The week after Tommy's dating and singing debut was just as full of wonder. The routine down at the feed store and his Monday and Wednesday tutoring sessions kept him grounded. Still, a lot happened that week.
Tommy was on his way out of the library after his Monday night tutoring session, when Ruth Silverman stopped him and turned him into the reference stacks. Ruth led him halfway down the aisle then stopped and looked around to make sure they were alone.
"Thomas, I have a problem I hope you can help me with," she said.
Tommy's eyebrows went up that an adult would actually need his help.
"I'll do anything for you Ruthie, you know that. Only you know I'm not very good at most things."
Ruth smiled because Tommy loved to use nicknames. If a person didn't have a nickname, he'd worry with it until he came up with one for them. Ruthie was the moniker he'd hung on her. Had it been any other man calling her that, she'd have gone ballistic.
"I think you'll be perfect for what I have in mind. See, I have a couple of tickets to the dinner theater in Brownwood for next Saturday night. I don't have an escort for the event, so I thought you might accompany me. You'll have to wear a suit, but I think you will enjoy the play and the meal."
Tommy thought about it for a minute, then beamed a boyish grin.
"I don't have a suit," he said, "but I'll bet Missus Rita will help me with that."
Tommy's grin and enthusiasm shot an unexpected jolt of pleasure through Ruth's body. Without conscious thought, she stepped forward and gave him a lingering kiss on the lips. When she stepped back, her face was flushed with embarrassment and something else she found hard to identify. She recovered quickly and gave him a return smile.
"That's great. Tell Rita I'm wearing a black cocktail dress. You'll have fun, Thomas, wait and see."
The next day, Rita was more than willing to help Tommy shop for a suit. She knew exactly what Ruth was wearing, because Ruth had called her the night before to give her a heads up. Rita was ecstatic that Tommy had thought of her helping him all on his own. When Rita told Harold about the shopping expedition Tuesday morning, he bitched and whined that it should be his job to take Tommy to buy a suit. That cracked Rita up.
"You know you have terrible taste, Harold Fricke. You can't even be trusted to pick out your own underwear."
Rita took Tommy to the big JC Penney store at the Brownwood Mall that very afternoon. They came away with a very nice traditional cut, dark grey suit, along with a white shirt and burgundy paisley tie. Of course, Tommy then needed something to go on his feet that matched the suit. He was happy as hell when Rita agreed with his choice of a pair of black Dan Post cowboy boots. Tommy did not even flinch at writing out the check for two-hundred and fifty dollars. Rita thought Tommy was the most handsome young man in Texas when he modeled the suit for her. They took the suit with them, as Rita said she would hem the pants and coat cuffs herself.
Tommy received more than a little good natured ribbing from Harold, Ben Crawford and Ramon Salazar when they all had lunch at the Bluebonnet Diner the next day. Big Ben was especially wound up.
"You need a license, Tommy boy, so you can take your date sparking after the show. When you let the women drive, they head straight home," he teased.
This was one of those occasions where Tommy couldn't differentiate between serious and teasing, so he nodded glumly.
"I know," he lamented, "only who would give me a license?"
Harold saw Tommy's dejected look and immediately had a thought.
"Why the Great State of Texas, that's who," Harold declared.
To match action to words, the three friends dragged Tommy down to the McCulloch County DMV, snagged him a study guide for the written test and secured him a learner's permit. Tommy started memorizing the traffic regulations and safe driving instructions before Ben could maneuver his big Lincoln out of the DMV parking lot.
Harold had Juan Luna, the delivery driver, give Tommy driving lessons. The feed store's pickup was a two year old GMC with a straight six and three speed on the column. Tommy learned quickly as his muscle memory fell into the old patterns of lightly releasing the clutch while feeding the engine a little gas. Within an hour, he was driving around the block.
Tommy learning to drive was another step in his regaining his adulthood. The only real downside to him maturing so rapidly was his friendship with Bucky Grimes. Oh, he and Bucky were still friends, no question about that, but the number of things they had in common were rapidly dwindling. Bucky was much more stoic about it than Tommy was.
One hugely important result of the friendship between Tommy and Bucky was the improvement in the strength in Bucky's polio atrophied left leg. Bucky was out of his brace by then, and into a high-topped walking shoe with a thickened sole and heel. Tommy and Bucky still walked up and down the stairs to the basement twenty-five times every morning and evening. They climbed the stairs backwards, forwards and both sideways. Then they sat on the bottom step and did leg lifts with progressively heavier weights. Bucky was psyched that he would start high school without a brace and just maybe, without a limp.
