gloved finger glinted in Alex's flash. Maeve's eyes sparkled. He grinned and kissed her; they kissed and went to their private world as people watched and waited. Maeve drew back, held his face and watched him. She whispered, "You have some explaining to do, don't you, dear?"

Johnny smiled and gave a slow nod.

Maeve studied him a moment longer, they kissed. It's not so bad being a goner, Johnny thought. He wondered how he was going to survive the night.

Gloria and Winifred stood amongst the rubber plants and lamps. It was dark now. Kitty, Michael, Maeve and Johnny had gone off to the parking lot with the notary to finish the paperwork.

"Is this your first wedding?" Gloria asked.

Winifred nodded. She watched the parking lot.

"Maeve's a beautiful woman, isn't she?"

Winifred nodded.

"He's coming back, you know. He'll be at the reception. Maeve and he will be gone for a few days, then he'll be back."

Winifred looked at Gloria. "But he's married now."

"Neither of them will be wearing rings, dear. They were already married." Gloria wanted to take Winifred in her arms. "Besides, both of them have rather unconventional ideas about matrimony."

Gladys came up to them, "We're getting ready to go to Johnny's for the reception."

Gloria and Winifred followed her to the tent. Mark and Walter passed them, returned carrying lamps to line the walk to the cars.

"Have you seen your sister?" Gladys asked Winifred.

Gloria watched the boys carry another set of lamps past them. They ran one way open handed, walked with outstretched arms on the way back, a lamp hanging by its ring from each forefinger.

Winifred was silent.

"Gladys, I know where she is. I'll get her." Gloria gave Winifred a touch on the arm, then left.

The park was different at night. Gloria could see the ground because of automobile lights, the light of stars and the rising moon. She could hear them in the bushes. She found the spot they'd entered, took a step or two in then waited. It would be over soon.

The sounds could create many feelings. Sometimes when she heard them they made her want to join in. Sometimes when she heard them they made her want to laugh out loud at their melodramatic silliness. Sometimes, like now, when she heard them they made her sad, as if something were broken. Not on the ground beneath her feet, but around her. They were done.

A minute later the rustle of clothes, then steps walking toward her. She quietly moved out of the way, he walked past not seeing her. She waited longer for Darlene to appear. Gloria stayed where she was, saw the foliage around her become more distinct as her eyes grew used to the dark. There she was.

"How much did he pay you, Darlene?"

Darlene stopped, stood still, not turning.

"How much? Was it worth it? Do you feel better now?" Gloria stepped toward Darlene. "Don't run."

Darlene relaxed.

"How much?"

Darlene shook her head.

"Can't have that, can we?" Gloria opened her purse, reached in and took some bills. She couldn't see if they were ones or fives. She held them out to Darlene, tapped Darlene's arm with them.

Darlene turned and looked at her.

Gloria took Darlene's hand, folded her fingers over the bills. "Was it worth it?"

Darlene shrugged her shoulders.

"Did you feel anything? Not up here," Gloria tapped Darlene's temple, "but down here in your animal self?" She tapped Darlene's stomach.

Darlene stared at her. Gloria could see Darlene's eyes glint in the moonlight.

"Nothing?" Gloria took Darlene's hand, led her out of the swamp. "We're going to the reception. But first we need to talk to Steve. I'll do the talking."

When Gloria reached the clearing she saw people were walking to their cars. "See Steve?"

Darlene was quiet.

"You're riding with me. I'm not angry with you, though it may sound that way. I'm not disappointed with you. That's all gone. What are we going to replace it with?"

Gloria stopped Darlene. "I couldn't care less that you were screwing in the bushes. I just want to know why. I want to make sure that you know why."

Maeve stood as Penny and Johnny sat on her bed in the motel room. She changed into something less formal as she thought about Johnny's little bombshell. She knew what she thought; she wanted to laugh, she wanted to bite his head off. She wanted Johnny to fuck her in the ass; the butt plug was driving her crazy.

He knew how to pick them. Penny was beautiful, tall, graceful, a brunette with entrancing green eyes. She had a face that Maeve could sit and watch, and still be surprised by what it did. Well dressed, well spoken, Penny had a regal bearing that wasn't standoffish.

They sat side by side not touching. Their hands were folded in their laps as they watched her. The cocktail dress she wore now was black with red highlights in the stitching. She put her wedding dress in the suitcase, shut the lid and turned to them.

