Chapter 12

When the Carter boys slunk home later in the day, Fred was in the living room watching sports and Louise was doing laundry. They stuck their heads in the living room and nothing much happened, so Damian approached Louise. "Ummm..."

"You're back, I see."

"I'm kinda surprised..." Damian flicked a glance over his shoulder.

"Your Pa and I went around and around for a while, but I got him to open up on a few things and there's a truce in place," Louise replied. "We aren't done by a long shot, but you're right -- he's learning. I'm taking that into account. He's got to show me some things, and we may never get back together -- and we're each more or less doing our own thing -- but things have cooled down some. That reminds me -- you do NOT assist or organize ANY club pussy for your Pa -- it's one of our rules. If he wants pussy, he finds his own. You can arrange all the dick for him he wants, but no pussy -- understand?"

Damian rubbed his face and flicked a glance at Terence. "Yes, Mama. Like THAT's gonna happen..."

Louise frowned. "I see you don't get it, so I'll explain things. One of the things your old man has to do to get back in my good graces is come on out -- at least privately -- and get in touch with his gay side. You might not want to mix in that -- fine -- but your brother might have more sympathy for it." She eyed her younger son. "One of the other things -- and he's agreed to this -- is that he's to put away that bullshit about you not being his son."

"Okay." Damian absorbed this, poker-faced.

"I think it's a little better than that, but you handle it however you want," Louise replied. "Your Pa does his thing and I do mine and we're not answerable to each other about it -- that's official. He knows what he's got to do to move things along. He can chase pussy or whatever -- that's all fine -- I can find dick when I want it. We'll probably be putting up another bed somewhere, which will mess up things -- but it won't happen tonight; we've been sleeping in the same bed this long -- we can do it another day or two, maybe." She thought about things for a moment and said, "That's about it, I think. I need to make some phone calls."

The brothers headed back out to where Fred was watching TV. When they caught his eye, he said, "Yeah?"

"So..." Terence waved a hand between Fred and the distant Louise.

Fred shrugged. "Basically, your mama's official position is that I've been fucking up. Maybe I have. There's been shit goin' on I didn't really have my head around, so I kept it buried -- but I kept shoveling shit on top of it until it wasn't really hidden, I guess. Your mama wants some shit I may not be able to deal with, so we might be on the skids -- but for now, it's quiet, and I want it to stay that way. I'm out of her face and she's out of mine, for now." He paused a moment, then said, "You boys will be all right, though -- you're old enough to handle this shit. I'll be around -- for both of you." He didn't look at Damian; he just turned back to the TV.

Things were quiet for the rest of the weekend. Louise called around and told the older women in the group that she didn't want Fred serviced -- and she called Toby, with a slightly different message. "Look, if Fred comes to you wanting girls, it's a no, understand? But if he comes looking for guy stuff, hook him up if you can. If he does, it'll mean he wants to fix things -- and it'll soften him up."

"Are you gonna give him a break?" Toby asked suspiciously.

"Yeah, probably," Louise sighed. "I'm gonna get mine -- and he knows it -- but after that we might settle down. It really depends on how far he goes and whether I can get enough payback, I guess -- If I discover that there will never be enough, well, things won't get fixed -- but if I can get past it, maybe we'll get back together."

"Okay," Toby agreed, "I'll see what I can do." If Louise got too pushy or if Fred wasn't ready -- and Toby decided he would rely upon Amy for that analysis -- he would think about disregarding Louis's wishes, but for now he would play along. The whole male pimp thing bothered him, though...

Monday came, and things were already a grind, it seemed, at school. Everybody just put their heads down and dug in; Friday would be the first football game of the season, which would start the holiday weekend. They would get three days to live it up -- or live down the results, one way or another.

At lunch, Amy sat with Miriam. "How are you feeling?"

"Wonderful! I was a little sore, but I'm okay today. I want more!"