Betty Lou Grimes thought Bucky's progress was nothing short of miraculous, and she credited it all on Tommy. Betty Lou was shocked at times by the strength of the emotions she felt for her handsome young boarder. Sure, she was grateful to him for what he'd done for Bucky, and his steady financial help had solved her money woes, but her feelings were well past gratitude. She actually had to avoid him at times to keep from appearing flustered.
Regina's feelings were not nearly as complex as her step mother's. Regina and her best friend Melody were simply hot for Tommy's body. Melody and Regina started hanging out at the Grimes's house most of the time. The two were constantly conniving situations that put one or both of them alone with Tommy. Getting Tommy alone was much harder to do than the girls had planned for it to be. Bucky and Betty Lou seemed to always be around or else Tommy was at the library or work. Regina was the one to figure out the library angle.
In the evening of the Wednesday that Tommy was issued his learners permit, Regina schemed up a need to visit the library while Tommy was there with his tutor. She actually did need to do some research for a history paper anyway. So what if she had study hall in the high school's library five days a week? When Tommy walked to the door to head for home, Regina was waiting for him.
"Can you walk me home, Tommy? I promised mom I wouldn't walk by myself." She asked sweetly.
Tommy nodded, and even better, he took her books from her and carried them as they walked. Halfway home, Regina cut through a small park dedicated to the man for whom the town was named. That man was Confederate Colonel Rufus Reed Brantley, better known as 'Old Rough and Ready'. Colonel Brantley was the commander of the 46th Texas Irregular Cavalry during the Civil War. The men of the 46th called themselves the Rough and Ready Raiders. Colonel Brantley never had more than a hundred men in his command, yet he had been a colossal thorn in the side of the Union Army in the far west.
It wasn't ancient Texas history on Regina's mind that night, however, as she led Tommy to a park bench under a drooping willow tree.
"Let's sit here and talk for a minute Tommy, the evening is too beautiful to rush home." Regina said.
Guileless Tommy agreed. It was in fact, a gorgeous early November night. The weather was unseasonably warm, and a huge Hunter's Moon seemed as if it were close enough to touch. Regina had plotted the exact place for them to sit, because the large statue of Brantley on a rearing horse and the low hanging willow branches hid the bench from passersby.
As soon as they were seated, Regina snuggled up to Tommy and sighed contentedly. The thing that was so great about Tommy was that she felt safe with him. She knew that anything that happened would be at her speed and her instigation. She smiled to herself and instigated a scorching kiss. Tommy was so shy, he needed a little push to get him started, but his kisses made the blood sing in her veins. She liked the kisses enough that she grabbed his hand and put it on her breast, outside her clothes of course.
Tommy's breath caught in his throat when she did that, but his hand seemed to know just how to knead her pliant orb. Regina moaned into his mouth when he gently squeezed her bullet-hard nipple between his thumb and forefinger. Melody was the only other person who had ever made her feel that good. As a matter of fact, all the evening was missing to be perfect was Melody sharing it. Regina had a solution to that for tomorrow night after choir practice though.
Regina broke up the make out session after another five minutes, after she had a small but satisfying climax. It was the first she'd ever experienced with a boy and it was just from a little second base petting and kissing. She couldn't wait to tell Melody.
On Thursday, Tommy spent his lunch hour with Juan Luna driving the feed and seed truck out on highway 931. Tommy was nervous, but focused on driving and remembering the rules of the road he'd memorized the evening before. Juan thought it was a hoot that Tommy gave hand and arm signals as well as utilizing the trucks regular turn signals.
Choir practice that Thursday night was much easier on Tommy than the first one had been. Part of the reason for that was Bucky's decision to also join the choir. Tommy talked him into it by mentioning that Bucky would have more in common with petite and pretty thirteen-year-old Shelia Franklin if he did. Bucky and Tommy had spent an hour down in Tommy's basement room, talking about girls and sex earlier that day. Tommy shared Harold's explanation of the mechanics of sex with Bucky. Bucky filled Tommy in on all he'd heard about girls and getting some. Stuff like hickeys: were okay if they weren't on the neck, and girls with big boobies liked sex more. Tommy took it all in with wide-eyed wonderment.
Madeline Dixon, the director of the choir, played a record of George Jones singing a gospel song call Uncloudy Day. Tommy loved the song and mimed Jones's soulful voiced perfectly. Maddie mixed and matched voices around him until she had a version of the song that sounded better than the recording.
Melody Graham was at the choir practice because she was spending the night with Regina. They were out of school for some teachers' conference the next day. When the practice was over, everyone piled into Betty Lou's Chevy station wagon and headed home. As soon as they arrived at the house, Melody remembered she had (conveniently) forgotten her retainer. Regina volunteered Tommy to escort them the block and a half to fetch the errant dental device.