"Who wants to talk first?" Maeve leaned against the dresser. Her fingers curled over its edge, felt the edge, rubbed it.

"Johnny told me about your parties; they sounded interesting to me." Penny looked at Johnny. "I think he meant to discourage me."

"Don't abet him. He knows better." Maeve glowered at Johnny and then she smiled. "It was inevitable, wasn't it?"

Johnny lifted his hands palm up and shrugged his shoulders.

"I was the one who asked him to lunch," Penny said.

"And he was the one who accepted your invitation, wasn't he? Johnny, Johnny, Johnny." Maeve grinned. "What did he tell you about our parties?"

Penny put her hands behind her and leaned back. Nice breasts, Maeve thought. "He didn't go into too many specifics, though what he said sounded enticing."

"Can you type?" Maeve winked at Johnny.

"I wasn't planning on leaving my job, but I guess I could. Fifty words a minute."

"Did Johnny describe in detail the work we do? Besides the parties which were enticing?"

Penny looked at Johnny and shook her head. "I don't think so."

"Stand up. Take your clothes off. I want to see how you look." Maeve walked across the room, sat in a chair.

Penny looked at Johnny. He nodded at her. She stood, stepped away from the bed. She slowly removed her clothes, taking care to fold each item, making a neat stack of clothing on the bed.

Johnny watched her, not Penny, and she smiled at him. He couldn't help it.

Penny stood quietly, naked, arms held slightly out from her body. Stomach in, shoulders back, she'd kept her heels on so her pelvis was thrown slightly forward.

"Turn slowly," Maeve said. "Well, Johnny, what do you think? But I forgot, you two have already done this, haven't you?"

Penny faced her, shook her head. "We haven't done anything, Maeve."

"And I'm to believe you?" Maeve stood. She walked to Penny, touched her side, and drew her hand across Penny's stomach.

"It's true," Penny said.

"And I'm supposed to believe you over my husband? Turn slowly, then bend over, put your hands on the bed." Maeve kept her hands on Penny as she turned. Penny bent over, put her hands on the bed, kept her head high. Maeve studied Penny's butt, drew her finger along the line between the back of her thigh and the cheeks. "You can stand now." Maeve stepped away. "You are beautiful. Have you ever modeled? In front of a camera? So a camera doesn't frighten you. Good."

Maeve took another step back. "Johnny, you can wait out in my car."

Johnny stood; he walked to Maeve, then stopped. He traced her jawline with his finger. "Do you want me to go to the reception and explain the delay? A stuck zipper?"

Maeve shook her head. She smiled at him. "We'll be out in a minute."

Johnny said softly in Maeve's ear, "She's my wedding present to you."

Maeve rolled her eyes. "Shoo."

Johnny left the room.

Maeve waited until the door was shut. She turned to Penny. "You're spending the night, I trust."

Penny smiled; she gave a quick nod.

"My touch didn't bother you?"

"Should it have? No."

"We have a lot to discuss. I'm looking for a personal secretary. You'd be flying with Johnny and me to Texas tomorrow morning. You may or may not have," Maeve smiled, "relations with him. I have yet to decide. You may attend our party next Saturday, but not as an active participant. We'll go from what happens there. Can you give short notice?"

Penny thought for a moment. "I can call Peter tonight."

"Peter?"

Penny nodded.

"Will he miss you terribly?"

Penny shook her head. "I don't think so, he's married."

"Still married?" Maeve stood. "Dress. No girdle, stockings, bra or slip. You don't need them. You'll ride with me in Johnny's old car. He'll follow. If I see you two hobnobbing together at the reception, you're fired. Understand that?"

Penny stood, she said, "Yes," and slipped into her dress.

"When were you fucked last?"

"This afternoon."

"Johnny?"

"He's never touched me."

Maeve smiled. "I almost believe you. When was the time before that?"

"This morning."

"Same fellow?"

Penny shook her head. "No. Does it matter?"

"Not to me." Maeve walked to her. "Put your things in the case with mine, then carry it out to the car."

Maeve held the door. "It can go in the back seat." She stopped Penny with her fingers. "What were you making?"

"Forty-seven hundred."

"Fifty-two hundred, bonuses twice a year. Vacations and I hope you adore children."

Penny smiled, carried the case out to the car.

