Note: This story was dynamically reformatted for online reading convenience.
 
 ï>¿The Swim Team by Arkfisting

   The Swim Team Ch.  04

   A tragedy after the pool party threatens the team's future.

   I relaxed my grip and tried to pull my hand away from Linda's breast,
but she had a hold of my wrist and kept it in place as she snuggled into
me. I was warring with myself, wanting to bask in the sensation of holding
this beautiful girl, and knowing I needed to get Linda out of my bed before
Brenda woke up, noticed she was gone, and came looking for her.  How in the
world would I explain a half-naked 18-year-old high school girl in my bed?
And with me in my underwear!  No, I had to get her out.  I pulled my hand
away, despite her sleeping protestations.  She stirred as I slipped my hand
from her grasp and slid myself out from behind her and out of the bed.  I
grabbed my gym shorts, one-legged hopped into them, and slipped on my Flash
t-shirt.  At least now I didn't look like I just slept with her.  At least
I hoped I didn't.

   She was still asleep, curled up on her right side facing away from me.
Her t-shirt had ridden up over her ass and I could see her tanned thighs
dip into buttocks separated by only the thin strip of fabric.  I shook my
head to get my mind out of the gutter.  This was no time to indulge
fantasies.  I walked around the bed and put my hand on her shoulder. 
"Linda."

   She mumbled.

   "Linda, you need to wake up."

   More mumbling.  She groaned when I grabbed her arm and pulled her to a
sitting position.  "All right.  All right.  I'm up.  Jeez." She opened one
eye, squeezed both of them shut briefly, then blinked them open.  Her face
twisted in confusion as she took in her surroundings.  "What?  Where... 
Mr. B?"

   "Good morning, Linda.  Care to explain what you're doing in my bed?"

   Confusion flashed on her face, then faded as she looked around.  "Uhm,"
she began, "well, I, uh, woke up in bed and I couldn't stop thinking about
my folks, and, uh," she fumbled through her explanation, "well, I couldn't
get back to sleep.  Whenever I get upset, my daddy always hugs me to
sleep." Her eyes grew glassy, her tears welled, and her voice broke as she
spoke.  "I guess I just needed to feel that again.  I'm sorry, Mr.  B. 
Please don't be mad.  I'll never do it again."

   "It's not that big of a deal, Linda," I said, trying to sound more
supportive than creepy.  "I was just taken by surprise, that's all.  I'm a
grown man and you're my daughter's best friend.  If it ever got out that
you spent the night in my bed, well, people would probably get the wrong
idea."

   "Oh, no.  I never thought about that." She seemed positively chagrined.
"But I'm eighteen.  There's nothing illegal about it."

   "You're right, it wouldn't be illegal, but it still looks bad. 
Especially since I'm old enough to be your dad.  In fact, I'm older than
your dad." I looked toward the hallway.  "Now, Brenda will be getting up
soon.  I think you need to get back to her room so you two can get ready
for school."

   She slipped out of bed and I couldn't help but notice the crotch of her
panties pull tight across her mound, dipping into a camel toe before her
t-shirt fell down over it.  I shook the image from my head.  What was I
thinking?  Get a grip, Barry.  This girl is an emotional wreck.  She needs
your support, not your lust.

   As she walked past me toward the hallway, she slipped her arms around me
again, pulling her face into my chest for a moment.  It was a reflex when I
hugged her back and reached down and kissed the top of her head. 
"Everything will be alright in the end, sweetie.  You'll see."

   "I hope you're right." She disappeared down the hall and into Brenda's
room.

   It was only then that I noticed I had the remnants of a hardon tenting
my shorts.  Linda had to have felt it when she hugged me.

   *****

   Brenda and Linda had only left for school five minutes before there came
a loud banging on my door.  I had just decided to shower, but had not yet
made it to the bathroom, so, with coffee cup in hand, I veered to the front
door.  Two men in blazers and khakis stood there looking official and
important.  I didn't need to be a criminal to recognize the police
detectives standing on my stoop.  I did take a moment to recall if there
were any tickets I might have forgotten to pay (never got one) or if there
were any legal matters I might have overlooked.  Again, nothing came to
mind.

   "Mr.  Brandford?" The closest one was a large fellow with a prominent
belly topping skinny legs.  "Barry Brandford?"

   I nodded.

   "I'm Detective Sergeant Malloy.  This is Detective Christopher.  We're
investigating an alleged assault that occurred Saturday night.  Could we
have a few minutes of your time?"

   Well, this guy was more polite than Law and Order portrayed detectives
out to be.  "There was no assault here," I said.  "Nothing like that
happened here at all."

   "We're aware of that, sir.  This incident happened elsewhere.  Could you
tell me, sir, were you in the residence the entire evening?"

   The hairs on the back of my neck stood up and my mouth went dry.  I
found it difficult to swallow.  "Am I a suspect?  Do I need a lawyer?"

   "No, sir." Christopher spoke up.  "Not at all.  We're just trying to
establish where people were, that's all."

   "Can you tell me what happened?"

   He never looked up from his notepad.  "We're not at liberty to say at
this point in the investigation.  Could you answer the question please?"

   I debated getting stupid, but I knew I had nothing to worry about.  No
one was assaulted in my house.  "I was here all night, yes."

   "Were you alone?"

   "Well, no.  My daughter had several of her friends over for a pool
party."

   "I see," Malloy said.  He fished several photographs out of his pocket
and handed them to me without looking up from his notepad.  "Do you
recognize any of these people?"

   I flipped through the stack of young people.  They looked like high
school kids, which meant they kind of looked alike.  One stood out though.
"Speedo Boy." I tapped a picture.  "Mark.  Mark Landry."

   The detectives exchanged a look.  They had expected that.  "You know
this young man?"

   "Well, not personally.  I know of him.  He's on the swim team at my
daughter's school."

   "Was he in attendance at your pool party?" Malloy scribbled in a
notepad.

   "It wasn't my..." no sense arguing the point that it was Brenda's party.
"Whatever.  Yeah, he was here for a while, but he left."

   "Did you see him leave?" They took turns asking the questions and I
began to feel like I was watching a tennis match.

   "Yeah.  Well, no.  Not exactly.  I saw him leave the house, but I didn't
see him drive away." I flipped through the rest of the pictures.  "Why? 
Did he do something?"

   "We're still sorting out the facts," Malloy said.  "What time did he
leave?"

   "I'm not sure exactly.  Must have been between nine and ten.  The party
shut down at eleven.  Most of the kids were gone by then.  Except for a few
of my daughter's friends that slept over."

   "I see." More scribbling.  "Do you know where Landry is right now?"