Amy pursed her lips. "Well, there's a football game Friday - but it's a long weekend. Who knows?"

"I don't know if I can wait," Miriam muttered. "It's addictive."

"Um, yeah..." If Amy hadn't had her initial episode go awry the way it had, she'd have felt the same way; instinctively, she knew that if she and Toby got together, she was going to want to go wild for a while. For now, though, she had the perspective of her issues...

Misha plopped down, looking disgusted. "Here we go again -- another week in Paradise."

Donna, settling in beside her, muttered "I don't have to ask about YOUR weekend." Anita, behind her, giggled.

Amy didn't need a program to know what was coming next; Miriam looked as if she was about to explode! "Take it easy," she whispered, "you don't want to screw anything up..."

"It'll be okay," Miriam whispered back.

"What are you guys whispering about?" Misha groused.

"Nothing," Amy replied, which got her a suspicious glare.

Donna, however, was focused elsewhere. "Miriam, you look like somebody just told you that German Chocolate cake and fudge ripple ice cream had zero calories -- what's up?"

Miriam looked incredibly pleased with herself. "I found the party."

Anita's eyes popped. "No way!"

"Way!" Miriam insisted. "I had a blast!"

"Sure you did!" Misha rasped sourly, "Sure you did."

"I DID!" Miriam insisted, turning to Amy. "Didn't I?"

"She did," Amy confirmed.

Donna was agog -- but Misha was unconvinced. "So you have a boyfriend? Who is he?"

"Well, it's sort of complicated," Miriam backpedalled. "I do, I think -- but I don't know who he is."

"How did THAT happen?" Donna asked.

"I was wearing a hood. I didn't see him and he never spoke -- but he likes me..."

"Sure he does!" Misha sneered. "Did you have sex with him?"

"What do you think?"

"I think you're a slut!" Misha snapped. "Besides, this is all just talk."

"Amy was there!" Miriam insisted.

All eyes turned to Amy. "Well?" Donna asked.

"Miriam isn't lying," Amy declared.

"Yeah, sure. So who's the guy?" Misha asked.

"I'm not allowed to say -- it's a rule," Amy replied.

"You're BOTH liars!" Misha argued. "Show me some evidence..."

Amy cast about -- and the answer appeared at the end of the serving line. "Tabitha was there."

"And?"

"So was Pete Phifer."

Pete was sitting at a table with Clint, Brenda, Terence, and Bonita, talking. Bobby and Trish settled in as the group watched. Tabitha came out into the room, looking tentative and went over to stand about ten feet behind Pete and shifted from foot to foot, indecisive. Pete, triggered by Brenda's and Bonita's focus behind him, looked around to see Tabitha -- and grinned. He patted the bench beside him and Tabitha gratefully moved forward and settled on it. Anita and Donna gasped -- but Misha snorted, "That proves nothing -- she's friends with Brenda and Bonita and Pete's just being a nice guy." But no sooner did the words exit her lips than Pete wrapped an arm around Tabitha... "Oh. My. God!" she gasped as Pete pulled Tabitha against him. Tabitha, still tentative, offered her lips -- and Pete took them.

"Holy shit!" Anita erupted. Donna just sat there with her mouth open. After a moment, she turned to Miriam, "When's the next party?"

"I don't know."

"I want to. I want invited. You call me!"

Misha looked disgusted. "You guys are sick!"

Anita turned to her, "Jeez, Misha -- don't you like guys?"

"I've had enough!" Misha got up and stormed off.

Donna leaned forward. "I want to know ALL about it!"

"Not here," Miriam replied. "Maybe later. Besides, I didn't see a lot..." She flicked a glance at Amy.

Amy pursed her lips. "Later," she confirmed.

Lillian cornered Gabriel after sixth period. "I want to know what you said to Pietro about me!"

Gabriel rolled his eyes. "I said you were hot, okay?" 'Now she'll get all snippy and that will be it,' he figured.

"There was more..."