"In the back seat. I need to have a word with my husband." Maeve grinned at that.

Penny sat in the front seat of the Impala as Maeve and Johnny talked. He waved at them and drove off.

Maeve sat in the driver's seat and started the engine. She backed out of the parking place. "Well, Penny. You probably won't be fucking a man for the next few days. If you don't think I'll be enough for you, I have three friends, male friends who are always willing to oblige. Two friends, Charles' wife will be at the reception." Maeve pulled out onto the street. "Can you be discrete?"

Penny nodded.

"Interested?"

Penny smiled.

"I'll talk to them. You'll need to meet other friends, people who are our associates." Maeve smiled to herself. She remembered Kitty's story of her and Johnny's first meetings. "It's a lengthy interview process I'm afraid. Very lengthy. We'll be going out to the beach tonight. Should be interesting."

Penny gave a slight nod.

Kitty hated this. She and Gladys hosted the reception since Maeve and Johnny hadn't appeared yet and Gloria and Darlene had disappeared. Kitty didn't know what was happening. She had to smile and act as if it were perfectly normal for the bride and groom to be absent.

She handed a platter of sandwiches to Winifred to carry around and went to hide herself in the bathroom. She shut the door, admired the flowers fleetingly and sat. She breathed slowly. She shut her eyes, then opened them. There really wasn't a problem was there? Everybody was eating and talking. One or two were setting out with a calm determination to drink too much. She stood, left the bathroom and entered the kitchen. Gladys left the caterers alone; she, herself, was trying to hide. She knew no one. Kitty took Gladys' hand and took her into the hall. "Can you drive?" Kitty asked.

Gladys gave a nod.

"Think you can drive to my house from here?"

Gladys shook her head.

Kitty smiled. "Okay. We need music. Maeve's records aren't any good. I was going to slip out and get some of mine. In the meantime, Johnny's records are in the guest room closet. Pick some things you think people will like. You can do the hi-fi, can't you?" Kitty smiled. "I'll be back in a few minutes."

Kitty pulled into the drive at Johnny's just as Gloria's Rambler and the Impala drove up. She walked over to the Impala as Maeve's Thunderbird parked on the street. Kitty bent to the window, saw Maeve and the woman from the realtor's. She stared.

"Penny," Maeve said, "meet Kitty. Penny has agreed to be my secretary, dear." Maeve said in a low voice, "Another one of Johnny's little surprises."

Kitty stepped away from the car as Maeve opened the door. "Kitty, you see Johnny anywhere near this woman tonight, you have my permission to kill him." Maeve stood. "Penny, you help Kitty. I need to talk with my husband." She grinned at Kitty.

Kitty walked past Gloria and Darlene, talking quietly in Gloria's Rambler, Penny at Kitty's side, helped to carry the records. They went in, followed shortly after by Johnny and Maeve. Kitty, at the hi-fi, smiled at Gladys. "I'm back and look at who I found on our doorstep. Gladys, this is Penny. Penny, Gladys. Johnny and Maeve are here."

Kitty turned and saw past people in the room as Johnny and Maeve walked in. Johnny smiled when he heard the music. Maeve looked right at her and smiled. Kitty wondered what Maeve would think of Chuck Berry. They would save the records she brought from her house for later tonight.

Gloria and Darlene walked through the rooms at Johnny's hand in hand. Gloria wanted to find Steve; she needed to find Kitty. She hoped everything would settle down next week, now that Johnny and Maeve were married. Gloria spent a moment talking with Gladys; Darlene used her free hand to look through the records. "Are these Johnny's?" Darlene asked.

"Kitty's," Gladys said.

Darlene gave a nod, pulled one out, and laid it on top. "This one is good."

"I'll tell her." Gladys looked to Gloria.

"You see Steve, wait, you don't know Steve. You see Kitty, tell here we need to see Steve. We'll be in the garage." Gloria drew Darlene away. "Hungry?"

Darlene nodded.

Gloria took Darlene to the kitchen, Darlene took a plate, and Gloria led her to the door to the garage. Someone had put a Private sign on it.

"If you let my hand go, I'd be able to hold the plate better."

"Sorry, Darlene." Gloria opened the door for Darlene. She followed Darlene the step down into the room and shut the door. "There's a bed there." She led Darlene. "Here. Sit."

Darlene was quiet.