   "At home or school, I'd imagine.  Why don't you call him?  Or his
parents.  The Landrys?  I'm sure you've heard of them." Everyone in town
has heard of the Landrys.

   "We'll take that under advisement.  Do you recognize any of the others?"
Malloy kept scribbling.

   "Well, there were a lot of kids here.  These might be some of them, but
I'm not sure."

   "Is your daughter home, Mr.  Brandford?  Perhaps she could shed some
light on things."

   "She's at school, and no, I don't want you questioning her." I tried to
sound as imposing and authoritative as I could.  I was confident that
Brenda was mature enough to handle the situation, but as a parent, I still
wanted to keep her as far from this kind of trouble as I could.

   "It may become necessary to do so, Mr.  Brandford," Malloy was
nonplussed at my bravado.  "She could be a material witness."

   "If it does, we will bring in an attorney.  I don't want to subject my
daughter to any unnecessary stress at the beginning of her senior year. 
She has enough on her plate."

   "We understand, Mr.  Brandford," Christopher said as though reading from
a script.  "We'll let you know if and when we need to talk to her.  In the
meantime," he thrust a card at me, "if you remember any details about
Landry, or any other details of that night, don't hesitate to call us.  Day
or night."

   As I realized they were concluding the interview, a thought occurred to
me.  "Wait a minute.  Did Mark Landry assault someone?  Is that what this
is all about?"

   Again, they looked at each other.  "As I said, we're not at liberty to
say as the investigation is ongoing.  Thank you for your time." They turned
in unison and quick-stepped to their waiting generic, nondescript four-door
gray sedan at the curb.  I had a bad feeling forming at the pit of my
stomach.

   *****

   I spent the rest of the day getting some files together for a meeting
with my former clients and their new product manager.  I'd get a free lunch
out of the deal and maybe some side work down the road to keep me from
getting bored in my retirement.  I found it difficult to concentrate on the
task at hand, though, as my thoughts kept going back to the party, and
whether I missed something that could have prevented the assault that
Speedo Boy allegedly perpetrated.  I knew he was an ass just from the 30
seconds I interacted with him, and from Brenda's and Linda's
characterization of him, but did I see the capability in him for that
crime? Maybe I did, maybe I didn't.  I'd go nuts if I dwelt too long on it.

   Unfortunately, my lunch meeting ran long, and I was not home when the
girls got back from school.  I wanted to talk to them about the police
visit, but that would have to wait until I got back.  Once my meeting was
over and my clients left, I remained in the booth, closed the presentation
app on my laptop, and tunneled into my security system to check on the
girls.  I was worried that the police might try to talk to them alone, or
worse, Speedo Boy might come by.  Brenda would be 18 next week, and the
police could question her all they wanted no matter what I thought, but
until then, I was her father and I would protect her.  And no matter how
old she was, I would do anything necessary to protect her from the likes of
Mark Landry.

   The camera in the living room revealed an empty room.  I flipped over to
the pool camera and saw Brenda doing laps.  Linda was not with her, though,
which was odd.  They usually train together.  I checked the other cameras
on the security system and saw no sign of Linda.  I was a bit concerned,
until I realized that if something were wrong with Linda, Brenda wouldn't
be swimming.  Then a thought occurred to me.  I closed the security app and
opened a remote access tunnel to my PC in my bedroom and activated my
webcam.  I didn't know what I was expecting to see, but it wasn't at all
what I saw.

   Linda was laying on her tummy on my bed, her face buried in my pillow.
She was wearing her bikini under a t-shirt, but that t-shirt was bunched up
under her arms and I could see the swell of the side of her breast peeking
out under her right arm.  Her left arm was underneath her, her thighs were
spread just enough that I noticed movement under the thin band of fabric
that ran between them.  Unlike my security system, my PC camera has audio,
so the sounds of her breaths and groans filled my ears, despite the low
volume on my laptop.  She took in a deep breath of my pillow as her ass
thrust forward to meet her probing fingers.  Her hips rocked in rhythm to a
beat only she could hear or feel.  I was stunned as I watched her butt
clench and relax, the flexing muscles slowly drawing the gusset of her
bikini deeper between her cheeks.  I've been passively indulging a fantasy
about Linda for some time, and in the past two weeks, I've seen her
masturbate three times now.

   Her breathing was coming in gasps as her hips rocked faster.  Her breath
caught, and she tensed up and shuddered as she pressed her fingers against
her mound.  She blew out a long breath as she relaxed before a small tremor
made her pause a moment.  After a second, she rolled over, her legs
splaying out bent at the knees.  Her pink bikini was drawn tight against
her pussy and her taut belly flexed below the gathered t-shirt.

   Wait a minute.  That's my Def Leppard t-shirt!  She was wearing my
shirt. Before I could consider what that meant, she picked the pillow up
and held it to her face, drawing a deep breath before flipping it back
where it belonged and sliding down to the foot of the bed.

   "Hey, what are you doing in here?" Brenda's voice came from off camera.

   "I just changed into my bikini, but I wanted a t-shirt to cover up.  I
didn't bring one, so I thought I'd borrow one of your dad's."

   "You could have used one of mine."

   "Well, true.  But I found this one, so it's all good."

   "Bull shit," Brenda swore?  I'd never heard her use a foul word in her
life.  "You were in here playing, weren't you?  Don't deny it, I can smell
it."

   Linda's expression changed in an instant.  I'd never seen her eyes
narrow like that or set her jaw in abject defiance.  "So, what if I was? 
It's none of your business anyway."

   "But you told me you weren't in the mood." Wait!  What?

   "I wasn't then, and then I was," she said brushing past Brenda on her
way out.  "It's no big deal.  I'm getting in the pool.  You going to stand
there and drip, or what?"

   What was I hearing?  What did that mean?  Surely, she didn't mean
playing as in masturbating.  People don't talk about things like that, do
they?  Not kids.  At least not to their friends.  She must mean something
else.  I remembered the conversation I wanted to have with Brenda, and now
it looked like it was more important than ever to have that talk, but we
kept getting interrupted.  I made up my mind to talk with her just as soon
as Linda's situation got settled.

   That reminded me that I needed to call Dennis Mitchell and have a talk
with him about Kelly and Linda.  Whatever his problem was, it needed to be
fixed and soon.

   *****

   When I got home, Brenda had dinner on the table.  She and Linda were
dressed in pajama pants and t-shirts, having changed after their swim.  It
was a normal occurrence at our house.  Brenda got used to cooking while I
worked late hours (which was too often) so she wasn't surprised when I came
home at the same time I usually did before I retired.  I kissed her cheek
as I walked past her, and then I bent down and kissed the top of Linda's
head.

