Chapter 28
Jake pulled on his helmet, snapped his chinstrap, and trotted onto the field with his team. It was exactly three o'clock on Saturday, November 6, 1971. It was the first playoff game of any type ever for John F. Kennedy High. Everyone was nervous -- players, coaches, and fans. Of course, playing in a stadium with ten thousand fans in it did not help either. Jake took a few deep breaths to calm himself down as he watched Erik try to tee up the football. Even from four players away, Jake could see his hands shake. Finally, Erik got the ball leaned on the tee to his liking, stepped back seven yards, and raised his right hand. The referee saw the signal that Erik was ready and blew his whistle. Erik dropped his hand and moved to kick the ball. As soon as his foot struck the ball, Jake and nine other players ran down the field carefully staying in their lanes. Jake was the last player in the kick-off formation on the left. His job was to keep the receiving team from taking the ball up the sideline. Erik's job was to play safety, the tackler of last resort.
One of the deep men took the kickoff at the fifteen yard line and cut to his left away from Jake. Jake doggedly resisted the urge to move toward the ball and continued down field. He saw the reverse developing just as he saw a blocker come hurtling toward him. Jake stopped sharply and jumped sideways as the blocker grazed his shoulder and tumbled out of bounds. He and the ball carrier were ten yards apart in the open field. Jake focused on his adversary's belt buckle to avoid his fakes. The running back was good as he juked one way, then the other. He was in the middle of trying a spin move when Jake hit him like the anvil the Roadrunner drops on the hapless Wiley Coyote. The runner's helmet went one way and the ball the other. Both rolled out of bounds five yards behind the collision. Jake helped the receiver up and was surprised at how small the dude was. He could not have weighed more than a buck-fifty. The little guy said 'nice hit' as he hustled back to get his helmet.
That is how Jake spent his afternoon, trying to tackle one of the little ferrets they had for halfbacks or wrestling down the behemoth playing fullback. Luckily, he got his chance to do both in the Jacksonville backfield quite often. Jake knew that the Jacksonville quarterback was tired of him when the guy rifled a hard pass right at his crotch as he blitzed. The ball hit Jake between the edge of his cup and his thigh -- it stung like hell. Jake just smiled at the quarterback then flipped the ball to the ref who walked the ball back fifteen yards for unsportsman-like conduct. Jake glanced at the sidelines just in time to see a couple of cheerleaders restraining Melissa from charging the field.
Jake faked a limp as he went back to his defensive huddle. On the next play, Jake blitzed from five yards off the line of scrimmage meeting Mister Ill-natured just as he was faking a hand-off on a play-action. He wrapped up the quarterback, driving him into the dirt with a shoulder in his solar-plexus. The breath whooshed out of the signal caller leaving him gasping on the ground. The coach and trainer came out to tend to him while Jake and his troops got a drink of water. Jake's defense was playing over their heads; yet, despite their Herculean effort, Jacksonville scored twice. If you did not stop those speedy little halfbacks within the first ten yards, they were history and in the house. The Kennedy players were happy to get out of the first half ahead 20-14.
Melissa ran up to Jake as he walked off the field to see if he was hurt. It was a flesh wound that stung he told her; otherwise he was fine. She muttered some deprecating remarks about the Jacksonville quarterback's linage then went back to exhorting the Kennedy fans. Jake took some good natured ribbing about losing the family jewels as he iced his groin during halftime. Coach told them to keep grinding away; they were wearing the smaller players down. He told them if they could keep making the running backs pay every time they touched the ball, the fourth quarter would be theirs.
Coach Nelson had made the right call; the two teams traded touchdowns and two point conversions in the third quarter -- but you could see Jacksonville running out of gas. In addition, the Jacksonville quarterback was getting preoccupied with Jake's whereabouts. He earned his team two delay of game penalties for trying to late-audible when Jake faked a blitz. After Jake sacked him for the third time, the quarterback called a time out; he ran to the sidelines where he and his coach had a heated exchange about better protection. For his troubles, Jake nailed him again on the very next play. Jacksonville had outscored their previous opponents by such wide margins that their starters were not used to playing a full sixty minutes. They did not have Coach Nelson's conditioning program so they wilted rapidly after forty minutes. The last twenty minutes was all Kennedy; 42-22 was the final score.
