Morning found two of the three girls walking funny. I guess some of that hard pounding may have been too much. They were very affectionate though giving me lots of kisses and cuddles telling me how much they had enjoyed our playtime.
Once again I was at the gym by ten getting taped then loosening up for the coming game. Everyone was out on the court by eleven stretching and shooting.
Usually I start out just lobbing balls to the net from ten to fifteen feet. I missed every shot. I went to net for a lay-up and the ball skittered off the rim. I went out to the free throw line and tossed one up for another miss. This was making me nervous and I usually made all my practice shots unless it was something new I was trying.
I went to the free throw line and focused for ten shots. Eight out ten isn't bad but I was used to doing an easy twenty-five for twenty-five. I went to the corner and repeatedly did some jump shots. Six for ten, not bad but this was from my favorite spot. We had Kenny set up posting for us so we could do lay-ups. I improved by sinking all of these easy shots.
Coach asked what was wrong. Why was I acting kind of frantic shooting so much? I told him that I was having trouble shooting baskets consistently and was trying to work through the problem. He told me to relax and just enjoy playing the game. I sat on the sideline for a few minutes staring at the floor thinking about whether I was doing something different when four legs appeared in my vision. I looked up at two smiling cheerleaders who ruffled pom-poms in my face. Delta and Trish were laughing and said they would give me some extra cheers to wake me up.
When the game started, I was conscious of everyone and everything. My family along with Trish and Delta's folks was in the stands. Trish and Delta were cheering. The coaches were watching. My teammates seemed to be out of sync or was I out of sync with them.
We opened pretty even with both teams going up and down the floor for a score. We were playing man to man until they settled on a play. We would then switch to a zone that kept them from an easy driving lane. I was picked from my man and the forward on my side wasn't there to keep the player from driving. I reached in to try to push the ball away and fouled.
The guy made his free throw, which gave them a one-point advantage. On the trip up the floor we were sloppy with the ball and they stole it and drove to the basket for an easy score. This time we were more careful bringing the ball up court and worked it around. Kenny kicked the ball out to me for an open look and I missed an easy eighteen footer. Kenny wasn't ready and the other team cleared the ball with a fast transition up the floor for another quick two points.
Coach called a time out and gave us hell for being so slow and dull. I told Kenny to try to take as many inside shots as he could because he would probably make the shot and pick up a foul shot too.
Our spotty play continued the rest of the first quarter but we had picked it up a little in our transition game and were now only seven points down. Kenny was taking his inside shots and getting fouled but not making all his foul shots. Coach had tried substituting for each of us but it didn't do much good. The second quarter started with the bench on the floor and the entire starting first five sitting. The subs did pretty well but the object lesson was brutal enough that all of us wanted back in to compete. Coach started putting us in one at a time till we were all on the floor together again. Our passes were crisper, our defenses were tighter and we were running.
Somehow we were all on the same page. Run and shoot. Move the ball up court fast and drive quickly. The exertion was what we needed. The harder we ran, the more we sweat, the more we became the team we were used to being. At the end of the half, Kenny kicked the first ball out to me in the corner, it was all-net plus I was fouled. I made the foul shot and the game was tied at the buzzer.
During half time the coach cautioned us about trying to run the entire game but said we had pulled ourselves out of our funk. He said that the other team would probably go into a full court press to slow us down. He told us when we were bringing the ball in bounds to throw it down court to Kenny who was supposed to go up court quickly every play. When they picked up on Kenny then it would be my turn to up court first. We were cautioned about fouls too. I had three already while the others had two except Kenny who only had one.
The second half was just like coach predicted. The other team went to a very tight full court press. The only thing they accomplished was to pick up five quick fowls. They took a time out when we were six points ahead and came back out considerably more loose than before but still playing defense the full court. For whatever reasons our forward, a stocky little guy named Louie was left open for four consecutive shots at about eighteen to twenty feet, his favorite spot. That was Louie's mark. It was either way out or he enjoyed driving the lane. When they covered him on their shifting zone, they would leave another of us open to shoot or drive.
I had picked up my forth foul in the early forth quarter and had to sit for five minutes but it didn't hurt my feelings as we had been running pretty hard. I was watching how they were now trying to take away the longer shots and leaving Kenny open. I told the coach and he sent me back in to spread the word. We hit Kenny under the basket five straight times and he made five baskets plus picked up three fouls.
The other team was getting angry so we knew the game was over. Once a team gets angry, their actions are exaggerated and they make mistakes. I fouled out with two minutes to go but we were up by twelve and controlling the ball real well. We won by ten, winning the holiday tournament.