   "How was your day, girls?" I sat in my seat and reached for the bowl of
potatoes.

   "Oh, just wait 'till you hear!" Brenda said as she took her seat.  She
looked like someone dying to spill some tasty gossip.  "The whole school is
in an uproar."

   I stabbed a pork chop from the platter.  "Mark Landry was arrested?"

   Both of them looked shocked and deflated at the same time.  "How do you
know?"

   "The police came by here after you left for school.  Did they contact
you at the school?  I told them not to."

   "No.  Well, yes.  They came to the school, but they didn't talk to us.
They took him away in handcuffs, though." Brenda seemed quite pleased as
she spooned mashed potatoes onto her plate.

   "Marched him right through the lobby at Senior lunch," Linda added with
a smile.

   "You look happy about it."

   "Well, he's an ass.  He's just getting what he's got coming.  He
deserves it."

   "Did the police tell you why they arrested him?" Brenda was cutting her
pork chop into several bite-sized pieces.

   "It seems he is wanted in connection with an assault case they're
working.  The detective wouldn't elaborate, but from what he did say, it
sounds like Mark might have tried to rape someone after he left the party
Saturday night."

   Brenda and Linda looked at each other for a silent minute.

   "What?  Do you know something?"

   "Well," Brenda hesitated, "I don't know if it's connected, but Ivory
Johnson wasn't in school today."

   "She kinda had a crush on Mark," Linda added.

   "Ivory?  Was she at the party?"

   "Yes, she and her brother Tommy came." When Brenda said this, the name
Tommy sounded familiar.  That was the name of the kid I saw behind the pool
house with Bethany and Tina.  "I saw Tommy leave alone though," Brenda
continued.  "I don't remember seeing Ivory leave.  Linda?"

   "Nope.  The last I saw of her, she was talking to Karen by the pool. 
That was when Mark tried to hit on me."

   "Okay.  The police might want to question you both.  I am going to try
to keep them at bay, so we don't end up having to get attorneys involved.
But you might want to write down as much as you can remember on paper. 
I'll hold onto them for if and when we need them.  If a detective comes by
or calls, do not, under any circumstances, say anything to them until
either I, or an attorney I select is present.  Got it?"

   "Yes, Daddy.  Geez.  I thought it was just some excitement at school.  I
never thought it was something to worry about."

   "Well, let's hope it stays that way.  The last thing either of you needs
right now is the stress of a police investigation."

   "You can say that again," Linda muttered.

   "Oh, Linda, I tried calling your father today, but I got no answer."

   Linda's face fell even further.  She dropped her fork and put her hands
in her lap.  "Oh?"

   "Yes.  I wanted to set up a time for him and I to have a chat.  Also, so
you and I can stop by to get anything you need for school."

   "Oh, I went by the house today on the way home from school and got some
things.  No one was home, though.  Which is a good thing, I guess."

   "Well, that's fine then.  I just wanted you to know I plan on speaking
with both your parents."

   Her eyes grew glassy as tears welled up, threatening to spill.  "You
don't have to do that, Mr.  B."

   "Sweetie, I've known your folks almost since they were your age.  I need
to do this out of friendship.  And not just mine, but Carrie's, too."

   Brenda's phone rang just then, breaking the moment.  I flashed her a
look.  I don't tolerate phones at the dinner table, and she knows that. 
She threw her hands up, showing that she didn't have her phone.  When it
rang again, I saw it on the counter behind her.  Kind of skirting the rule,
but whatever.

   "Silence it," I said.

   She reached back and picked it up, looking at the caller ID.  She
blinked in surprise, as though it was from the last person she'd expect to
call.  "It's Austin!"

   Now it was my turn to blink.  "Who's Austin?"

   "Ivory's sister.  She graduated two years ago and is at college now."

   I now understood the reaction.  "Answer it."

   Brenda swiped her thumb across the screen.  "Hey, Austin." She looked
across the table as she listened.  "Oh my God!  It was her?  Yes, we did
hear about it.  We were just talking about it.  How is she?  Is she okay?
No.  Nothing happened here at the party.  I'm sure.  Mark got a bit handsy
with Linda, but my dad ran him off.  No...  Now you know better than that.
She was still here then.  Austin, stop yelling.  It's not my fault.  It's
Mark's.  He's already in jail.  Yes, I'm sure.  I watched the police take
him away today.  Yes, in front of God and everybody."

   As the conversation went on, I was struck by the girl's name.  I've only
heard of one girl named Austin--the cam girl--and I was pretty sure that
was a stage name, and her last name wasn't Johnson.  I've paid her probably
enough money to pay for Brenda's college.  How odd that my daughter knows
another girl named Austin.

   After a few more moments, Brenda rang off and put the phone back on the
counter.  Linda and I stared at her expectantly.

   "She's coming home to be with her family.  She says they're all taking
it hard."

   "Did she tell you what happened?" Linda asked.

   "She said that Mark found Ivory at the McDonalds on Wilshire after the
party.  She was there with Tommy and another girl to grab some munchies..."
she glanced at me, "...I mean a snack...  before, uh, heading home. 
Anyway, Mark joined them, and he offered to take her home so Tommy could
spend time with his girl."

   Wait.  Tommy had sex with Tina, Bethany, and some other girl all in one
night?  Being a teenager was a lot different now than when I was young.

   "Ivory said Mark was all over her, and before she could say anything, he
raped her."

   I hated hearing this, but as I listened a thought came to mind.  "I
thought you said she had a crush on him?"

   "She did.  She'd been crushing on him since 10th grade.  But he never
paid her any attention until now."

   "Why's that?"

   "Well, Dad, not to put too fine a point on it, she got boobs."

   "Yeah, that definitely gets Mark's attention," Linda said.  "So then
what happened?"

   "Austin said that Ivory wasn't too clear, but they were fooling around.
He just wanted sex, but she was hoping for more.  Like they were going to
be a couple.  When she said she couldn't do it with him without that, he
got angry.  And he wouldn't take no for an answer."

   That asshole.  I knew I didn't like him when I first saw him prowling
the party.  I'm glad Brenda was never alone with him.  I shuddered when I
thought of Linda being alone with him.  If I hadn't come along when I
did...

   "So, you said she just got boobs," I said.  "I gather she's a late
bloomer?"

   Brenda wrinkled her nose, like she was thinking about something that
smelled bad.  "Uhm, I don't think so.  I think she paid for them."

   Now that did surprise me.  A teenager getting augmentation surgery? 
What decent physician would enhance a teenager who may not have finished
developing yet?  "Are her parents rich?"