A jubilant convoy with honking horns escorted the Panthers on the forty-minute ride from Deland back to Palmdale. Melissa and Jake rode on the same bus back to the gym, snuggled up in the last seat before the rear wheels. Melissa was still concerned about his injury, especially when he flinched if she touched his thigh. Jake tried to reassure her that he was fine, and that his equipment was fine. She said she would feel better about it when she saw it for herself. Back at the familiar Kennedy parking lot, Jake and Melissa piled in her car and headed home; the Turner family should all be back by now, preparing for a party the folks were throwing for the team. The party was Charles' idea; he had invited the coaches and some other adults to help him ride herd on the football players and cheerleaders. They expected about twenty-five couples.
The Turner homestead was awash in activity. Helen and Maria were going over a list of things that needed to be done while Charles was making sure the pool was clean. Angie and Marisa were out getting sodas and crushed ice. Melissa dragged a protesting Jake to his room to check out his injury. Once in their room Jake dropped his jeans and jockeys and showed her his leg. It was a nasty looking bruise, but nothing like the one that had been put on the back of his thigh courtesy of Charles Owens. Melissa satisfied herself that his equipment was still functional by wolfing down his elongating dick. She was exceeding proud of her fellatrix skills, as well she should have been. She elevated a simple blowjob into an art form. Jake fell back into his desk chair as she slavered over his poker. Applying suction that would have removed the varnish from a broom handle, she coaxed his full load down her gullet. He sat at his desk naked from the waist down, almost boneless except for his boner, enjoying the overall relaxation a good hummer gives you. Finished with her art and quite pleased, she smiled, stripped, and wiggled her way to the shower. The sated Jake watched intently, but with only one eye open.
Jake hung out with Melissa while she made herself beautiful. Primping complete, they headed downstairs to help. The parental units had gone all out for this soirée. A caterer had set up two tents on the other side of the pool and strung party lights all around. Jake and Melissa started filling tubs with ice and soda while everyone else was cleaning up and getting dressed. At seven, the guests started arriving; by eight the party was in full swing. Jake liked the mix of people at the party as he assumed the role of welcoming committee. The first to arrive was Carl McClelland -- Diane and her twins accompanied him. Diane had to come to Jake's rescue when her little lolitas took turns trying to see which could get their tongue further down his throat. The Johanssons arrived as a group; Helga and Erika looked stunning in matching outfits. Coach Nelson and Sara showed up acting all lovey-dovey. Bill and Victoria Greer were the surprise of the evening as they casually strolled in arm-in-arm.
The teenagers took over the tent set up for dining and the adults pretty much stayed on the other side of the pool. Jake and Melissa gravitated between both groups, enjoying the company equally. Melissa, like Jake, could relate to both groups. Helen and Charles spent a lot of time with the Greers. Helen was applying her charm full force on Bill Greer and she captivated him. Helga and Maria hit it off and were soon chatting like old friends. Brian Nelson and Sven were reliving their glory days as college jocks while Sara hung out with the teens. The caterers opened the buffet; the teens waited patiently as the adults went through the line before they devastated and demolished the artfully arranged spread. If it did not move, it got eaten. Scott Hughes had a plate piled so high it needed sideboards; his girl Nan also put a sizeable dent in a mega-meal. You had to wonder what they had been doing to work up an appetite like that.
The caterers broke down the serving line, loaded their truck, and departed. Debbie and Melissa dragged Jake upstairs to bring down Debbie's stereo. The girls picked out some music and a dance party broke out. Surprisingly, the adults gravitated over and joined the fun. The teenagers were a little intimidated by all the school brass until Helen broke the ice. She pulled Bill Greer onto the dance floor and started teaching him how to do the monkey. Everyone decided that, if the superintendent of schools was okay with making an ass of himself, it was party time. Jake and Melissa spent a lot of time with Faith and Hope. Melissa thought their crush on Jake was cute. She smiled fondly at Jake as he adroitly dodged their coordinated advances. The volunteer DJ's slowed down the pace at about eleven and Jake unplugged most of the lights. What the hell, if any folks were uncomfortable with what went on next, they could ask it to stop or they could leave. No one did either.