"We were talking about what we'd done and what we hadn't," Gabriel, replied, "and what we wanted to do, maybe."

"What have you told other people about me?" Lillian demanded.

"Nothing. Why should I?"

"Your brother..."

"Oh." Gabriel grimaced. He'd been keeping his ear to the ground more and idolizing his brother less, of late. "I'm not Julio."

"Do you think I'm easy?" Lillian pressed.

"No."

"What did Pietro tell you?"

"That's guy stuff!"

"Gabriel..."

"You don't want me to say anything about you, but it's okay to tell on my friends?" Gabriel demanded. "How is THAT fair?"

"Tell me!"

"Not here."

"After school, then."

"Where?"

Lillian thought about it. "Thompson Park."

Gabriel sighed. "All right."

An hour and forty minutes later, Gabriel arrived at the park. Lillian was sitting on a bench watching younger kids play -- and looking around, regularly. Gabriel seated himself. "This isn't smart."

"We can't go to my house, and we can't go to yours," Lillian replied. "This is good enough. Spill."

"Scoot over here," Gabriel retorted. "I'm not telling the world. I may not tell YOU!"

Lillian scooted closer. "Come on..."

"What do you want?"

"What did Pietro say? What has he done?"

"He's gotten himself sucked - and he's licked a girl. He didn't say who, but from how Brie was acting, it's pretty obvious," Gabriel replied.

"Yeah," Lillian sighed. "She screwed that one up, didn't she? You said you've been sucked but you haven't licked a girl. What DID you do?"

"Um, look, it was a little strange. I didn't see her or anything -- just parts. It was through a hole in the wall. I know the girl was black, but that's it."

"How do you know it was a girl?" Lillian asked.

"She showed me her... pussy."

"That doesn't sound like a lot of fun for her..."

"Well, it probably wasn't," Gabriel admitted, "but it was all I could get. She didn't want me to know who she was."

"What do you WANT to do with a girl?" Lillian asked carefully.

"Well, Jeez, everything!"

"What's everything?" Lillian asked sharply. "Just sex?"

"No." Gabriel was inexperienced, but he wasn't stupid. "Other stuff, too."

"Like what? Kissing? Hugging?"

"Yeah, that stuff."

"Guys don't want that."

"Why wouldn't we?" Gabriel asked, confused.

"My mom says sex comes first for guys, but love comes first for girls."

Gabriel grimaced. "I think guys separate the two and girls don't -- and that causes a lot of trouble. Both are okay, though."

"And you think I'm hot." Lillian eyed Gabriel sidelong.

Gabriel sat a moment, looking for a safe answer. "I said so already."

"So, does that mean you want to do that stuff with me?"

'Duh!' "Maybe."

"Like what?"

"On a park bench? In broad daylight? With other people's mothers sitting around watching?" Gabriel asked, scandalized.

"There must be something," Lillian replied. "Or is it all stuff you do with the lights off in somebody's bedroom or the back of a car?"

"What is up with you?" Gabriel demanded. "One minute it's like you want something, and the next you're accusing me of things!"

"I don't trust you," Lillian replied, adding, "but I want to."

An older male would have read more into that admission -- but Gabriel was cautious. "Okay."

"What would you want to do first?"

"Oh, I don't know..." Gabriel cast about for an answer. "Touch you, I guess."

Lillian withdrew. "Where?"

Gabriel blinked. "Somewhere safe. Isn't that how it's done? We start with safe places and when we trust each other, we move on?"

"What's safe?"

Gabriel shrugged. "A hand? An arm? Your back? Your waist? I guess they all lead somewhere, but they're places to start."

"Would that be enough?"

"Forever? No. For today? Yeah, I'd be happy." He sensed her withdrawal at his honesty. "You wouldn't want to settle for holding hands forever, either. I think it's about how long it takes us to trust each other and move forward." He mused a moment, then attacked, "How long do you think it took Brie and Pietro to get comfortable with one another?"