   "I don't know.  I don't think so.  Honestly, I don't spend a lot of time
with the Johnsons.  They're on the team, but they're different people.  I
mean, Austin is cool.  She was captain when I joined the team.  I think
she's one reason the coach made me captain last year."

   "Oh, you'll be captain this year, too," Linda offered.  "No one else is
as strong a swimmer as you.  Not even me."

   "Yeah, and Ivory is not a strong swimmer, and Tommy doesn't have any
focus at all.  He doesn't really try until the tournaments." The discussion
dissolved into talk about swimming, as it usually did with these two.

   I finished my meal in silence, thinking about hot girls named Austin,
while the two of them plotted and schemed about how to improve their
swimming.  My daughter was certainly focused.  I couldn't see how she could
have time for anything else in her life, much less boys.

   *****

   I logged into my computer after the girl's went to sleep.  Hearing about
Brenda's friend Austin made me want to check in on Austin Sommer.  Perhaps
she had a live show going on.  My dick was already starting to fill in
anticipation as I pulled her site from my favorite's list and clicked the
login, but it went soft when the site said she was off-line for the night.
Damn.  I was looking forward to seeing her.  The image on the screen was
one of my favorites of her: sitting on a rock in ass-baring cutoffs and a
loose halter showing plenty of side boob while looking off in the distance.
The ticker scroll across the top of the page that usually listed her rates
and merchandise prices showed a message apologizing to her fans, saying she
would not be on-line for the next couple of days.

   Well, shit.

   I can't imagine looking more pathetic than sitting with a pair of boxers
down around the knees and a half-hard-on in hand, and not having the
material to do the job properly.  Fortunately, I had captured the last
session I had paid for in an MP4 file, so I could at least relive that one.
It was a great session.  She had used a remote-control vibrator that buzzed
when viewers bought tokens.  That night, she had quite a few viewers
on-line; she came several times.  Just as I was about to pull the video
from my documents, her picture scrolled to another image of her wearing a
pink latex bikini pulled tight against her pussy, the outer lips bulging
and clearly outlined against the latex and the words "squeeze me"
superimposed across the cleft.  I'd seen the picture several times in the
past, but this time something else caught my eye.  Behind her, on a
bookshelf filled with what I'd assumed were textbooks, was a trophy that
looked a lot like one Brenda had in her room.  It featured a brass figure
of a swimmer in mid-dive.  So, Austin was also a swimmer.  What a
coincidence.  On the wall next to the bookshelf was a poster for Hallstead
University, which I assumed was her college, which was actually not too far
from here.  Several students from Brenda's school attended there.  Maybe,
if I play my cards right, she might want to get together.  She said that
she had met several fans from time to time.  According to her blog, she
says she even fucked a couple of them.

   Of course, she probably wouldn't want a guy old enough to be her father,
but it was a nice fantasy to indulge in while pulling my pud.  Nothing
wrong with imagining a beautiful young woman riding my hard cock, even if
she was doing it for the money.  In my mind, she was doing it because I was
just so hot, she couldn't stop herself.

   I should call Tammi Faircloth.  I'd been yanking myself a lot lately.  I
needed some real contact.  Granted, Tammi was no Austin Sommer, but she
knew how to suck a cock.  Perhaps some real personal interaction would be
better for me.  Brenda had been after me to date more, but I kept putting
it off.  For so long, I was mourning Carrie's loss that the idea of dating
seemed like cheating.  But maybe Brenda was right.  Maybe I did need a real
person to care about.  Logging into a cam-girl web site is the furthest
thing from true intimacy.  Then again, I've had this voyeur tendency since
that frat party back in college.

   The orgy was not the only time Carrie and I watched others getting it
on. After we started having sex, we found almost any excuse to get
together. We even skipped a few classes to make use of the time for more
pleasurable pursuits.  One time, we planned on meeting at my place during
lunch.  Carrie had just finished her period and neither of us wanted to
wait until our regular date night that weekend to express our love.  My
class normally ended right at 11:50, which, after a ten-minute walk across
the campus, would put me home right at noon, giving us an hour before her
Political Science class that started at 1:00.  Unfortunately, I had to see
the prof after class and had to wait for him to finish with the other
students who snagged his attention first.  By the time I got the answer to
my question, it was 12:15, so I had to run home.  When I opened the front
door, the sight that greeted me almost stopped my heart.

   Carrie was naked and laying on her back, her spread legs facing the
door, her fingers thrusting deep into her gaping pussy as her thumb flicked
across her clit.  I could hear the wetness squelching around her fingers as
she worked herself into a frenzy.  Her arousal filled my nostrils driving
me crazy with lust.  I wasn't even sure she was aware I had arrived; she
was so wrapped up in her playing.  She was so hot.  So wanton.  So
beautiful that I couldn't move for several moments.  My cock sprang to
attention, tenting my trousers and threatening to bend backward in half.  I
eased the door closed and dropped my pants, freeing my cock and wrapping my
hand around it as I watched her pleasure herself.  The afternoon light
played across her naked flesh, highlighting the contours of her muscles as
they rippled with her movements.  Her breath was coming in short gasps
punctuated by groans and the occasional "yes."

   I stroked my meat in time with her fingers, until she started beating a
fast tempo on her clit.  Her pussy slurped and squelched as she panted,
telling me she was getting close to coming.  Her other hand cupped her
breast and pulled her nipple so hard I thought it would hurt, sending a
jolt through my cock.  I groaned.  Her hands froze and clamped over her
pussy as her eyes flew open, suddenly aware that she wasn't alone.

   "I...I...I'm.." She struggled to find words and she tried to cover
herself and sit up at the same time.  Her face reddened and she looked like
she was about to cry from embarrassment.

   "Shhhhhh" I put my finger to my lips.  "You're so beautiful.  Don't
stop. Keep going."

   Her face lost expression for a moment.  "You're not mad?"

   "I've never seen anything so hot.  Please, keep going." I was slowly
stroking my erection, precum oozing from its purple head flaring in need.
"I want to watch you cum."

   She looked like she wasn't entirely sure, but she leaned back, her hand
still covering her pussy.  Her breasts spread out on her chest as she got
comfortable.  "I've never done this with an audience before.  At least not
one I knew about." Her fingers began stroking her lips again, occasionally
dipping in to catch more moisture and spreading it over her still erect
clit.  Even though she lost some momentum when she first realized I was
watching, she caught back up quickly.  Her eyes were fixed on the bulging
head of my cock as my fist crept back and forth along the shaft.  That look
of complete wanton lust I first saw in her eyes the night of the orgy came
back as she drove two, then three fingers deep into her sodden pussy.  She
grunted with the effort to fill her hole while she pressed down with the
heel of her hand on her clit.  Her other hand was squeezing her left
breast, almost jerking it back and forth.  Her panting breath came in gasps
as she neared her climax.