Gloria nibbled on a sandwich from the plate. She could hear the hi-fi from the neighboring room and the sound of people talking. She relished the tranquillity here in the garage. She heard the door open behind her and turned.

"Didn't know anyone was here. Sorry."

"We're using this room, Michael. You've met Darlene." Gloria stood. "Darlene."

Darlene turned from the photographs on the wall. "Hi." She turned back to the photos.

Michael said. "Oh, sorry. This is Penny. A friend of Maeve's and Johnny's."

"Penny." Gloria gave a smile. "I've heard a little about you. Nice to meet you outside of your professional capacity. My name is Gloria."

Penny smiled. She held Michael's hand, looked at him.

"Michael, I think Johnny's room is free, or the guest room."

Michael nodded. He began to turn.

"Have fun."

Michael turned back and drew Penny into the room. He left her and walked to Gloria. They kissed. "I don't know how he does it." Michael shook his head. "Thanks." He walked back to Penny and took her hand. They closed the door behind them.

"Is that you in those pictures?" Darlene asked.

"Some of them. Kitty, Maeve, me and, as you can see, a host of others."

"I've never had my picture taken doing that. What's it like?"

Gloria stood. "I think there's something to drink in the refrigerator."

"Okay." Darlene stood.

"Go ahead. Walk up close. I wanted to surprise you."

Darlene walked to the wall of eight by ten photographs.

Gloria came back with a beer and bottle of juice which she handed to Darlene. "I usually don't even notice when Alex is shooting a photograph. I sometimes see the flash of light. This week Alex took me to the beach and he took photographs of me in the early morning sun. I was aware of the camera then. He and his friend had spent the evening with me, an exhausting evening. I wasn't as self-conscious as I thought I would be."

Darlene studied each photograph walking slowly from left to right. She dropped her eyes to the next row down, walked right to left.

"My surprise to you was these. I wanted you to see the reason for my concern wasn't based on prudishness."

Darlene looked at her for a moment, returned to the photos.

"It's because you are so young. If it had been Penny and Michael in the bushes I couldm't have cared less. With you, my concern is your age and his, almost three times yours, the influence your actions have on your sisters, and a concern that you are not recognizing the potential effects of your current actions."

Gloria sat on the bed. Each movement tonight was accentuated for her by the sensation of the butt plug in her ass. "Ever catch the clap? Been tested for syphilis? Have you ever been pregnant? You've been beaten. Darlene, I know Matthew."

Darlene stood still, didn't turn.

"I meet him almost two weeks ago. Mark and I had lunch with him several times. We talked. I liked him; I liked the way he looked, the way he acted. I had reasons not to trust him. I am glad I didn't trust him. It's hard to tell, impossible sometimes, if the person you are attracted to will be good for you or bad."

Gloria was silent for several minutes. Darlene walked to the bed and sat down. She stared at her feet.

"Darlene, if you had decided to leave Matthew, how would you have done it?"

"When I left Stanley, I gave Marsh some money. He took care of me."

"Why did you leave Stanley?"

"I didn't like him any more. I liked Marsh."

"Your sisters followed?"

"Not Winifred."

"What happened?"

"I don't know. I was out with a man. When I was back Winifred was crying in a doorway."

"She tell you?"

Darlene shook her head.

Gloria touched Darlene's hand. "He's dead, isn't he?"

Darlene nodded slowly.

"Do you think Matthew will try to kill Johnny?"

Darlene said after a moment, "I don't know."

"What if he took you back?"

Darlene shook her head. "I won't go back."

They heard the door open and Kitty's voice. "Gloria, you wanted to see Steve?"

Maeve held Johnny's hand as they went from person to person and talked. It was nice, after a very long past couple of weeks to feel that she could relax. Once the visit to her father was behind them, she'd be able to breathe freely.

She had planned to use the third bedroom in Johnny's as an office but wondered if that was wise. They could use a corner of the garage. She was beginning to see that having extra bedrooms here would be useful.

Maeve wanted to lie down. She left Johnny and walked back to the bedroom. The door was shut, she thought Gladys had shut it, and walked in. The light was on; Penny was fucking Michael. Or rather, Michael was fucking her. They were on the floor. Somehow he was squatting over her and she was standing on her head. She wasn't, but that was the effect, her pussy straight in the air, him in her. It didn't look comfortable for either of them but they looked like they couldn't care less.