The romantic music and atmosphere produced the expected results. For starters, Sara Douglas had Coach Nelson in a lip-lock on the dance floor and was riding his thigh. They were oblivious to everyone around them. The twins were mesmerized as Carl and their mom played kissy-face also. Helen was snuggled up to Sven and Helga looked comfortable in Charles' arms. Victoria sat out the dances because she was feeling a little off but Maria kept Bill Greer's dance card filled. Jake left the twins with Melissa and went to check on Vickie.
"Bill sure doesn't mind your mom's friend rubbing her big breasts against him," Vicki said.
"What guy would? Actually, she's Melissa's aunt -- she just moved here."
"Where is Melissa's uncle?"
"She is in the process of getting a divorce; he's up north."
"Is that so? What kind of plans do you have for her, Mr. Fix it?"
"None yet, but I'm working on it."
Jake got Vickie a soda and went back to his sweetie and their precocious little guests. Melissa smiled at him conspiratorially as she asked the twins to relate to Jake what they just told her.
"We have decided that you two will be our first lovers," Hope said matter-of-factly.
"What!?" Jake sputtered.
Faith looked at Melissa in exasperation, "I thought he was smart."
"Not all the time," replied Melissa.
Maria saved Jake from further apoplexy by grabbing his hand for a dance. She did not mold herself against him but made sure he knew she was there. She told him that Helen had graciously rescinded the 'No Maria' edict; so she wanted and expected to get together with him very soon. Then she floored him by saying that she was receiving a vibe from Helga that made her wish the big blonde could join them. Flummoxed again, Jake just nodded and twirled her around the floor. Jake was realizing that no amount of experience was ever going to keep women from amazing and befuddling him. After his dance with Maria, Diane and Carl came over to police up the twins. Faith and Hope insisted Jake walk them to the car while the grown ups said bye to everyone. They took Jake's hand and walked with him around the edge of the house. When they had rounded the corner of the house out of sight of the party, the twins spun on him, pushing him against the wall.
"We are serious, Jake'," said Faith, "We want both you and Melissa -- and we get what we want."
Before he could say anything, Hope was on him, her lips hot and demanding. Faith took his hand and put it on Hope's breast. Then they switched places and Hope moved his hand down to Faith's ass. They sure did not feel like innocent little girls, but Jake had his doubts about taking anyone that young, no matter how nice and nubile the bodies were or how advanced their libidos became. He broke the kisses and moved them along to the parking lot. When Carl and Diane emerged through the front door, Jake and the twins were waiting by the car. Diane gave him a kiss on the cheek and said he was in trouble because her daughters were after him. "They usually get what they want," she added as she stepped into Carl's Grande Prix.
On November the ninth, Jake sat in a classroom with thirty-five other widely-spaced students to take the important Scholastic Aptitude Test. He and Melissa had prepared for the test based on what good advice Jake remembered from practical experience and academic articles. Both teens did not change their regular routines, got a good night's sleep in each other's arms, and enjoyed a good but light breakfast. Jake outlined to Melissa some useful guidelines: never change an answer, pass and return later to anything which seemed difficult or complicated on first reading, keep the answer sheet super-free of extra marks because the scoring is electronic. In addition, Jake had learned over the years that the multiple answers often gave clues because the test developers always used 'close' or 'often-wrong' answers to tempt the unwary; reflecting on how one might get the wrong answers could lead to success. Jake explained to Melissa about guessing; to correct for guessing, a fraction of wrong answers would be subtracted from the score. But, if you knew the correct answer was one of two (or even three) choices, guessing was the right thing to do. Finally, Jake knew the test answers were aggressively randomized so there would be the same number of first, second, and so on answers on the final tally; as the last step in taking the test, Jake and Melissa would find which was the lowest count answer and blindly apply that answer to all the questions they could not handle otherwise. The test itself seemed much easier than it did the first time he took it. Practice and the thirty something years he had experienced gave him a huge advantage, especially in the verbal component. The math was not much of a challenge either. His pencil seemed to fly across the answer sheet. He was confident that he did well when he left the classroom three hour later. Melissa felt the same way.