I only had twelve points from the field but eight from the free throw line for twenty. My pride was all in my rebounding. Today I had nine offensive and eleven defensive rebounds, my best ever.
After the game and trophy awards, the coach said we had four days off till the next practice but those who used the gym and weight room would get brownie points. He said we had grown a great deal as a team because we found a way to get ourselves out of our funk by running. He said he would have to increase our wind sprints so we would be ready for the next time we have trouble. We all cheered and groaned at the same time accompanied by the coaches' laughter.
The entire three family groups met me outside the locker room door. There was a pretty big crowd cheering the players even though we had sucked so badly during the first half. The girls had changed out of their cheer uniforms and I had been encouraged to wear dressier slacks and a sport coat so I knew we were going somewhere special.
The country club had a big party going. It was the early part of the all day New Year's Eve party. There was a buffet with all kinds of real food and snack foods. I loaded up a plate with some roast beef and some shrimp along with all the side dishes. Little Sandy had a ton of food too. She and Sally had become fast friends, as they were the same age and probably the same intellect. Sandy's smarts were recognized, encouraged and nurtured while Sally's was overlooked because we were country kids.
We had a great time eating and dancing. My folks were not big drinkers so they limited themselves to what they were drinking. Trish, Delta and I tried to be good examples for the other kids and stayed on cokes. When midnight approached champagne and glasses were passed out for the New Year's toast. The club had a television turned on with the big party from Chicago on. We did the count down the yelled "Happy New Years" hugging, kissing and toasting everyone. I shook Dad's, Dan and George's hands then began kissing my mom, Carol, Cecile, Sandy, Sally, Christine, Sissy, Trish, and finally Delta. My sisters made a big deal out of the champagne as they had never had any before so they were toasting everyone multiple times. Sandy was right there with Sally being a silly teenager too.
By one we were all back at Trish's with my folks and sisters at the rental house. Sandy stayed over there with Sally, as they seemed to have so much to talk about. We were all in bed, snuggled up and asleep before two. I groggily woke up about eight in need to pee. I went to the bathroom and heard talking downstairs as well as smelled fresh coffee so I put on some clothes and went down to investigate. The three Moms were in the kitchen with coffee. My Mom was dressed but the other two were in robes.
"Morning Son," my Mom said as I gave her a hug on the way to the coffeepot.
"Good morning Chuck." Cecile and Carol said at the same time. I smiled as they looked at me expectantly. I'm slow so it took me a couple of seconds before I put my cup down and gave them both a quick hug.
I brought my cup to the table to sit and sat was across from my Mom between Cecile and Carol.
"We were discussing you Chuck," Carol said.
"More like trying to figure you out and trying to figure out what you're going to do with the girls," Cecile stated.
Mom was smiling, "like I said, I don't know what to tell you. Chuck never did date much in high school. He had a couple of girl friends but didn't go out with anyone more than a month or so."
"From what Delta tells me, Chuck has had continuous girl friends since he has been at school," Carol said.
"Not continuous girl friends. Friends that were girls," I said.
"What happened to the girl you called about that time," my Mom asked.
"That was Sarah," I said.
"The big colored girl? Trish told us she is over six feet tall and is really big. Then they brought her to the country club one night and believe me, that girl is big," Cecile said while holding her hands under her breasts emphasizing the word big.
"We were good friends. Her brother is a football player. She liked to go to the library with a study group I'm in. She's back in school now but she was sick and had to drop out last year," I explained to everyone.
"Well what happened to the other two girls you were with when you came down last spring. They seemed like they had put their claim on you," my Mom asked, keeping the subject going.
"I really don't know what happened with them. One day we were tight, the next they were after some other guy. Delta and Trish were right there though thinking they needed to cheer me up. With those two around, it's easy to be happy," I said this smiling giving the ladies something to giggle about.
"The two of them seem to have taken over teaching me about life away from the farm," I continued. "They had me playing golf this past summer, going to country club functions and hauling me around going places with them. They both have cars but only Trish keeps hers at school. They study with me, eat with me and you'll be proud to know, we go to church together too, either at the chapel on campus or to their church here in town."
Cecile got up to refill everyone's cup and start another pot, "the girls say Chuck's responsible for the big improvement of his or her grades. They say he has a big group that goes to the library daily to study. Everyone helps everyone else."
"I'm not responsible," I protested. "It was a way for a couple of us to enjoy each other's company while we all hit the books. More and more people wanted to come with the initial group and now it is a big bunch of us that want to get good grades. It's working for me."
Delta came in the room still in her floor length flannel gown. "Happy New Year everybody," she smiled giving me a hug. "Chuck may say he didn't start it but he has a bunch of the athletes going to the library with him. They follow his lead since he's a good player and has good grades. Now that they are used to going, they would do it on their own, but Chuck is the guy who started it. Trish and I really have improved our grades now that we have a regular study time."