"Don't mind me," Maeve said. "I'm going to lie down for a few minutes." Maeve sat on the bed, unzipped her dress and slipped it off her shoulders. She stood, stepped out of it. She then bent to undo her sandals. "Whose idea was it to do it that way?" Maeve asked, stepping out of her shoes.

They didn't hear her.

Maeve put her hand on Michael, "When you're done with her, I'd like to see her." Michael nodded, returned to his fucking. Maeve lay down in bed and shut her eyes.

Johnny found Winifred in a corner. Her eyes were red; she looked away when he sat down. Gladys had put something on that wasn't one of his records and surely not one of Maeve's. The kids seemed to like it. Fancy, Mary and Mark were dancing together near the fireplace.

"Want to take a walk outside?" Johnny said.

Winifred looked at him, then slowly smiled. She gave a quick nod.

Johnny stood and held out his hand. Winifred took it. They walked through the sliding glass door onto the screen porch, then out into the yard. They sat on the seawall with their legs dangling over the water. The party seemed far away.

"You'll keep an eye on things while Maeve and I are gone, won't you?" Johnny said.

Winifred nodded. The lights from the house caught her hair and made the red glow in the night.

"When you get your license, I'd like you to consider taking on the babysitting. I'd pay you fifty dollars a week. Gloria or someone else would help, but you'd be in charge the times you'd be alone. Those times you'd get paid extra."

Winifred looked at him.

"I know it's not as much as you're used to making." Johnny smiled. "And keeping an eye on Darlene and the others isn't an easy job."

Winifred gave a slow nod and grinned.

"Next week, when I'm back, you and I can go out one evening. We'll talk about this and other things. We can go to a movie; we'd eat out. Just us."

Winifred flushed, he could see her face color.

"Just a date, business discussion. Not motel afterwards, no heavy petting in the car in the driveway. Okay?"

She nodded.

"Good. I can imagine Maeve storming out of the house towards us."

She grinned.

"Haven't seen Michael or Maeve, have you?"

She shook her head.

"If you see Michael, tell him I want to see him." Johnny smiled at her. "This is a nice spot to sit, isn't it?"

She stared at the water.

"You can't imagine how nice it is to sit and be with a person who's not making demands."

Maeve held Penny's head, felt the shape of the skull, the texture of her hair. Penny was proceeding well in the interview process. Maeve had almost forgiven Johnny. For a male who really didn't know any better, he did quite well. Maeve raised her pelvis, let Penny know she was enjoying her efforts. She couldn't complain. She had a husband who gave her the most amazing presents. Kitty, Gloria — though she hadn't realized it at the time — Gladys, sweet Gladys, and now this charming creature.

Maeve relaxed, let her hands fall from Penny's head. She moved her legs. She let herself leave the wedding, reception and all the things she thought about all the time, and relax. Her little Scottie was such a good boy.

Steve blanched when he saw Darlene sitting at the table with Gloria.

"I need to see both Steve and you, Kitty. Come on in." Gloria stood and walked toward them. "Steve, it's nice to see you. I saw you briefly earlier, but you had things on your mind." She held out her hand.

Steve stared for a moment, then took it. Gloria led him to the table.

"Would you want a beer, Steve? Kitty?" Both shook their heads.

Gloria waited while they sat. Darlene peeled the paper from the tomato juice bottle in front of her. She didn't look at Steve or Kitty. Kitty watched Darlene, then looked at Gloria.

"Darlene told me, Kitty, that you and she kidded Steve earlier, before the wedding."

Kitty nodded. "What's going on?"

"Steve, unfortunately, didn't realize it was good-natured, Kitty."

Kitty looked at him. "Steve?"

He sat silently, staring at Darlene.

Gloria sat back in her chair and watched him, shook her head, then sat forward. "Steve." She stopped. "I don't know what to say. Okay. Steve. Look at me."

Steve turned his head.

"If it had been you and Kitty in those bushes we wouldn't be sitting here, would we?"

Steve stood abruptly, pushing his chair away. "I'm leaving."

Darlene lifted her head and watched him.

Kitty began to speak, Gloria said, "Later, I'll explain."

They heard the door close.

Gloria sighed. "Johnny will have to know. I hope this doesn't make trouble for him." She turned to Kitty. "I'm sorry." She stood up, opened the fridge and got out a beer and opened it. She placed the bottle in front of Kitty and sat down. "Maybe Darlene can explain."