The SAT's were the only disturbance to a routine week. He had to admit that it was getting a little boring being in high school. The novelty was wearing off; like Melissa, he was ready to blow this Popsicle stand. Football was a different story. He loved the competitiveness of the game and the physical exertion it required. With their prize in sight, the Panthers' practices were intense. Coach cut their sessions short by a half hour to keep them from over-peaking.
Jake woke up with a start Wednesday morning; something was nagging at the back of his brain. As he lay wrapped around Melissa, he tried to think what was so important about today. Nothing at school, no, it was not football - then it hit him, it was not the day of the week or even this life at all, for that matter. It was the date itself; he buried his father on this date: November 10, 1971. He knew exactly where his other self would be this morning at eleven: the veteran's section of Palmdale Memorial Cemetery. He woke Melissa up by kissing her neck; she pulled his arms around him and asked for five more minutes sleep. As he lay there all warm and cozy, he decided he would be at his father's funeral twice that day. Same mind, different bodies. Actually, not the same mind, since Jake's was expanding so much faster.
While washing Melissa's back, he asked her if she wanted to go to a funeral with him today; she said she could not. She had an important test in English she had to take. She told him that she wished he had said something sooner and she would have tried to make some arrangements. She wanted to know whose funeral it was and Jake fudged a true but misleading story about it being an old guy he met once. He told her he woke up thinking he should go pay his respects. She took it as another sweet thing he did, caring about other people. As they shared their morning ritual, Melissa felt like she would explode if someone tried to squeeze a milligram more love into her heart. Meanwhile Jake was surreptitiously watching her as she applied the curling iron to her silky dark hair. He loved watching her doing girly things; it was sexy as hell. They had the same idea at the same time. He walked into the bathroom and pulled the towel from around her waist. She bent forward and grabbed the countertop, hiking her flawless ass up in the air.
Jake dropped to his knees behind her and licked her slit from the rear. Then for good measure he pressed his tongue into her little brown eye. She gasped as his tongue penetrated her anus; she loved having her ass played with but had not yet told Jake for fear of him thinking she was too kinky. Jake noted her positive reaction to his tongue and filed it for future reference. Right now, though, he had a different agenda. He stood up behind her and bent his knees to line up his dick with her pouty pussy lips. As he slowly impaled her sheath, she started verbalizing some of the love she felt for him. He pushed his sword into her to the hilt and held it as he reached around and gently caressed her swaying breasts. He nuzzled her neck as he started a slow gentle stoking of her talented little pussy.
"Oh Baby, you make me feel better than I could ever have imagined," she said, "I love having you in me."
Jake maintained his pace and kissed her between her shoulder blades. She shivered and told him she was about to cum, he pulled back and picked up the pace. He released her tits and grabbed her hips. Then, on a whim, he slapped her sharply on her left butt check. As if he had jabbed her with a cattle prod, she screeched and came violently. Well, what do we have here, Jake asked himself. Buffy likes a little hanky-spanky. When she finished her orgasm, she pushed him off her and spun around.
She looked up at him with those soulful almond shaped eyes and said, "Now you know all my darkest secrets Baby, when you put that hand print on my ass it was like branding me. I hope it doesn't disgust you, but I want your hand prints on my ass a lot."
He told her it did not disgust him; in fact, he loved her sweet ass. She gave him a joyous smile and reassumed her position on the vanity. By the time he pumped his load into her, her ass was as pink and warm as the middle of a perfectly cooked steak. She had cum so much she could barely stand up.
"That was wonderful, Baby. Thank you," she said dreamily.
"The pleasure was all mine," he said, "Spank you very much."
