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 >The Pool Girl by Leto Armitage

   Chapter 46

   After my call with Clarence, I dug into work.  The South American
project was moving ahead and marketing asked me for a quote about our goals
for it.  I was just the data monkey so I don -(TM)t know why they asked me.
I awkwardly wrote something up and looked at the clock.  It had been two
hours and I was only a little tired.  Just as I messaged Tony to let him
know I would be back in the afternoon I heard Melissa walking downstairs.
She came into the office where I could see her.  She had changed into denim
overalls with a light checkered shirt beneath and her hair in a ponytail.

    -Sexy, - I said.

   She chuckled.   -I -(TM)m dressed for manual labor. -

    -I -(TM)ve got something for you to work on. -

   She smiled.   -Maybe later, lover.  You -(TM)re feeling better I take
it? -

    -Yeah, I -(TM)m starting to have some energy again. -

    -Good, you -(TM)re healing. -

    -Speaking of healing; you, your mom, how is everyone? -

   Melissa perched her butt on the edge of my desk.   -Well, Tommy and I
are all right I guess.  We didn -(TM)t hate Rian but we didn -(TM)t like
him either, he was just this dude Mom married. -

    -Really?  That -(TM)s a bit harsher than what you -(TM)ve said before.
-

   She shrugged.   -I was trying to be nice. -

    -How long have they been married, - I asked.

    -About five years. -

    -So you were teenagers already. -

    -Yeah.  Mostly we -(TM)re worried about Mom.  I know she -(TM)s
hurting but she wants to keep it to herself. -

    -And what -(TM)s bothering you is that you hurt her. -

    -Yeah.  I probably have just ripped that band-aid off back when. -

    -You seem fine right now. -

    -I -(TM)m cried out for now.  And Mom is being super-supportive-mom so
knowing she doesn -(TM)t hate me helps. -

    -Linda can be pretty awesome sometimes.  It -(TM)s taken me a while
but I -(TM)m starting to see why you have cared about what she thinks. -
Melissa didn -(TM)t respond but wiped away what might have been a tear.

    -Mom hasn -(TM)t been the only one I -(TM)ve been worried about hating
me. -

   I searched her face.   -What do you mean? -

    -You. -

    -Me?  Why would I hate you? -

    -A whole bunch of shit has trickled down from this.  Heck, you may
still have to go to court for tasing Chris and he wouldn -(TM)t have been
throwing a fit at Grace -(TM)s if not for this. -

    -This thing with Rian is only one part of a fucked up puzzle.  You
might as well blame me for falling in love with you. -

    -That part I -(TM)m glad for. - Her voice broke up towards the end
and I stood up and hugged her.  As I held her she continued,  -I just want
to make sure you know I didn -(TM)t see this coming.  It had been so long
ago, I had mostly forgotten it.  I mean, nothing happened, no one knew, it
wasn -(TM)t like I thought of it every time I saw Rian. -

   I sighed as I held her.  Sometimes I forgot that Melissa really wasn
-(TM)t as old as she usually acted.  It was a virtue of youth that they
moved on so easily and two years could be a long time ago.  I pulled back
and kissed her forehead.

    -So, what are you up to? -

    -Well, I was going to help mom with something but only if you could
take care of yourself for a bit.  Mom wants Tommy and me to help with some
cleanup at the old house.  She has to go to a few meetings. -

    -Meetings? -

    -Give a statement at the police station and meet a divorce attorney.
She wants all his stuff put into storage. -

    -I take it Rian doesn -(TM)t live there anymore. -

    -Tommy already went to buy new locks. -

   I grinned.   -In Steve -(TM)s car. -

   She grinned back.   -His first boyfriend!  It -(TM)s awesome. -

    -I -(TM)ll be fine.  The doctor said I might get out of the sling this
week and I was just going to go read to the bees and get some vitamin D. -

   She kissed me.   -Be good. -

   I didn -(TM)t want to give up those lips but she had to leave and do
that she had to walk away.  She was shapeless in the overalls but I still
watched.  My memory filled in where necessary.  As she left my phone rang.