Darlene banged the table with her juice bottle. "I don't know what all the fuss is. We fucked. So what?"

Kitty sat quietly, holding the bottle of beer.

Gloria sighed. "The fuss is because you're thirteen. The fuss is because he's a policeman who should know better. The fuss is he's a thirty-five year old man who should know better. Thirty-five is right, isn't it, Kitty?"

Kitty shook her head.

"The fuss, and this is what makes me angriest, is that he fucked you thinking the vilest things about you. You let him, you enjoyed it. You are not a dirty little whore. You are not filth; oh god, it's complicated. When I let thirty men fuck me it isn't because I think I'm worse than an animal. I do it because I enjoy it. I realize some of those men aren't seeing me as anything but the lowest form of whore, but I don't let them tell me I'm that. I don't believe that."

"We just fucked. That's all." Darlene twisted in her seat.

Kitty took a drink of beer, stood up and walked away to the center of the room. Her back was to them.

"Was it worth it? Did you feel the world rock? Did you enjoy his company afterwards? What did you talk about?"

"We fucked." Darlene sneered at Gloria. "What do you talk about?"

Gloria smiled. "We talk about being out at sea, what it feels like. We talk about their wives and girlfriends, we talk about beauty, the earth, the mystery of night."

"Shit."

Kitty sat back in her chair. "What your daddy said about you wasn't true, honey."

"You promised," Darlene screamed.

"Honey, if what your daddy said was true, why did you do what you did to keep Fancy from him?"

Gloria watched Darlene. She couldn't bear to look at Kitty.

Darlene stared at Kitty. She shook her head.

"Darlene," Gloria said. "You and your sisters are safe here. He's not going to get you. Marshall isn't going to get you. Not you, not them. You can stop. You all are safe. It was a hard journey. Rest for a while. Learn to live without being afraid. Learn that not everyone is like Steve."

Darlene shook her head. "They all are."

"Johnny isn't. Kitty isn't."

Darlene shook her head, staring at the table.

Gloria smiled at Kitty. "Nice to see you. It's been a while."

Kitty said to Gloria, while watching Darlene, "Nice to see you, too." Tears were in her eyes.

Maeve dressed while studying Penny's naked form on the bed. She smiled to herself. Johnny knew how to pick them. "You and I will go to the beach at midnight. You've given notice to Peter?"

Penny grinned. "All taken care of."

"How was Michael?"

Penny grinned and turned to her. "Fun."

"Johnny is ten times better, I'm sorry to say." Maeve brushed her hair, walking to the bathroom. "Ten times better and with so many inamorata. Well, it's nice to have Michael and the boys." She put the brush down. "I'll send Alex back. He's . . ." Maeve smiled at Penny. "You look stunning. He has somewhat messy predilections. Ask first. It's Johnny's bed. If it is going to be extravagantly messy, you might want to use the bathroom. You'll like him. He's our photographer. He'll want you to model for him. Make him work for it. He has interesting friends." Maeve stood at the door. "Liking it so far?"

Penny pushed herself upright on the bed. She nodded.

Kitty and Gladys waited in the living room as the last of the guests left. Johnny shut the door, looked at his watch, said, "I have a bit of paperwork to do, then I'm ready." He walked into the dining room.

Kitty looked at Gladys. "Johnny or you are driving. I'm going to have another beer." She stood and left the room, came back. "Did you want one?" Gladys shook her head. "Okay." Kitty went into the kitchen, got a beer from the fridge, opened it, checked the platters for something to eat. She put crackers, cheese, paté on a plate and carried it into the living room. She set it on the coffee table between them.

"There isn't enough beer, is there?" Gladys asked.

"There's more in the fridge, want one?" Kitty peered at the plate, picked a cracker and cheese.

"To take care of what's bothering you."

"Oh, that." Kitty waved the bottle. "Not nearly enough, but one must try." She took a drink. "You and Maeve this morning?"

Gladys smiled shyly. "Me and Maeve this morning."

Kitty finished her beer. She bugged her eyes out. "Whew." She grinned. "And?"

"I've seen the holy grail."

"Held it in your hands?"

Gladys shook her head. "Just seeing it was nice." She leaned to Kitty. "What do you think of the new girl?"