Jake put on some shorts and headed downstairs; he and Melissa had had to shower off again and she was rushing to get ready for school. Helen was in the kitchen so he asked her about taking him to the funeral. She likewise bought the story he had concocted for Melissa and said she would. At ten, Jake put on his suit and Helen donned a black dress. They arrived at the cemetery right behind the funeral procession. They stood in the back for the short graveside service and military honors. They were fifty feet from where they had earlier stood at Russell Thornton's funeral. He was suddenly glad that Melissa had something else to do. This would have been too hard on her. After the service, Jake steered Helen around the crowd until they were face to face with Jay Reynolds. It was some eerie shit standing here looking at himself.
"I'm sorry for your loss, Sergeant Reynolds," Jake said.
"Thank you. Do I know you?" Reynolds said, eyeing them speculatively.
"No, I met your father once, he was quite a guy. My name is Jake Turner; this is my mother Helen, she never had the pleasure of meeting your dad."
Reynolds shook Jake's hand then Helen's. Helen felt a little electric jolt when he took her hand. He seemed so familiar but she was sure she had never met him. He was a nice enough looking young man: brown hair, about five-ten, and very fit. He was wearing a khaki uniform and a green beret. Rows of colorful ribbons festooned both sides of his shirt. His left arm was in some sort of weird cast with his finger suspended from little leather loops that hung from a steel arch jutting over his wrist. But his eyes commanded her attention; they were brown but the color mattered little, she saw intelligence in them and good humor. And his smile was infectious.
Jay was explaining to Helen about being home on a short pass from the Army hospital in Savannah. He said he had to report back tomorrow for another surgery on his hand. An AK-47 round had gone through his hand as he was talking on the radio. The bullet had also exploded the hand set and imbedded a lot of plastic in his hand and arm. Jake was amused to watch his former self chat up Helen and impressed that he was having some luck. Helen was doing a little semi-serious flirting, her hand on Jay's arm as they talked. Jake was speechless when Helen agreed to have coffee with him next time he was in town. She actually gave him their phone number. She took Jay's arm and he walked her to the car. She told him again how sorry she was for his loss and kissed him on the cheek. He opened the car door for her and she flashed him a little thigh. The entire time he completely ignored Jake until they were leaving. He shook Jake's hand again, told him thanks, and walked off. Incredible. Ab-so-lute-ly freaking incredible.
When he recovered enough composure to speak he said, "So, I take it you like a man in uniform."
"I like the man in that uniform; he is dangerous and sexy."
He never associated those two adjectives with himself. But he had to admit he wore a uniform well.
"It was obvious to the casual observer that he liked you; if you ever need a trained killer I think I know where you can find one," Jake said.
"There is just something about him that's so familiar; yet I'm positive I have never seen him before today."
They drove home in silence, each wrapped in a shroud of thoughts. Jake finally realized that he was taking a time loop, first as Jay, then as Jake; so it may not be a parallel universe thing at all. The loop would give energy and advantage so Jake redux could accomplish something neither soldier Jay nor glue-sniffing Jake could do alone. It was extremely sobering to contemplate such responsibility.
The next day was Veterans Day; Jake went with Charles to the veterans' section of the cemetery and put flowers on the little brass markers of the interred soldiers. Charles was a veteran of WWII, an Ensign stationed on a destroyer in the Pacific.
Jake was depressed that night for the first time since he started his new life. War was senselessly tragic. Ranks upon rows of brass markers and white crosses covered the final resting places of the men who might have cured cancer or done any number of amazing things. Yet, instead of learning from the sacrifices of those lost souls, almost every decade the world harvested a new generation of dead soldiers. Melissa sensed his mood and held him to her breast, murmuring softly to him until he fell asleep.
Jake was more his old self Friday morning. He had decided that he had done enough whining about how long the march was, now it was time to lace up his boots, put on his ruck-sack, and move out smartly. Someone had to try to change this shit; it might as well be him. Jake kissed Melissa awake and thanked her for taking care of him. She told him she had never felt closer to a human being than when she held him.