My Mom was smiling, "that still didn't answer our original question. What are going to do with these two girls?"
Trish came into the kitchen wearing a similar gown as Delta and gave me a hug saying, "happy New Year everyone," then went to the coffeepot. "Until he finishes school, he's not going to do anything with us. Delta and I have agreed that until Chuck finishes school, we need to be his best friend and help him with all his activities."
Cecile cleared her throat, "he's doing a lot with you two now. If I thought you guys were just being casual about what you've been doing, it wouldn't be in my house, I can tell you that. You three have something going that's got Carol and I wondering. Now Jessie feels the same as we do."
"What do you want from us Mom?" Delta whined, "do you want us to go get married or whatever it would be?"
Trish spoke right up, "hey, we could get an apartment together and set up housekeeping. I'd like that."
"And we could have some babies. Trish and I both want a bunch of kids so we could get an early start," Delta said with wry grin on her face.
All three Mothers were holding their heads in their hands. I was sitting with my cup half raised and my mouth hanging open, surprised at the comments from my two young ladies.
"Stop! Stop, stop, stop. I'm not getting married right away. I love you both way more than an eighteen-year-old should. I really do but no way are we going to get married for a while. We still have to figure out how this relationship is going to work. Besides, I could get drafted as soon as I could graduate, then what? You guys are just gonna sit in a closet for two and half years?"
Delta was smiling, "you really love us?"
Trish was smiling too, "what do you mean figure out how our relationship is going to work. Delta and I are a package deal. You want me? You get Delta too. You want Delta? You get me too. We are a package."
Cecile said, "babies? You guys are going to have babies? When? Now? Are you two pregnant?"
Carol thought out loud, "an apartment wouldn't be a bad idea. Might be cheaper than on campus. Except for food."
My Mom was almost laughing, "I guess we've been told. Chuck says they are not going to get married yet and the girls firmly state they are a package deal. And I really don't think I'm going to be a grandmother soon either."
"Trish, didn't you hear him, Chuck said he loved us," Delta was swooning.
Trish came over to me and had me scoot my chair out so she could sit on a knee. She waved Delta over to sit on my other knee. Trish then said, "I heard him, I just wanted a little more privacy to tell him how much I loved him and how much we love him."
Delta hugged me and gave me a very tender kiss. "We do love you Chuck. We didn't want to scare you off but Trish and I love you a bunch."
George was standing in the doorway in his robe. "So what's all this I love you stuff this happy New Year morning?"
"They are all ganging up on me sir," I said. "If I don't watch out, the five of them will have me married and settled down before I'm twenty."
Trish whispered in my ear, "before nineteen little boy, way before twenty."
Trish's whisper had been loud enough that everyone in the room heard and responded with some great belly laughs.
"Well since it isn't happening today, how about some breakfast. I'm sure our star athlete is as hungry as I am," George said.
Mom said she would go get the rest of the family and be back right away. Cecile and Carol said they would start breakfast. I said for them both to go make themselves pretty and I would start breakfast.
I pulled out a pan and started bacon, then got a bunch of potatoes out and peeled them then put them in a pot of boiling water. I poured some Bisquick in a bowl with some milk stirred it up then put it on the some waxed paper on the counter and started folding and kneading it. I rolled it out and used a big glass to cut biscuits out. I made about two dozen and put them on a baking sheet. I pulled the potatoes out of the water and poured cold water over them so I could cut them up for home fries. About the time I was working on my forth pan of bacon, Cecile came in. I told her where I was with the breakfast and what I wanted to do. She pulled out another pan and using some of the bacon grease started cooking the home fries. She also uncovered the big grille in the center of her stove and turned it on saying it needed to be hot for eggs.
I went upstairs to take a quick shower and had to fight off two loving ladies in order to hurry. They were very happy with my unexpected proclamation of love.
Downstairs the three families were all at the big table with platters of food. Eggs, bacon, potatoes, biscuits and gravy is always a great way to start a day.
After breakfast Dad said that if I wanted him to take some of my instruments back I needed to decide, as he would be loading up to go home early in the morning. I really didn't need two acoustic, two electric guitars, an electric base, a banjo plus my vibraphone. But which ones should I keep was the big question. I decided on my twelve string, the electric Gibson, the base and waffled over the vibraphone finally deciding to keep it at Trish's. If I had a falling out with these two girls I would have to find a place to store all this stuff.
We played music all afternoon and evening, entertaining ourselves along with several neighbors and friends. It was nice to have such a good time with my family.