    -Clarence?  That was fast.  Really?  Holy shit.  Wednesday?  Like
tomorrow?  You are amazing.  Yeah, I got the name.  He -(TM)s retired and
pretty much always home.  He waters the grass on a schedule Clarence, he
will be home then.  Thanks, I owe you! -

   Today was going to be a good day, and tomorrow even better.

   I read to the bees for a while.  Small groups always flew near me when I
would read outloud.  I heard Melissa walking up behind me while watching
two bees flying in a pattern that looked like the symbol for infinity.  I
realized my mistake when I felt the hand on my neck with the long nails.

   I meant to say  -My lioness - but I think I might have been purring as
she rubbed my neck.

    -Where is my wife, - Lavi asked.

    -Off with her brother and mom to purge Rian from the house. -

    -Well, - she leaned down and whispered in my ear.   -I kind of
hurried out of the house this morning and I -(TM)d like to rinse off.  Want
to wash my back? -

   I turned around and touched my lips to her in a quick kiss.   -Only if
I get to wash more than that. -

    -Deal. - She stood and walked to the house quickly, only pausing to
motion for me to hurry.   -Come on, before they get back. -

   I followed with all due haste, which was a lot.  We were in the bathroom
and she had the water running when I said,  -You -(TM)re in a hurry. -

   She stripped.   -I -(TM)ve been stressed.  This thing with Mellie has
been weird. -

   She didn -(TM)t have to say anything else.  Sex was a stress relief for
Lavi.  She helped me put the plastic cover over the sling and we got in. 
We actually did bathe, getting very clean before she pressed against me,
holding her chest to mine.  I felt the firm nipples against me and was
grabbing her hip with one hand when I suddenly had a thought.

    -Your nipples. - She made an indistinct noise as she was kissing the
base of my throat.   -Your piercings? -

   She stopped kissing but reached between my legs.  Her fingers were
magical.   -They weren -(TM)t healing.  I got frustrated and took them out
a week ago. -

    -I can -(TM)t believe I didn -(TM)t notice. -

    -We haven -(TM)t had a lot of physical time together.  Maybe if I
-(TM)d let them heal all the way they would have worked but it didn -(TM)t
feel like they were getting better, it felt like they were staying raw.  I
just about came when Mellie finally got to suck on them. -

    -I -(TM)m glad you girls have been able to have fun while I -(TM)ve
been out of it. -

   She looked up at me.   -You mean that? -

    -Of course. -

    -Well, there is another mouth I -(TM)ve missed on them. -

    -Ji -(TM)s? - I grinned.

    -Oh, no, and, by the way, and this is totally unfair, hers have healed
just fine.  Bitch.  The guest bedroom is the fuck room by the way. -

   I froze.   -Oh no. -

    -Uh-huh.  I did put fresh sheets in there the very second Linda said
she wanted to stay over though. -

    -Thank goodness. -

    -Seriously.  Mellie -(TM)s mom smelling like girl cum, mine
especially, is not something I need to be responsible for. -

   This whole time she was stroking me and it was getting hard to think.  
-Especially when you have other responsibilities, - I said.

    -Like what? - She tried to look innocent.

   I couldn -(TM)t handle things well with one hand but fortunately, when I
pulled her forward Lavi made the rest work.  I had to bend at the knees a
bit but that combined with her on the balls of her feet she could face me
while I buried myself in her.  I didn -(TM)t have the best position to
thrust but combined with her efforts we created plenty of friction.  I felt
her juices run down my balls and got lost in the hot water washing over us.
I had to close my eyes to keep the water out of them.  The position was
uncomfortable and the water was warm while she was a bundle of fire in my
arm.  Her lips and tongue broke away.

    -You -(TM)d better cum inside me, - she panted into my ear.   -I
-(TM)d hate to clog up the drain with that thick cream you -(TM)ve been
saving up for me. -

   I raised on my legs and stumbled forward slamming her back into the wall
of the shower.  We were out from under the direct water and she grunted as
we hit but I fucked her hard and fast.

    -You want it?  You want it in you, slut? -

    -Yes, I -(TM)m your slut, fuck your kitten slut.  Breed a litter into
me. -

    -Fuck... -

    -Yes! - Her legs lifted and wrapped around me and I felt like a
firehose was going off.   -Yes, yes, yes! - I leaned forward, holding her
with pressure against the wall.  She got her legs under her but held me.  
-I needed that. -

    -Missed having a man? -

    -Just a specific one. - I smiled at that and shut off the water.