They fiddle-farted around getting ready for school. Between grab-assing in the shower and Melissa's inexplicable inability to find the right outfit, they barely beat the tardy bell by seconds. Vickie Greer said she was sorry he had to miss class to attend a funeral and asked who died. Jake said an old family friend and let the subject drop. He received condolences at every class. All the attention made him feel guilty for skipping school.
Saturday's second-round playoff game was against a Cinderella team from the panhandle part of Florida. They had won their conference with a mediocre record, then upset their first round opponent by one point in a mistake-prone game. The clock struck midnight and it was pumpkins for Cinderella when they stepped on the field with Kennedy. Coach Nelson pulled his starters after his team scored its thirty-fifth unanswered point late in the third quarter. Jake sat out the fourth quarter. The final score was forty-two to zip. The toughest part of the game was the trip to and from Ocala, the games venue. The next game for the Kennedy Panthers would be the state championship game at the Tangerine Bowl in Orlando on Thanksgiving Day. They would not know who their opponent would be until Lake Wales played later in the day.
Saturday evening Jake got together with Gail Martin. Melissa was all for it when Gail had called and invited him over for supper. Melissa told him that Debbie had organized a skating party and she would tag along with them. She teased him that Laurie would be there so she figured she would get some attention at the same time.
Gail came to pick him up at seven. She said supper was waiting at her house. When Gail unlocked the door and let them in, the house was strangely quiet. Jake asked where everyone was; she said her parents and brother were in Tampa at a car show and would not be back until tomorrow. Gail excused herself and went into the kitchen. After a couple of minutes, she went upstairs. When she came back down she was wearing a black silk robe that covered her from head to toe. She brought Jake into the kitchen to sit him down at the table. Two candles lighted the table; plates of lasagna were already waiting. She decanted glasses of red wine for them and stepped back from the table. Finally, she undid the sash of the robe and gave a little shrug. She was wearing a black teddy with red bows in strategic locations.
"Your dessert," she said simply.
Gail had planned the evening to the minutest detail. After a fantastic meal and a couple of glasses of wine she took Jake's hand and led him upstairs to her room. She undressed him in the soft glow of scented candles she had placed around the room. Then Jake had the pleasure of slipping off the panties of her baby dolls to uncover a neatly trimmed and shaved little muff. Like a good girl scout, she was prepared. Jake kept her semi-naked in the top of the outfit; he liked the way she looked in it. Gail was a much more confident lover this second time. Jake rained soft kisses on her as he touched her between the legs; she was already moist but not nearly wet enough to permit entry. Jake knew the leisurely pace she preferred, so he slowly brought her along. When his path of butterfly kisses arrived at her pussy, he admired her handiwork with the razor. She had shaved all the right places and even dabbed a little perfume on her thighs.
Jake started licking her slit from bottom to clit in long slow stokes of his tongue. Gail rested her hands on the back of his head and spread her legs wider. Jake had her near her peak when he stopped his oral attention. He started to get up to get a rubber out of his slacks when she grabbed his hand. "Diaphragm" she said. Good deal, he thought as he crawled back between her splayed thighs. He slid into her slowly; she pulled his face down for a kiss. She licked her piquant juices from his face, while her hips picked up his rhythm. Jake moved her right hand to his mouth, wet her fingers, then placed the slick fingers on her clit. She rubbed her nubbin in the same slow rhythm as his strokes. As she was starting to reach for her climax, he stopped again and pulled out of her. He kept them both on the edge as he inexorably brought them both to a colossal simultaneous orgasm.
Gail's orgasm was especially spectacular; she shook and moaned for nearly a minute. When Jake took her in his arms she jerked a few times from after-shocks. It had been a long slow climb and a breathtaking descent. When she could talk, Gail told him she had just experienced the most intense climax of her life. They lay there talking as she desensitized; her head was on his shoulder as she absently played with his nipples. Jake told her about the changes in his life, specifically his growing love for Melissa. Gail was happy that Melissa was going to allow Jake to keep seeing her. The arrangement was perfect for her; she had a virile young lover to take care of her needs without the complications of a relationship driving toward matrimony. Gail told Jake that she had re-enrolled at Stetson and would start classes in January. The counselor at the college had worked out a schedule that allowed her to work thirty hours a week. She would be taking four courses during the spring semester, then two night courses this summer.