George, Dan and Dad got me aside and Dad told me he had made arrangements with the two other Dads to help me get a car when I decided I needed one. I told him I probably would wait, as that would be just another thing to worry about right now. They all thought that was an adult attitude to have and agreed to let me decide when.
That night I hugged all my Sisters and Mom and Dad, thanking them for making my holidays so special. They said they had enjoyed the trip and looked forward to seeing me during spring vacation. The next morning they were gone at sun up.
Cecile and Carol started lobbying for us to move out of the dorms and live in town at home. I said I needed to stay in the dorm for sports. Just the food was a big deal as I ate a lot and often. I needed the regimen of the daily study group at the library and knew that if I didn't keep at it, my grades would suffer. The girls said they wanted to stay in the dorms to be near me for one but to keep up their routine and get good grades too.
Friday was the first practice since the tournament. Trish drove us to the gym then took Sandy to the dorm so she could get settled in for the coming week. The girls said they would meet me when practice was over.
Coach was on us pretty good because of the terrible first half of our last game. He had all the six baskets cranked down and set up so everyone could do some round robin shooting. This meant shooting ten, fifteen to twenty footers from corner to corner then with the guy that was before you retrieving balls and passing them out for the shooters next shot. We did this for two hours then some wind sprints, free throws and finally a half-hour in the weight room.
Trish and Delta met me after practice and guided me to Trish's car. We went to the big Sears store, straight to the men's' department. When I asked what was up, Delta and Trish started laughing and pointed to where my pants were not touching my shoes by almost an inch. I was fitted with some dress slacks, about six pair of casual pants, cords and chinos, and then they had the saleslady measure me for shirt size. They didn't have a big selection for my long arms but had enough that I now would have a variety. I tried on and picked up some Levi's. I enjoy wearing jeans when not in class. (Back then college men were required to wear some form of slacks for class, never jeans unless it was a field trip. Next I picked up several packs of boxers, T-shirts and socks. Finally we went to the shoe department to replace my beat-up loafers. The girls said that I was to put these in my closet and drawers, pack up all my old clothes and we would give them to the Goodwill folks. When I objected to Delta paying for my clothes, they told me that my Mom had made them promise to take me shopping for clothes and had given them a bunch of cash. They also informed me that tomorrow, Saturday, George and Dan were going to take me to get a suit.
We headed to Trish's house to wash my new clothes so they would be ready to wear. While we were there, the girls wanted to play some music so we settled in the music room with Trish and Delta sitting at the piano while I played my twelve string. I showed them how a fake book gave them the sheet music and lyrics for thousands of songs. We paged through the beginning of the book playing some ballads and trying to sing along. Cecile came in and sang with us enjoying the fun atmosphere the music created.
After supper, we went back to the school to find Sandy. She was no where to be found so we walked over to the student union for the Friday evening music and dancing. Sandy was there with a short, under six foot nerdy looking kid with pimples and glasses. They were mesmerized with each other and barely recognized our inquiries. It seems that Steve, the nerdy kid, was also just sixteen but was a junior who had just transferred in from another school. Sandy said she would tell us more when she saw us next. We guessed we had been dismissed so we enjoyed the evening then headed back to Delta's for the night. We had just finished putting on our pajamas and settled onto the family room couch when Dan and Carol came home from the club.
Carol said for us to make some popcorn and get some drinks. We could all watch a late night movie on TV together.
We had just finished bringing everything into the family room when Dan and Carol came down stairs. Dan had on some nice silk looking pajamas that looked really comfortable. Carol however was a showstopper. She had put on a cream-colored floor length gown that was totally transparent. The fabric was so sheer you could see the tiny lines around her navel.
Thank goodness I was sitting as the vision inspired an instant erection. I grabbed a couch cushion and hid myself from everyone. Carol knew what she was showing as she swished around the family room, bending, stretching and stooping while getting drinks for Dan and her. I think Dan was as mesmerized as I was. Delta brought a light blanket to throw over us while on the couch and gave another to her Mom and Dad on the other couch.
As soon as Delta sat, pulling the blanket over her, she ran her hand under the cushion on my lap and grabbed my rampant erection in her had. Trish felt the movement and her hand joined Delta's in their patented hold on me.
As we watched the movie, a musical, Dan and Carol were becoming pretty animated under their blanket. Originally Carol's gown was showing near her feet but now the gown was pulled up under the blanket and her feet were spread pretty far apart.
Trish whispered in my ear for us to sneak off and leave them so they would have some privacy. We went up to Delta's room and snuggled into bed. I leisurely made love to both ladies, doing my best to show them how much I enjoyed loving them physically.