   Watching her passion drove me closer to my own orgasm, and precum
dripped from the head of my cock.  I caught it in my hand and spread it
around, using it to lubricate my stroke.  Carrie's eyes were focused on
every movement my hand made as I spread my prepuce with my fingers.  The
liquid made my cock shiny and wet, and that must have appealed to Carrie,
because her body heaved in release.  Her hips began to bounce as she
frigged her clit and cried out.  Her eyes never left my cock as she rode
the waves of her orgasm, her pussy leaking all over my floor.  When she
finished, I was close.  Real close.  My cock felt twice as big as normal.
Carrie rolled to her knees and crawled close to me.

   "Cum for me, baby," she gasped.  "Shoot it.  Shoot it all over me." She
didn't touch me.  Didn't take over stroking me.  Didn't blow me.  She sat
on her heels with one hand on her pussy, and one hand pulling her left
nipple while she licked her lips.  "Give it to me.  Please!  I need it."

   Watching her beg for my cum finished me.  The first blast shot from my
cock traveled the three feet between us and over her head.  The next one
landed in her hair and splattered along her forehead.  The next several
painted her face, and the rest went into her mouth.  When she felt the warm
cum landing on her skin, she cried out in ecstasy and ran her fingers
through it, smearing it all over her face, even letting the cum she caught
in her mouth dribble out and join the party.  "Oh, God, you cum so much. 
It feels so warm and slippery.  I love it."

   My knees were about to give out, so I dropped to the floor as Carrie
rubbed herself to another orgasm.  Afterward, we came together, spending
the rest of the afternoon skipping classes while pleasing each other.

   We talked about the encounter later that evening, after we'd cleaned up
and calmed down somewhat.  I'd never before realized how hot it was to
watch and neither had she.  It was something we discovered together, and we
both knew we wanted to explore further.  But even with that realization,
both of us knew we didn't want to share, or see each other with other
people.  Carrie was the only woman I wanted, and she told me I was the only
man for her.

   *****

   Later during the term, Kelly, Dennis, Carrie and I went out on one of
our double dates.  We did these almost once a month and usually it was a
movie and dinner before drinks at our favorite bar.  This particular week,
the bar was closed for remodeling and no one could think of another place
to go.  Kelly was the one that suggested we all head back to my place for a
nightcap.  Now, I am usually a private person and I don't often feel
comfortable entertaining in my home, but we'd been having a great time
together and Kelly and Dennis were my closest friends, so I figured why
not. What's the worst that could happen?  They get drunk and pass out on my
couch?

   Well, that did happen, but not before everything else happened.

   We'd been sitting around the coffee table on the floor.  The girls had
both worn simple summer dresses since it was getting warm.  Dennis and
Kelly had their back to the couch and Carrie and I were opposite them.  The
table was covered in empty beer cans, schnapps bottles, and playing cards.
We were doing something called "root beer barrels" where we'd pour root
beer schnapps in a shot glass and drop it into a rocks glass filled with
beer.  The whole concoction was to be drunk in one fell swoop.  This
effectively led to four very inebriated people who were trying to focus on
a card game.

   Kelly was the lightweight.  She was seven sheets to the wind before I
had developed a good buzz.  Carrie, thanks to her small frame, was also
well on her way to drunk, though nowhere near Kelly.  At least she hadn't
gotten to the passing out stage yet.  Dennis, for his part, had cut her off
from the schnapps and was dropping an empty shot glass for her rounds. 
After her last round, Kelly announced she had to pee, so she struggled to
her feet and almost tumbled over the table.

   "Here, let me help," Carrie said as she stood only slightly more
gracefully.

   The two staggered over to the bathroom and closed the door.  Dennis and
I just sat and finished our beer while the girls did their thing.  When the
door opened, Kelly came out looking a bit more stable on her feet.  Now it
was my turn to go, so I went to the door and tapped on it.

   "Are you decent in there?"

   "Of course, I am."

   I opened the door and Carrie was sitting on the toilet in the middle of
relieving herself.  I turned my head and put my hands in front of my eyes.
"I'm sorry," I said as my face got hot.  "I thought you said you were
decent."

   "I am decent," she giggled.  "I also happen to be peeing."

   "But...but..." Even if I weren't drunk, my words still would have failed
me.

   "Oh, stop it.  You've seen me do much more than pee."

   My blush refused to fade and with each word, it got deeper.

   "Look at me," she said, her voice suddenly thick.  "You know you want
to."

   I turned my head back toward her.  She had sat back against the tank of
the commode and had tilted her head like a fashion model, one hand was
running through her hair.  Her other hand was sliding the front of her
dress up her torso.  Her nipples swelled like small cocks and threatened to
pop through the thin fabric with each breath.  She was right.  I did want
to look.  I loved looking at her.  Watching her.  Her dress bunched up at
her waist and I could see her lower belly and the tops of her thighs, but I
couldn't see anything more.

   Until she leaned back a bit more and scissored her thighs open.  Her wet
pussy caught the light from the vanity and the moisture sparkled as it hung
from her open lips.  "Oh, no!" She pouted.  "I'm finished.  You missed it."

   I was both relieved and disappointed to hear that.  I'd heard about
people who like bathroom play, and up until now I never considered myself
anywhere close to being one of them.  But with Carrie involved, somehow the
idea seemed almost desirable.  I never tired of looking at her, no matter
what she was doing.

   Carrie dabbed at her pussy with a bit of tissue, making a big show of
the gesture to look like she was masturbating before giggling again and
bouncing up off the seat.  It was then I realized she wasn't wearing
panties, which made me wonder if she'd been that way all night.  "Come on,
Babe," she said as she threaded her arm through mine.  "I think it's about
time I threw you down and showed you what you do to me.  I've been wanting
you inside me all day." She nuzzled my neck, which was a chore since I was
seven inches taller, then she nipped my earlobe.  I responded by planting a
hard kiss on her lips, which she answered with a massive tongue duel.  I
finished the battle by planting a deep hickey on her shoulder.  She
squealed and laughed as I played vampire, but in the end, my effort was
rewarded by a quarter-sized purple ring at the junction of her shoulder and
neck.

   "Stop!  People will see.  Whatever will they think of me?" She exuded
mock indignation.

   "They'll know you are loved by a passionate man, my dear.  Which is the
truth."