    -Whoops, - I said.  Lavi was drying her hair with a towel.   -We
forgot to bring in clean clothes. - She shrugged, wet hair falling over
her breasts.  It was hypnotic.

   I opened the door to the bedroom and found Melissa lying back on the
bed, her overalls pushed down to her hips and one hand very busy.

    -Come here, - she said huskily.  I was recuperating and not prepared
to perform again but I crawled onto the bed as she pushed her clothes the
rest of the way off.  I Iowered myself down between her thighs.  She was
slightly sweaty but not excessively.  She smelled like a woman and I buried
my face between her thighs as her hands ran through my hair.

   Lavi walked out and I looked up briefly to see her climb on the bed and
lower her mons of venus over Melissa -(TM)s face.  Melissa giggled,  -Ooo
you brought me a present! -

    -I -(TM)d already cleaned up, seemed a waste if I could save it for
you. -

    -Mmmm thank you. -

   For a while no one said anything.  I ate Melissa, who ate Lavi.  Melissa
came several times quickly on my tongue while Lavi built up.  Eventually, I
felt Melissa grab my hair and pull gently indicating she had become too
sensitive.  I sat up and stroked her thigh while she continued to eat Lavi.
In a few more minutes Lavi started gasping and grabbed a pillow as she
screamed into it.  Soon all three of us were spread out on the bed.

   After a few minutes, I found my voice.   -So, you -(TM)re back. -

   Melissa giggled.   -Yeah, we all are.  And everyone got an earful since
you two didn -(TM)t shut any doors behind yourselves. -

   It was Lavi -(TM)s turn to giggle.   -Whoops. -

    -Skank, - Melissa playfully slapped Lavi -(TM)s foot.  It was then we
heard the shower in the other bathroom start.   -That will be Tommy, -
Melissa said.   -We both got sweaty so I need to shower. - She stood and
moved to the closet to get clean clothes.   -We ran into Mom as we were
coming back in.  You two meet us all downstairs?  Mom said she has updates
for us.  Oh, and I left a surprise in the garage. -

    -What? - I asked.

   She whistled and walked into the bathroom, shutting the door behind her.

   Lavi rolled her eyes.   -She -(TM)s spent too much time around you, she
-(TM)s developing a sense for melodrama. -

   Lavi and I got dressed.  The surprise in the garage turned out to be a
metal trailer, the type you could pull behind a truck, or in my case a
Jeep. On it was a table saw, a tool chest with drawers, and something I
later learned was called a planer.  We met Linda in the kitchen who had a
laptop open.  A box with the laptop brand was next to her.

    -New laptop? - I asked.

    -Apparently I am not getting my desktop back any time soon so I
decided to get something portable.  I -(TM)m not a fan of these things but
I suppose you need one in this day and age. -

    -Or... - Melissa said as she walked in, now wearing sweatpants and a
Danzig t-shirt advertising an album more than twice her age,  -learn how
to use your phone for things like email. - She was drying her hair with a
towel and I was definitely feeling better because just looking at her was
making me feel all kinds of wonderful blood rushing around my body.

   Linda rolled her eyes and I suppressed a chuckle.  It was one of the
rare times she reminded me of Melissa.  We were still waiting on Tommy to
show up from his shower so I opened the fridge.  My forced absence from
cooking duties had resulted in the fridge looking like a war had erupted
between culinary factions.  Home-made food in containers fought for space
with commercial products.  I looked at something with a label that was
clearly meant to indicate it was fruit juice.  I think the closest it came
to having fruit in it was the oranges in the tray underneath.  Oh well.  I
took it to the table and then got a glass with a lot of ice and was sitting
down when Tommy came downstairs wearing shorts and nothing else.

   Lavi wolf-whistled.