Five minutes later, the three of them were back on Colonel Brantley's park bench, living out Regina's fantasy from the night before. As usual, Melody pushed the envelope. In only a couple of minutes, she had her and Regina's bras unfastened and everyone one had a hand under someone else's shirt. By the time they made it home, Tommy had to hustle down to the basement and wash out his one and only jockstrap. The girls were luckier; they just kicked their sodden panties under the bed.
At noon on Friday, Tommy proudly drove Rita and Harold to the Bluebonnet Diner for lunch.
Tommy was a safe and cautious driver, who drove a couple of miles per hour under the speed limit. That had been fine with Harold, but Rita had a different opinion.
"You need to speed up a little Tommy. In Texas, the posted speed limit is just a suggestion, no one will say a word if you are not doing more than fifteen miles an hour above it," she said matter-of-factly.
Harold rolled his eyes toward heaven and groaned, because Rita was the last person in the world Tommy needed giving him driving advice. Richard Petty would not drive his Super Bird racecar at Talladega as fast as Rita drove the feed store's delivery truck on highway 931.
Tommy was not too sure about Rita's assertion, but he sped up a bit anyway.
Rita patted Tommy's arm reassuringly and stuck her tongue out at Harold.
"That's better, sonny-boy," she said.
Harold and Rita picked up Tommy at Betty Lou's Saturday evening and delivered him to Ruth's small cottage. Rita was like a mother hen, fussing over him as they rode across town. Tommy was very happy that the Frickes had volunteered to give him a lift, because he was so nervous, he couldn't string three coherent words together. Harold made him feel better, but the only person who could really calm him down was Rita.
"Relax and be yourself, Sweetie, and everything will be fine. Treat Ruth with the respect she deserves and make the evening nice for her. She is way too serious, she works to hard and she needs some fun in her life."
Tommy listened intently to her every word. He knew beyond a showdown of a doubt that Rita Fricke would never give him anything except good honest advice. Tommy hopped out of the car when they arrived at Ruth's. Rita got out of the car and gave him a final inspection. She straightened his tie and kissed him on the cheek.
"You look so handsome Tommy. Have a wonderful time, ok?"
Tommy surprised Rita by lifting her off the ground in a hug.
"Okay ... and thanks a lot Mom," he said as he gently lowered her to the ground.
Rita's smile was a mile wide when he held the car door for her as she slid into the seat.
Ruth Silverman looked at herself in the mirror one last time before she went to answer her doorbell. She did not quite know what to think about the apparition that stared back at her. She could not remember the last time she'd worn make up or fussed so with her hair. She had even shaved her legs and underarms for the occasion, an act of outright treason for an avowed feminist. Then she drove a nail in that coffin by slipping her feet into a pair of Gucci black patent leather pumps with three inch heels.
Ruth realized that it was not just her feminist sister who would be disappointed. Her wealthy and socially elite New York friends and family would be dumbstruck by her dating a man without even one polo pony.
Ruth sighed, squared her shoulders and went to answer the door. It was also not lost on her that her feelings about the evening were more complex than her new friends envisioned. She did not consider this date an act of charity by any stretch of the imagination.
When she opened the door, Tommy was standing there looking as handsome as any man she'd ever seen. He smiled shyly and pulled a flower from behind his back.
"I picked this for you," he stammered.
The flower was a small, perfectly formed, late blooming, dark red Confederate Rose. It was the sweetest thing she could remember a man ever doing for her.
She returned his smile as she took the flower from him.
"It's exquisite," she said touching his hand.
Tommy blushed but nodded his agreement.
"They are pretty, that's why I think of you when I see them."
That Tommy sincerely meant every word he said was never in doubt to her. She turned to the hall closet for her wrap to cover up the sudden jolt of unexpected arousal shooting through her. The wrap was a black silk brocaded shawl that had once belonged to her grandmother. She expertly and artfully draped the shawl over her shoulders, took Tommy's arm and led him to her car.
Tommy could hardly believe how beautiful Ruth looked that evening. Her hair was down for the first time since he'd met her and she very nicely filled the black cocktail dress she wore. Her high heels elevated her to five seven or so and gave muscular definition to her long slim legs. He loved the way her legs flexed as she shifted gears in her VW Beetle.
The dinner was actually pretty good and Tommy enjoyed the play, even if it did make him sad. He felt really sorry for Willy Loman and he didn't care much for Biff. Tommy thought that Biff was in serious need of Rita Fricke's guidance.