   We straightened ourselves out, opened the door, and entered the living
room, not anticipating what awaited us.  Dennis was laying on his back on
the sofa, his pants wadded around one ankle and his erect cock disappearing
down Kelly's throat.  Kelly was astride his face, her dress in a rumpled
pile on the floor, her hips sliding back and forth over his mouth, and her
modest breasts rocking with her efforts.  The light from the lamp caught
the warm tones of her skin perfectly and her red hair hung in waves over
her face.  Neither of them seemed to realize we were there as they enjoyed
themselves.  My first inclination was to go to the bedroom and give them
their privacy, but for some reason, my feet wouldn't move.  I couldn't stop
watching Kelly's full lips sliding up and down Dennis's hard dick.

   "Wow," Carrie murmured next to me.  "She seems to know what she's
doing."

   I grunted my agreement.  Carrie gave me the best head I've ever had, and
I'd only gotten head from a handful of women before, so I didn't have a lot
of experience, but Kelly sure seemed to love what she was doing.  She used
her hand to twist and slide in tempo with her mouth, so every inch of his
cock was being stimulated.

   "He doesn't look as big as you," Carrie whispered.

   It was true, at least it looked that way from my perspective, and I'll
admit to feeling more than a little pride at her observation.  Kelly keened
as she lifted her head off his cock and sat up, her hips suddenly surging
back and forth.  "Oh, Yes!  Do that.  Just like that.  Right there.  Right
there!  Aaaaagggggghhhhhhh!  God!"

   Dennis had one hand between Kelly cheek's doing something I couldn't
see, but she obviously enjoyed immensely.  She reached up and began pulling
on one of her nipples as she rocked on Dennis's face until she stopped any
coherent motion.  Her whole body began to spasm as her orgasm rocked
through her, making her abs tighten and flex until she could resume
breathing.  Then, without warning, she dropped back down, inhaling the hard
cock in front of her, grunting as she tried to force as much of it into her
mouth as she could.  Her sucking became frenetic, wet smacking sounds
filled the room as her head dove up and down on Dennis's crotch, her hand
beating in tempo with her suction.

   After a few moments, Kelly pulled her mouth off of his cock and slid her
hips down from his head.  She didn't even bother to aim as she slipped his
cock into her quim in one simple motion.  She sighed as she bottomed out on
him and began to grind her hips in lazy circles.  She leaned forward to
support her weight on his thighs as she lifted her hips on the back stroke
for more penetration.  It was surreal.  She was entirely focused on their
union.  It was like nothing else existed for her but their coupling.  A
rock concert could have been happening and she wouldn't have noticed.

   My attention was broken when something bumped my elbow.  I looked over
and Carrie had hitched up her dress and had two fingers frigging her own
pussy while she watched her best friend get off.  Her eyes had that crazed,
hungry look I was learning to recognize.  It was then that I realized how
hard I was.  I had been so taken by watching Kelly and Dennis, I hadn't
even noticed until I felt the pressure of my cock bending against the denim
of my jeans.  I reached down to adjust myself, but Carrie interrupted: "Let
me!" She pulled down my fly and with the deftness of a surgeon, she had my
pants around my ankles and my cock in her hand in seconds flat, all without
taking her eyes off the action on the sofa.





   I didn't even have time to ponder having my hardon out in front of my
friends before I was feeling the beginnings of pressure in my balls. 
Carrie dropped to her knees in front of me and pulled me by the penis down
with her as she turned around.  I was lined up and inside her before I was
aware of what I was doing.  She was doing all the work, sliding her leaking
pussy back and forth on my cock, all the while watching Kelly bounce on
Dennis.  From my position behind her, I could see her ass jiggle each time
she slid back against me.  I slid my hands up to cup her breasts, and she
shrugged her dress the rest of the way off to make it easy for me.

   Kelly for her part, finally clued in that she had an audience, but it
didn't slow her down one bit.  In fact, she seemed to bounce even more. 
She leaned back and spread her knees further apart, opening her pussy even
wider.  Her clit was red and swollen, peeking out from the lips that folded
in and out with the motion of Dennis' fucking.

   Carrie pulled up so that I could hold her from behind as I fucked her.
With our height difference, I had to sit low on my thighs so we could stay
lined up, but she simply spread her legs and started rocking on her own.  I
can only imagine how we looked to Kelly, Carrie with her legs spread out,
my cock sawing in and out of her soaked pussy, and my hands kneading her
breasts.

   It quickly became a contest of who could cum first.  Kelly was bouncing
hard to try and trigger Dennis' cum while Carrie did her best to make me
blow my load, all the while the girls were feeding on the sexual energy and
trying to one up each other.  In the end, Dennis groaned first.  He began
to piston drive his hips into Kelly, becoming more frenetic and less
rhythmic until his cock became covered in white frothy cum as he coated
Kelly's pussy.

   Carrie popped next, thrashing around on my cock as I tried to hold her
hips to me.  "AAAAAAAUUUUUUGGGGGHHHHH!" she cried as she spasmed on me.  At
almost the same moment, Kelly screamed even louder before collapsing on
Dennis' torso.  I was the only one still going, but the combined heat had
me about to blow my load, so I got a double handful of Carrie's hips and
drove home for all I was worth until my nut blew, and I felt a gallon of
cum spurt out of my cock.

   We all lay there spent for several silent moments; the only sound was
our labored breathing as we came down from our exertions.  After a few
moments, Carrie rose, grabbed my hand, and led me to my bedroom.  We closed
the door and slipped into bed, content to hold each other until sleep took
us.

   *****

   Two days after Speedo Boy's arrest, Brenda came home alone looking like
she was ready to kill someone.  Her reddened face was a mix of wanting to
cry and wanting to scream.  She slammed the door and marched into the
living room before she realized I was home.  The look of anger turned into
one of confusion.  "Dad!  What are you doing home?"

   "I live here." She didn't react.  "What's wrong, honey?  You look
upset." I got out of my recliner.

   Her eyes were wet, and her lip alternated between quivering and
tightening.  "It's the school.  They're being ridiculous!"

   "Why?  What happened?"

   "They expelled Mark after his arrest."

   "I know.  It was on the news."

   "Well, his dad's lawyers got the school to readmit him until his trial."

   "I can understand that.  He is technically innocent until proven guilty.
And he is entitled to an education until his conviction."

   "Yeah, I get that.  But the coach did suspend him from the team."

   "Again, that figures."

   "But his dad tried to get him back on the team.  He said it would hurt
his scholarship chances, or something.  But the coach said no.  He said
discipline was his call..."

   "How do you know that part?  That wasn't on the news."