   Melissa,  -That -(TM)s your brother now. -

   Lavi leaned back.   -By marriage babe, no shame here.  I -(TM)m just
looking.  You know, you -(TM)d look even hotter with long hair Tommy-boy.
-

   He sat down.   -I -(TM)m not indulging your sibling threesome
fantasies, Lavi. -

   She grinned.   -I -(TM)m wounded. -

    -By what?! -

    -That you think they have to be fantasies. -

   Linda finally broke.   -Enough.  I can -(TM)t believe you Lavi.  And
you Tommy, don -(TM)t encourage her. -

   Lavi shrugged.   -Sorry, not sorry.  The only thing unbelievable about
me is that I say what others want to say but don -(TM)t. -

    -And your tits, - Melissa added,  -they -(TM)re pretty unbelievable.
-

   Lavi perked up.   -I know! - She held them up,  -They are awesome. -

   Tommy started laughing.   -I missed you, my sis by another miss. -

   Lavi jumped up and hugged him.   -We gotta meet this Steve soon and
make sure he -(TM)s good enough for you, bro.  Maybe we could come by for
the party this weekend? -

    -Are we still doing that? - I asked.

   Melissa,  -I don -(TM)t know... -

    -No, you should, - Linda said.   -It has been a rough few days but
you might as well live your life.  This is between Rian and me now.  Well,
and Rian and the state I guess. -

    -So, I have to ask.  Tools in the garage? -

   Melissa spoke up.   -I asked mom if we could keep the trailer and a few
tools.  She thought it was a good idea. -

   Linda nodded.   -I spoke with the detective.  He didn -(TM)t share any
details but he wanted me to know that they have a very strong case and it
is getting stronger.  It will probably be a while before it goes to court
and he may plea bargain before that happens.  Regardless, things like Rian
-(TM)s tools will not be a major concern for a while and if you can use
them, so be it.  If he misses them I -(TM)ll take it out of our assets when
we split them. -

   Melissa tossed her mother two sets of keys, letting them land near the
laptop.   -Here you go mom, his truck is in one storage shed and
everything else in another.  It is paid up for a year. -

    -Thank you, dear.  My attorney will file the divorce papers tomorrow.
After that Rian has twenty days to respond.  We are going to offer a
no-fault divorce and my intention is to reasonably divide the property.  If
he does not agree I will request a judge to rule on a divorce where Rian is
at fault.  My attorney says that if the district attorney can get even a
little to stick a judge won -(TM)t give him a cent.  All communication is
going through my lawyer so I will let lawyers talk to each other. -

   Tommy leaned forward.   -And you? -

   Linda took a deep breath.   -I need to get away.  I don -(TM)t think I
could bear to go back to the house for any amount of time right now.  I
went back early this morning to get something and it felt so empty.  As mad
as I am I missed Rian.  It is too quiet. -

    -I could stay for a bit mom, take a bit off from classes. -

    -That is sweet of you son but no, you need to live your life and I
need to live mine.  So, that brings me to the favor I will need.  Can you
drive me to the airport tomorrow afternoon? -

    -Huh? -

    -I -(TM)m flying to Miami and then boarding a cruise ship for the next
two weeks.  I love you both. - She looked at Tommy and Melissa.   -And
you -(TM)re sweet Lavi, but I need ...  I don -(TM)t know what I need but I
think being by myself for a while might be the right thing. - I noticed
that she didn -(TM)t include an affirmation for me but that was just fine.

   Melissa reached out and squeezed her hand.   -I love you. -

   Linda nodded and I saw small tears in the corners of her eyes.

    -Uh, - I raised my hand.   -I have a question. -

    -Yes, Robert? -

    -What time is your flight? -

    -Does it matter? -

    -A bit. -

    -Check-in is at four-thirty in the afternoon. -

   I smiled.   -That -(TM)s plenty of time. -

   She looked at me suspiciously.   -For what? -

    -Just meet me in the front yard at 1 PM. -

   Tommy looked confused but Lavi just sighed.   -Save me from English
majors. -

   I looked at the girls.   -Skip your afternoon classes if you need to.
It will be worth it. -

    -Really? - Linda was staring at me and the girls.  We had laid out a
large picnic blanket and Melissa had gotten a wicker basket from somewhere
that she was pulling food out of.  Lavi put down the cooler.