He enjoyed even more discussing the play with Ruth as they made the forty minute ride home. Tommy eagerly accepted Ruth's invitation to coffee at her house so they could talk some more. Ruth was great to talk to, because she made him think, and when he was concentrating, he didn't stutter nearly as much.
Ruth took Tommy's suit coat and hung it with her shawl in the front hall closet. She turned on a table lamp in the small living room and sat him on the couch while she whipped them up a drink. She was back in a couple of minutes with a weak rum and Coke for each of them. Ruth joined him on the couch, kicked off her heels and folded her legs up under herself. She started off sitting a couple feet away from him, but in fewer than ten minutes of conversation, she was right up against him. Two minutes later, she was in his arms.
Ruth honestly did not know how things reached that point, because she could not recall a conscious effort on her part to make it happen, and poor shy Tommy was still pressed against his end of the couch. Tommy did take the initiative and kiss her though, and the kiss was not some sisterly peck on the cheek. Ruth would marvel at that kiss for days, because it was the best she'd ever had. She so thoroughly enjoyed the kiss, that she did not even question where he'd learned that skill until three days later.
One kiss led to another, then to a third. By the third kiss, the bodice of her dress was down around her waist, the cups of her strapless bra were empty and Tommy's hands were full. By the fourth kiss, Ruth's hand was full as well. Unfortunately, what her hand was full of was something she'd never felt before and the size of it scared her back to regaining her common sense. She groaned and pulled away from Tommy, her eyes wild and pleading.
"We need to stop, Tommy, before I do something I'll regret tomorrow."
Tommy gulped and nodded. He loved every minute of what was happening, but he was scared to death of doing something wrong. So Ruth wanting to stop was just peachy with him.
Ruth had him turn around while she put herself back together. She hustled to her bedroom and grabbed a pair of flat heeled shoes then drove Tommy home. She parked in front of the Grimes's and shut off the engine. Taking a deep breath, she turned to Tommy and confessed her secret.
"Tommy, in my entire life, I've never wanted a man as much as I want you. The big problem comes in because I'm just as inexperienced as you are. Tonight is as far as I've ever been with a man, and I'm pretty sure you've never been any further with a woman, that you can remember. We didn't even think about birth control, if we went any further I could have ended up pregnant. We need to find out what to do before we try doing it."
They shared a chaste kiss and Tommy hopped out of her Beetle. He couldn't wait to get to his room and relieve the pressure on his tally-whacker. Women were confusing the hell out of him. As best he could figure it, Regina, Melody and now Ruth all wanted to have sex with him and he was all for it. The trouble was that all four of them were virgins and didn't exactly know what to do. Tommy needed some advice and he figured that Harold Fricke was just the man to give it to him. He'd ask him after church tomorrow, Tommy decided.
Tommy was less nervous singing in church that Sunday, he even opened his eyes a couple of times while he sang. After the service, Tommy hustled out the front door to catch the Frickes before they went home. He screeched to a halt when he saw them apparently waiting for him at the foot of the church's wide steps.
He exchanged greetings and hugs with 'Mama Rita', and solemnly shook hands with Harold.
Rita linked her arm in his and the couple walked him a few feet out of everyone's earshot.
"How was your evening, Tommy, did y'all have fun?" Rita asked.
Tommy nodded and blushed beet red when he remembered exactly how much fun he'd had at Ruth's house.
Rita Fricke's keen eye caught the blush, but she let it slide and patted his hand.
"Well that's nice Sweetie. We'll see you at work tomorrow, okay?"
Tommy nodded, but looked beseechingly at Harold.
"Uh, Mister Harold, do you have a minute? I-umm- have a couple of questions."
Harold was going to ask Tommy if it could wait until tomorrow, when Rita squeezed his hand.
"Talk to the boy, Dear. I'll just wander over and gossip with Betty Lou."
Harold shrugged and turned towards Tommy.
"Shoot Luke, it's your nickel," he said.
Tommy nodded earnestly and leaned forward.
"I need some advice about how you do it the first time and I need some protectors so I don't get girls pregnant," he whispered conspiratorially.
Harold rocked back on his heels in surprise. This was not the conversation he envisioned them having. Still, the boy was coming to him for help, so help was what he was going to get.
"We can pick you up some rubbers tomorrow and I'll fill you in on the other thing too. Think you can keep it in your pants till then?"
Tommy cut his eyes towards where Regina was waiting for him. They were going to walk over and visit Melody, because Mel's folks were visiting her great-grandmother at a nursing home two hours away.
"I guess I better, if I don't want to be a daddy," Tommy said glumly.