   "Oh." She looked a bit sheepish for a moment.  "I might have overheard
the discussion in the coach's office." Brenda could be a nosy Nelly when
she wanted to be.  "Anyway, that was yesterday.  Today, the coach announced
that the whole season was canceled!"

   "Canceled?" That got my attention.  "Why would they cancel the season
just because Mark Landry was suspended from the team?"

   "His dad did something to the money the school was using for the team.
Coach said there would be no money to pay for transportation to the meets,
registration fees, or even money to run the pool systems and filters."
Brenda's voice had risen in pitch and her words tumbled out of her mouth. I
could hear the tears behind her words.

   I held out my arms and she ran into them.  "It's okay, sweetie.  I'll
make some calls and try to get this sorted out.  If nothing else, we can
see if we can raise the money ourselves."

   "Do you really think we could?"

   "Yes, I do.  No one is going to deny my little girl her last season
swimming for the team."

   She pulled back and looked me in the eye.  "But what could we do?  We're
not rich like the Landrys.  How could we come up with that much money?"

   "Honey, I didn't get to where I am by simply taking things as they come.
When your way is blocked, you don't just sit still, do you?  No.  You find
a way around it.  There are always possibilities for smart people to find.
And if you can't find one, you make one."

   "But this is a lot of money..."

   "Honey, you made captain of the team.  You already have one academic
scholarship and stand to get an athletic scholarship.  You're at the top of
your class.  Are you telling me you can't think of a way around this
obstacle?  I know I can, and you're cut from the same cloth."

   Her face brightened as she listened.  "You're right!  The Landrys aren't
the only source of money in this town." I saw a wall of steel descend.  She
was getting her gumption up.  "Then I'll do it.  I'll fix this myself.  I
can't let Mark, or his family get in my way.  I've got not just one, but
two scholarships riding on this season."

   "That's my girl." I kissed her forehead and let her slip from my arms.
Her expression had gone from frustration to resolve and she was an entirely
different person.  "I have no doubts.  Let me make some calls."

   "I'm going to call around to see if we can do a fundraiser, like a car
wash or something." She was already bouncing to her room.

   "You do that." As she disappeared into her room, I realized that Linda
wasn't with her.  I was just about to ask about it when the door opened
again, and Linda slinked inside.  She had a bulging backpack hanging off
her shoulder and her books wrapped up in her arms.  She was wearing her
skinny jeans, which magnified the perfect shape of her ass and thighs. 
Even with everything going on, she still knew how to dress to accentuate
her assets.  She didn't look like her usual buoyant self, however.  Her
shoulders were slumped, and she looked like she'd been crying.  I guessed
she was just as upset about the team's funding problems as Brenda had been.

   "Linda?  Are you okay?"

   "Did she tell you?"

   "She did.  And we already have a plan to fix it."

   She looked more confused than if I had told her I was going to send her
to the moon.  "Fix it?  How do you suppose we fix it?"

   "Well, I'm going to make some calls to the school board and some
business leaders, and Brenda is working on a fund-raising plan.  We'll get
the money to fund the season."

   She tightened her mouth a little.  I'd never seen her this way before
and I didn't know how to read her.  "Oh, okay.  The money thing.  Right. 
Well, that's good."

   "Was there something else going on?"

   She looked at me for several heartbeats, looking like she was weighing
options.  "No.  Not really, I guess."

   "Linda?"

   "It's just something Brenda and I have to figure out.  It's nothing
big." She forced a plastic smile onto her face, which looked as natural as
a clown mask on an Orangutan.  "Don't worry about a thing.  It's just girl
drama.  Happens all the time."

   I was not so sure, but I got the feeling she wasn't going to open up
without more tension, and I hated drama, so I let it drop.  "So, have you
spoken with your parents?  I left several messages with your dad, but he
won't return my calls."

   Linda's face clouded over.  "Figures.  He doesn't return mine either. 
Mom says he moved into an apartment yesterday.  I guess it really is
happening.  The divorce I mean."

   I hated to hear that, but I still held out hope that Dennis and Kelly
could work things out.  I could try to talk to Kelly, but it would be
better to hear from Dennis first.  If he thought I was talking to Kelly
first, he might assume I was taking her "side" and shut me out entirely. 
"Do you know where his apartment is?"

   "Mom does, I think.  He hasn't told me."

   "Could you ask her please.  I want to go over there."

   "I can call her."

   Turned out that Kelly did have the address and I was able to get it from
her.  I planned to head over there the next day, after the girls left for
school.  The girls and I went out for dinner and things between the girls
seemed more normal.  There was still some tension, but once they started
talking about school, things became more comfortable between them.  After
we got home, however, Linda went to bed while Brenda stayed up watching TV.
That was unusual.  They almost always retired to her room at the same time.
Brenda kept her attention fixed on the TV and I got the distinct impression
she wasn't in the mood to talk.

   I hated not knowing what was going on between them.  Brenda was my baby
and I spent almost all my energy since her mom passed trying to take care
of her, but I was no more perceptive as to what made her tick than I was
her mother.

   After the girls went to bed, I went back to my room planning on going to
bed.  I couldn't relax, though, and ended up back at my computer.  Austin's
site was still down, but I remembered I had the video of Bethany, Tina, and
Karen that I had not finished watching.  The clip loaded up and I saw all
five girls watching the movie, and Tina and Bethany fondling each other. 
Linda and Brenda got up and left, and this time, I noticed that when Linda
left, she tried to take Brenda's hand to lead her out, but Brenda
hesitated. I'd already cursed the security camera's lack of audio when I
watched the live feed weeks ago, and I again wished I could hear what was
being said.

   I watched Tina, Karen, and Bethany please each other for several
moments. I had seen this part when it was live, and I was more interested
in what happened after I went to sleep that night.  Still, watching three
hot teen-aged girls pleasuring each other, fingering pussies, sucking
nipples, kissing and caressing had me primed in no time.  The time stamp of
the video hit the ten minute mark, which I figured was about the part where
I had been in the bathroom and heard Linda and Brenda's argument through
their closed door, and the point where I had stopped watching the live
feed.

   The girls had slid to the floor and lined up pussy to mouth in a
three-way daisy chain.  After several moments, Bethany said something, and
the group changed positions.  Bethany moved her legs between Karen's and
brought their crotches together, mashing her pussy against Karen's meaty
lips.  When she was satisfied with her position, she lay back and motioned
for Tina to come to her, and the smaller girl straddled Bethany's head. 
Tina was astride Bethany's face, and Karen was scissoring Bethany at the
same time.  Tina grabbed her small nipples with her fingers and pulled hard
on them as she rocked her slit over Bethany's tongue.  Karen had one hand
between her and Bethany alternating rubbing both clits as they rocked their
hips against each other.  They seemed to know what they were doing, because
there was not the faintest look of frustration on any of their faces.  They
were all riding a fiery wave of passion that belied their ages.  These were
not the fumblings of inexperience that I struggled with at 18.  These girls
knew what they were doing.