   I sat cross-legged and looked at her.   -Trust me. -

   She sat.  Tommy arrived with glasses.  Soon all five of us were drinking
lemonade with strawberries and eating chicken salad sandwiches which Lavi
made.  She had added toasted almonds to my recipe and took my advice and
made her own mayonnaise.  I was quickly becoming convinced that I would
always ask her to make the chicken salad in the future even when I was
cooking again.

   Tommy,  -Lav, killer sammiches. -

   Lavi smiled and Melissa leaned over and kissed her cheek which made her
blush a little.

   Linda interrupted,  -Not that I don -(TM)t enjoy picnics in front yards
but what is going on? -

   I looked at my watch.   -We have a few minutes, relax. -

   Tommy looked at Lavi.   -So, I -(TM)ve been meaning to ask.  What is
the rumor mill up to with, well, all this. -

   Melissa took a bite of celery with cream cheese on it.   -Nothing. -

    -Nothing? -

    -Nothing, - Lavi echoed.

    -How? -

   Lavi shrugged.   -No one knows anything. -

    -Ji and surely Grace, right? -

   I scoffed.   -Ji won -(TM)t say anything and Grace listens to her mom,
at least when it comes to shutting her mouth.  I -(TM)ve noticed June
-(TM)s instinct is to keep secrets. -

    -Probably good for an HR person, - Lavi added.

    -True. - I tried the celery.  The cream cheese was too sweet for me.
-The only way the school knew anything was probably Chris and T -(TM)wana
and it -(TM)s not like the police are going to update them on anything. -

    -So... - Tommy wandered off in thought.   -How is this crap at
school going to work out? -

    -That -(TM)s my problem, - Melissa said.   -I -(TM)m still trying to
figure that out. -

    -We can brainstorm at the party this weekend, - Lavi said.

    -Really, we don -(TM)t need to -

   Lavi didn -(TM)t let her finish.   -Party like it -(TM)s the last orgy
before the end of the world?  Right, we -(TM)ll have plenty more orgies. -

   That was clearly too much for Linda who choked on her lemonade.  Tommy
patted his mom -(TM)s back.  Melissa glared at Lavi and mouthed  -~behave.
-(TM)

   And that was when a white hatchback pulled up to the curb but not to our
yard.

    -Hey, he -(TM)s one minute early.  Meet Adam Lassiter. - I waved and
he waved back before going to his trunk and looking for something inside
it.

    -And who is Adam Lassiter, - Linda asked.

    -He works for a few attorneys including mine.  Turns out Clarence has
done a lot with people in unfair housing situations.  He even knows a judge
very sympathetic to people being screwed over by landlords ...  and HOAs.
-

   Linda was starting to smile.   -And? -

    -And your notes were excellent.  During the last election, when Fred
used that technicality to keep you from running for President of the HOA,
no vote for the president was recorded and those notes were voted in the
next meeting as canon.  In fact, it even said that no vote was needed as
there was no one running against Fred. - Adam had apparently found the
packet of papers he was looking for and shut the trunk.  He jogged up the
stairs to Fred -(TM)s front door.   -In our state, HOAs are registered as
non-profits.  The secretary of state has very strict rules about how they
operate and a lack of election is a violation of their bylaws. -

   Lavi,  -Does that mean what I think it does? -

    -If you think it means they didn -(TM)t have a legal president to call
the proceedings to give me notice of the vote to leave the house, you are
correct.  And Adam is a certified deliverer of legal documents who will
hand Fred a packet of papers saying that all actions of the HOA are on hold
until their legal status is sorted out.  That will require a hearing before
the judge and notification from the secretary of state that they are
compliant again.  Also, there are copies of the civil harassment suit filed
against the HOA this morning. -

   Linda,  -So, a new board election is needed. -

    -And the bylaws will require six weeks of notification of intent to
run before an election, then they can start the process to remove us again,
- I said.  At this moment Fred opened the door and began talking to Adam.
We sat and watched.  Fred tore open the packet.  There were raised voices.
Fred glared at us.  I held up my lemonade glass in salute.  Adam waved
again before driving off.  Fred slammed his door and disappeared inside,
probably to make calls.

    -It doesn -(TM)t solve anything. -

   After a moment Lavi said,  -But it does buy us time. -




   47