Lillian giggled, "Not very long!" She sobered. "What do you think of Brie?"

Gabriel thought about it. "I don't think she's my type."

"Because...?"

"She's too skinny, I guess."

"Does knowing what you know about her change things?" Lillian asked.

"I'd be a liar if I said it didn't," Gabriel admitted, "but she's still not my type."

"Do you think less of her?" Lillian asked.

"No," Gabriel admitted, "Guys don't think like that. She's probably more attractive because she's... accessible. But she's still not my type."

"What is your type?" Lillian asked, glancing down at her cleavage. "Busty?" Lillian wasn't huge, but she was also only fourteen -- and she had a nice rack for her age.

"Well..." Gabriel shrugged, grinning. "Girls in my family have a lot more than Brie."

"So does Brie's sister," Lillian noted.

"Yeah."

Lillian reached out and took Gabriel's hand. "I'm not as fast as Brie..." 'But...' hung in the air between them.

"Okay." Gabriel squeezed her hand.

Talk drifted here and there -- video games, schoolwork, other people. Gabriel never let go of the hand -- and eventually supplemented it with rubbing first Lillian's forearm and later her upper arm. Forty minutes went by before Lillian announced, "I should go -- nobody knows where I am."

"Okay." Gabriel had the same problem, actually. He stood, pulling her to her feet.

"This was nice," Lillian mused. "Gabriel? Will you... touch yourself... thinking about me?"

Gabriel blinked. "I... probably. Will you?"

"Yes." Lillian colored.

She was facing him, still holding his hand. Something told him they weren't done yet; stepping forward, he slid an arm around her waist. From close up, he whispered, "I don't know if I'm any good at this, but..." He leaned in to kiss her.

Lillian had been taken totally by surprise when he pulled her in -- but she was her mother's daughter. Audacity would always carry the day with her -- and it did this time, too. As soon as his lips touched hers, she opened up to him, pressing herself against him and opening her lips. Gabriel didn't take advantage the way he might have; he limited himself to quick flicks of his tongue to the inner surface of her lips while holding her against him. Lillian allowed it for probably ten seconds before pressing back with her hands, which caused him to step back immediately, releasing her.

"Sorry," he muttered.

"I liked it," Lillian husked, "but..." She looked around.

Gabriel did the same. "Yeah."

"Now I REALLY have a reason to touch myself!" Lillian whispered.

"We both do," Gabriel agreed.

"You're hard," she whispered, eyeing the bulge in his pants.

"Yes."

"I have to go!" she gasped. If she didn't leave, she would have to touch it -- and if she touched it... "I'll see you tomorrow!" She turned to escape, knowing she was running from herself as much as him.

"Bye!" It was kind of inane, but it was all he could think of to say. Turning, he made his own way toward home in a fog.

Meanwhile, Donna and Anita (sans Misha) chased down Miriam and Amy. Miriam and Amy, having discussed it, made things easy for them by leaving a note in Donna's locker. The four of them met at the doughnut and coffee place two blocks from the school. "Okay, talk, you two!" Donna erupted as soon as they came through the door.

"Get something to eat or drink," Amy told her, "We're not going anywhere." Donna grimaced but ordered a mocha cappuccino for herself and one for Anita. When they came back to the table, she said, "Now?"

"Quietly?" Amy pressed.

"Okay." Donna settled into a chair. "Give!"

"Miriam didn't lie -- there was a party. We were both there," Amy told her. "I kind of fell into the club and Miriam managed to get in, too. They're kind of looking for new members, so we got lucky."

"Why doesn't Miriam know who she's f---..." Anita stopped herself and looked around.

"I was blindfolded," Miriam related. "I liked it -- it was exciting. You might not like the kinds of things I do, so I really don't know how far to go, since I don't want to scare you -- but I volunteered for some kinky stuff. I fucked two guys -- but one was just a fuck, while the other... He's the one who actually did my initiation and I think we have a mutual thing, you know?"