Kitty belched. "How utterly uncouth of me." She giggled. "I about peed in my pants when I saw her." She stood. "I'm going to get another beer, sure you don't want one?"

"I'm sure."

Kitty left the room, came back and flopped on the couch. "You're crafty like Maeve. You figure if I pass out, you'll have Johnny all to yourself."

"The thought passed my mind."

Kitty rummaged the plate. "All I want is a quick fuck, then he's all yours. All night long." Kitty leaned forward. "You lucky dog you." She sat back and grinned. "If my head isn't killing me in the morning, you and I can put on a show for Johnny."

Gladys nodded.

"So I don't scare you anymore?"

She shook her head.

"I scare myself at times. Damn." Kitty looked down.

"What?"

Kitty looked at Gladys. "Just damn. It's been one of those nights." She took a drink of beer. "Damn." She grinned. "I'm going to feel miserable tomorrow."

"Sometimes it can't be helped."

Kitty nodded.

"Ready?" Johnny walked into the room. "I left the schedule for next week on the table. Would you be able, Gladys, to make copies for everyone? Good. Ready to go?"

"Just a minute." Kitty stood. "I have to pee." She left the room. When she came back, she had a paper bag with beers from the fridge and a bottle opener. "Ready."

Gloria held Darlene next to her in Kitty's bed. She tried to think if she was overreacting, decided she had to trust her judgment. If it had been Fancy or Mary she would have been incensed. If it had been Winifred, it would have been different. Winifred was almost an adult. Poor Darlene. The choices Darlene had had to make. A hormone-crazy thirteen-year-old having to make such choices.

Gloria felt Winifred at her back. Winifred was sleeping; she snored lightly. Gloria was awake; Darlene was awake. It was going to be a long night. Gloria hoped the next few days would be better. Not having men around helped, sorry to say. Getting back to their day to day pattern again. She smiled. Since Johnny, there was no day to day pattern. The schedule was a fiction. Their lives were chaotic.

Penny settled beside Maeve, pulled the sheet over both of them. Maeve lay quietly and watched her. She could barely keep her eyes open. Penny leaned over and kissed her, she held Penny to her.

"You need to get to know Kitty," Maeve said. "I think you will like each other."

Penny kissed Maeve's shoulders, drew the sheet aside to kiss Maeve's breast.

Maeve sighed. So this was what marriage was. On the first night of their honeymoon her husband was in some motel with two beautiful women. Maeve was at home with another.

Penny's kisses crossed Maeve's stomach; the sheet was moved further aside.

While Kitty snored next to them, Gladys and Johnny fucked. Gladys was different from last night. She was more eager. Johnny's cock explored her pussy, its breadth and depth. He supported himself on his arms and tried to make himself last. Being worn out helped. He and Kitty had fucked; she had screamed and wailed and Johnny expected at any moment to hear pounding on the wall of the motel room. Gladys had been close to them, touching Kitty, touching him. It reminded Johnny of the first time Kitty had been with Maeve and him.

Gladys' eyes were shut; she had a look of concentration on her face. Her hands held his sides, added force to his motions. She moved under him, she bucked, her back arched and her mouth opened. Her hands moved to his back; now his eyes were shut, he was concentrating. She screamed, raked his back with her fingernails, screamed again as he came, their pelvic bones clashed as they ground themselves together. She pulled his face to hers, kissed him, he bent his arms and rested on his elbows, feeling for the first time the sweat between them and on his back; he panted.

He heard Kitty's voice. "Touch the grail, honey?"

He felt Gladys move her head.

"Good girl."

He rested his head besides Gladys', felt her sway her hips back and forth slowly.

Go to the next chapter of Comes the Bride.
Chapter Eighteen | Chapter Nineteen | Chapter Twenty | Chapter Twenty-one
Chapter Twenty-two | Chapter Twenty-three | Chapter Twenty-four | Chapter Twenty-five
The Schedule

The first part of Switch: a novel is Switch.
The second part of Switch: a novel is The Babysitter.
The third part of Switch: a novel is Comes the Bride.
The fourth part of Switch: a novel is The Revolver.

Disclaimer: Some of the things the characters do in this story are seen as offensive or frightening (even terrifying) by some if not most people. Please don't surprise anyone. Always ask first. Have an agreed upon safe word even if you don't do BDSM.

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