They resumed their love making when they finished talking. Jake ate her until she came, her pussy gushing love liquid all over her bed. While he was eating her, he introduced his finger to her ass. Gail said it felt strange but pleasant. She said he could play with her butt more next time they were together to see how she would like it. Jake's opinion of her intelligence increased. She drove Jake home at eleven-thirty.
Melissa was awake waiting for him. She made him give her a blow by blow description of the evening then had him demonstrate everything on her ripe and ready little body. When Jake wormed his finger into her ass she went from high gear into over-drive. She thrashed about so hard she bruised Jake's lips with her pubis. She asked him when was he going to take her ass; she really wanted him there. He told her they would when the time was right; he wanted the first time doing it that way to be special. He did take her doggie style though and thumb-fucked her ass untilthey both came. That night they slept naked, wrapped in each other's arms. They slept so close together that they would have been comfortable on an army cot.
The next day, after church, Melissa went to the Thornton corporate offices. She had some key staff people coming in to update her on current projects. She was not choosing what or when they made real estate or development deals; she was paying a lot of money to the experts for that. However, she wanted to know exactly what they had on their plate at all times. Thornton Development had a large cash reserve; they needed cash in order to take advantage of sudden opportunities in the market. They also had some cash cow holdings that produced a steady stream of income. They owned two large condominiums on the beach, a number of hotels and motels in Orlando, and, surprisingly, twelve McDonald franchises.
Jake lazed around the house, enjoying a day off. Charles updated him on the Orlando store project. The team at Thornton Development had not wasted any time; they had already started closing on the parcel Charles had selected. The architect promised that signed and sealed blueprints would be ready next week to submit with the application for a building permit. Jake broached the subject of computerization to Charles who agreed to talk to Scott Hughes' dad, the NASA computer guru, about what he would need. As they sat drinking coffee Charles hesitatingly changed the conversation to one of a much more intimate and personal nature.
"Son, we need to talk about a few things; if you get uncomfortable with the conversation, stop me -- please."
"Ok, Dad, lay it on me."
Charles smiled at his choice of words then launched into his speech, "Son, I grew up in a family that wasn't very affectionate. I have always been straight-laced and very conservative about sex. At least I was -- until about four months ago. For some reason your mother grew more amorous about then. Anyway, last month your sister Deborah started making passes at me. I'll admit it was flattering and arousing. I felt guilty about it and brought her conduct to your mother's attention. I expected her to nip it in the bud by talking to Debbie; instead, she said I should be supportive and not turn her down. She went on to tell me about her relationship with her father, confirming what I already somewhat suspected. After some soul-searching, I agreed with her. Debbie and I made love. It was beautiful, bordering on transcendental. Your sister is an extraordinary young woman. She also seems to have a large and active libido. I must admit that she is the most easily aroused woman I have ever experienced."
Charles stopped his soliloquy and took a drink of coffee. Jake, unsure where this was leading, waited patiently for him to continue.
"That brings us back to your mother and me. Both of us were pleased by the results of including Debbie in our love life. We have been discussing opening up our relationship. We both are rather inexperienced having had only a couple partners each. We almost ended up with Randal and Maria but, luckily, your mom's intuition held us back from making a mistake -- at least as far as Randal is concerned. Surprisingly, Sven and Helga gave us every indication that they might be interested in us as a couple. Maria has made it known that she is available without Randal. Jake, all this involves you. You are the key to unlocking your mother. She wants you for a lover. She told me she made the offer and that you were interested but didn't want to hurt me. When she told me that you wouldn't sleep with the most beautiful and loving woman in Palmdale out of love and respect for me I nearly burst with pride. Jake, I think your mother needs you on a level I can't fulfill. Our relationship is a bond that is probably unbreakable but she has the a strong bond with you she needs to make stronger."
Charles leaned back and his chair, waiting for Jake to respond.
"So what do you want me to do, Dad?" he asked.
"That's up to you, Jake; you decide -- whatever you choose to do, it
will be with my blessing."