"What about you?" Donna asked Amy.

"I was there and I could see -- but it's a secret I'm not allowed to tell," Amy replied. "Miriam's right, though -- I think the guy likes her a lot."

"What happened with Tabitha?" Anita asked.

"Well, I actually pitched Miriam's idea to one of the guys, and we tried it out. We put Tabitha in a totally dark room. Pete listened to the rules and agreed to them -- and he had a good time, obviously, since he DID ask for her name. Then they got back together there at the party and everything seems fine..."

"So they're dating?" Donna asked.

"Two dates, minimum," Amy agreed, nodding, "but if you go by lunch today, it's more than that."

Donna shook her head. "I was just floored..."

"Who did you fuck?" Anita asked.

Amy shook her head, smiling. "Sorry..."

"Is this going to happen again?" Donna asked.

"Maybe," Amy nodded. "Friday night, after the game, would be my best guess."

"Can you get us in?"

"I'll ask."

"Really, how was it?" Anita asked Miriam.

"I LOVED it!" Miriam gushed. "It was kind of rough -- but I asked for that. You don't have to. I had the most amazing time..." The faraway look in her eye said a lot.

"I want this," Donna husked. "If you cover my face so I can't be recognized, I'll do whatever -- I don't care!"

"Me, too!" Anita chirped.

"I'll put in a good word for you -- but this is SECRET! Can you imagine the trouble we could all get into?" Amy warned.

"No, I get it," Donna nodded. "Miriam, you can tell me -- really."

"Are you sure?" Miriam asked.

"Yes."

"Well, I had my initiation Thursday. They picked me up in a van and blindfolded me and told me I had to do whatever I was told. I ended up naked wearing a dog collar. I know I was led around on all fours outside. We did all kinds of crazy things, but I never even got to hear the guy running thing's voice -- he did everything through a girl."

"How do you know it was a guy?" Anita asked.

"Oh, it was a guy, all right -- he made that REAL CLEAR when he took my cherry!" Miriam laughed. "Like I said - you have to realize that I VOLUNTEERED to be treated like that -- they tried to talk me out of joining, but all it did was made me more hot!"

"What else did you do?" Anita asked.

"I had to eat a girl out -- I don't know who. I really didn't care. It was a test -- and I passed!"

"So why were you blindfolded Friday?" Dona asked.

"I volunteered," Miriam replied. "They have this set of stocks -- you stand up bent over with your arms and neck locked down -- and you're stuck, you know? They can do anything! Well, I thought it was hot when I tried it out..."

"Misha's right," Anita opined, "You ARE a nut case!"

"I just like it wild," Miriam replied. "And I got it. I had to give a blow job in that thing, and I got fucked twice. It was great, though, and afterwards, the guy gave me an all-over massage..."

"That's a little too wild for me!" Anita declared.

"Well, okay, like I said, I volunteered. You wouldn't have to do anything like that," Miriam told her. "You could do the dark room thing, or maybe just practice blowjobs. They have these little booths with a hole; the boy sticks his cock through the hole and..."

"Huh!" Donna cocked her head, thinking about it. "So nobody knows..."

"Right."

"THAT might be neat..." Anita mused.

"You won't get a date that way," Amy pointed out, "but you might learn stuff that will come in handy when you try out."

"Yeah..." Donna nodded.

"I can't believe this place exists!" Anita muttered. "Is it like a dungeon?"

"Parts are," Amy replied. "Parts are just a party room. There is TV and videos and that kind of thing."

"I'm in for whatever it takes," Donna declared. "I don't think I'd like the stocks, but I'll do them."

"Okay," Amy told her. "Thus far, the rules have been pretty stringent -- but they're trying out these non-member visits. You might have to be interviewed or something later in the week, if I can convince anybody to let you in. Be ready."

"Anything!" Donna insisted.

"I want to play, too," Anita muttered, "but I have limits. Some of that stuff is scary!"

"Well, like I said, I bought some of it," Miriam told her. "If it was just for the dark room thing or hanging out masked and having sex, would that be okay?"

"Yeah..." Anita nodded, but she didn't sound committed.

"Okay, well -- don't say ANYTHING to Misha -- she's not to be trusted!" Amy warned. Both of the other girls nodded. The group broke up, heading their separate ways.

"Anita doesn't sound like she's ready," Amy opined.

"I just scared her," Miriam replied. "Donna will have her going by Friday."

"Just the same, I'm going to have them talk to one of the boys," Amy insisted.

That piece happened Tuesday morning. Amy met Toby before school. As she settled next to him as he leaned against his car, she said, "I've got a couple of possible volunteers for Friday night."

"Okay."

"I think you ought to check them out."

"If they're not safe..." Toby began.

"So just condition them not to talk about it," Amy replied.

"Amy!" Toby erupted.

"It's the safe thing!"

"Maybe, but it's tampering!"

"Wouldn't you rather we were all safe?" Amy insisted.

"Well, yes, but..." Toby eyed Amy sharply. "You didn't!"

"Well, just the team guys," Amy admitted.

"That's not right!"

"If it keeps them from doing anything stupid that would put us all in jail, it's right!" Amy argued.

"I don't like it!" Toby rasped. "And I'm not sure I like YOU!"

Amy blinked in surprise. "But Toby," she wheedled, "I promise I didn't do anything but tell them not to talk about the group to anyone who might cause us trouble!"

"I really hate that!" Toby insisted. "I really, REALLY hate that! Don't do it again -- or at least, not without provocation!"

"Yes, Toby," Amy said, contritely. Now that she thought about it, Toby was right. "I can try to remove it..."

"No, don't. You might make things worse."

"Yeah, you're right. I'm sorry!"

Toby sighed. "You had our best interests in mind. It's a good idea, looked at objectively - and I've probably done worse. We just don't want to get into the habit of treating human beings like cattle."

Amy nodded. "You should check on the girls."

"Who?"

"Donna Travers. I'm pretty sure about her," Amy related. "And Anita Shepherdson -- she might be flaky."

"What about Misha Lezynski?"

"She's all up in arms about anything resembling the idea," Amy related. "She keeps hopping up and stomping off, calling them wackos."

"That's interesting," Toby chuckled. "Any time I've been around her she was totally fixated on some boy..."

"Really?" Amy looked surprised. "I was starting to think she didn't like boys at all."

"Methinks the lady doth protest too much," Toby paraphrased, grinning. "I'd be willing to bet that she hits one of you up in private."

"Well," Amy shrugged, "she's pretty much excused herself from the advanced class, so she doesn't know what's going on."

"That will change," Toby predicted.

Before he could deal with girls, though, Toby had to contend with Little Nicky. "Did you forget?" Nicky asked as he caught up to Toby after third period.

"No," Toby replied shortly. "It's not that simple -- that's all. You should know that. I have a couple of possibles for you, though. Give me some time."

"Okay," Nicky sulked. "Just don't forget me!"

"I won't."

Toby called Randy, who was adamant that Amy help with transport and not Miriam. "Why don't you just tell her who you are?" Toby asked.

"Not yet," Randy replied. "I'm not ready."

"Okay, fine."

Toby and Amy plotted together at lunch -- and Toby complained about Little Nicky. "Let me see what he's up to," Amy offered. "He won't come to me for help, but we'll know where he stands. What is possible?"

"Well, Fred," Toby related, "or maybe Vince or Eddie Ray. Clint's a possible, I guess, or maybe even Terence."

"Let me make the rounds."

After lunch, Toby dropped a note in Donna's locker that said, "Want the tour? Go to the white van at the end of the parking lot and just get in the back. Anita can come." Amy was around when Donna got it -- Donna nearly set fire to the floor racing to Anita's locker.