   After several moments of slow stroking to the scene on the monitor, I
felt the stirrings in my balls.  Tina and Karen were lip-locked as
Bethany's tongue drove Tina to a jerking orgasm, and I was timing my
strokes to Tina's hip jerks as the orgasm rolled over her.  I was ready to
cum and just as it was about to happen, I saw something that stopped my
hand.  As Tina's spasms eased, Karen's head jerked to the left, looking off
camera, like something surprised her.  Then, a sly smile spread across her
face.  Someone was there.  Tina swung her leg off Bethany's slick face, and
the brunette looked up to see what Karen was looking at.  Karen was talking
to whomever it was as Bethany and Tina both moved to their knees, both with
smiles on their flushed faces.

   I saw a shadow block out the glow from the TV, then, just as I expected
to see who it was, the camera went dark.

   I sat there, withering dick in my hand, staring at a dark screen.  The
time stamp was still counting, so the camera was feeding signal, but
evidently, the lens' view was blocked.  Someone was in the room with three
naked girls, who were not surprised or bothered by their presence.  Someone
who knew about the camera.

   Brenda?

   No.  It couldn't be Brenda.  The camera just malfunctioned, that's all.
I hadn't checked the feed since the party, so I clicked over to the live
feed and saw my living room in all its night vision glory.  It was working.
It might have been a temporary glitch.  A network error.  A transient
interruption of the IP stream.  That had to be it.



   The Swim Team Ch.  05

   Barry tries to fix things, and the girls have a plan.

   Thursday morning after the girls left for school, I made my way to the
address Kelly had given Linda to give to me.  It was a new high-end
apartment complex that catered to Millenials and singles nestled in the
heart of the city's social nexus.  Bars and clubs were scattered among art
houses, galleries, and niche bookstores that stayed open late for the party
crowd.  The apartments were in a building covered in shiny stainless-steel
balconies that caught the sun, and housed one of the more popular clubs. 
I'd like to think that Dennis wouldn't be into this crowd anymore.  We'd
done more than our fair share of partying when we were younger.  I know I
got it all out of my system before Brenda came along.

   Well, I thought I did anyway.

   Carrie and I had made the commitment to each other long before I
proposed.  I knew she was the love of my life, and I couldn't imagine an
existence without her, but we were still young and hormone driven.  She was
a classic extrovert who drew energy from other people; the more, the
better. She was drawn to a party like a moth to a flame.  I wasn't so much
into crowds, but I was into her, so wherever she went, I followed.  I knew
she loved me and I was secure in that love.

   As I finished my senior year, the big Greek Bash--a year-end party--was
coming.  I never pledged, but it was important for the girls to attend. 
The last party was something of a legend on campus, as the campus police
had to respond to multiple complaints of noise and public indecency during
past parties, so we were excited about the possibilities of this one.  I
wasn't the party jock, like Dennis, but I knew how to have a good time, and
I was going home with the best looking girl on campus, so I didn't have a
problem with attending.

   It was a blow-out all right.  Everyone who was anyone was there.  The
entire basketball team was there; some with dates, and some stag.  The
football players and cheerleaders were clustered together in a raucous
crowd dancing to the noise blaring from the huge speakers.  Every flat
surface was littered with red Solo cups and beer bottles.  Soon, the chairs
were covered with articles of outer clothing.  It didn't take long before
the party began to segment into those drinking to get drunk, those looking
for more sedate environs to converse, and those looking to hook up anywhere
that was handy.

   I don't remember drinking that much--I rarely ever did--but by the time
the party was going good, I was feeling no pain.  It seems that my red solo
cup was always full.  Dennis started out glued to my side as the evening
began, but soon I was in a group of jocks all alone.  While the evening was
a blur from that point on, I do remember clearly seeing Dennis, Kelly, and
Carrie dancing in a group of people.

   Carrie was always a vision.  Tonight, she was wearing a hardon-inspiring
dress that grabbed everyone's attention, and I couldn't help the desire to
take her right then.  I sidled my way up to her, trying in vain to keep a
rhythm and probably failing miserably, but I didn't care.  Carrie squealed
when I grabbed her from behind and told her I had to have her right then.

   "Barry, stop," she laughed and swatted my hand from her ass before
throwing her arms around me.  "At least wait until we get back to your
place."

   "Oh, but you are too hot for me to wait, my dear." I nuzzled her neck
and slipped my hand from her waist to her breast, unencumbered by a bra
under her loose dress.  "I have been watching you all night just waiting
until I could take you home."

   "Geeze, guys," Dennis said.  "Get a room!"

   "I'm trying," I said laughing.

   "You shouldn't worry about them," Kelly slurred.  "You have more than
you can handle with me anyway." She reached out and grabbed his crotch, but
it was so crowded with everyone pressing in on all sides, no one could
probably see what she did.  She grabbed his face with her other hand and
brought him down for a scorching kiss.  "We should go," she said, catching
her breath.  "I want more of that."

   She grabbed his hand and led all of us off the dance floor toward the
great room of the house.  There, we saw something that stopped us for a few
moments.  As with the first party we attended together so long ago, there
was an orgy underway in the room.  We weren't as shocked as we were the
first time, but it was still a surprise.  The head cheerleader was living
up to her title by alternating sucking three hard cocks presented to her.
Her big hair bounced as her head moved back and forth, while her hands
jacked off the two cocks not between her lips.  Three other girls were
engaged with three guys in a daisy chain that started on the couch and
spilled out onto the floor.  No one was entirely naked, but no one was
fully dressed either.  Some girls' tops were pulled up or open, guys pants
were tangled around ankles, and one couple was obviously fucking, even
though no flesh was visible.  Her skirt was covering their union.

   One of the jocks backed away from the cheerleader and grabbed a girl who
had been standing next to us and, without saying a word, ripped her dress
off and lifted her tiny body up until her legs draped over his shoulders
while he stood there with his face in her pussy.  She didn't offer one word
of opposition, and was soon grunting and moaning to his efforts.  The
girl's date dropped his pants, stepped up, and offered his cock to the
cheerleader, who sucked it in without missing a beat.  Another of the jocks
fixed his eyes on Carrie, who was standing next to me, her nipples flared
under her blouse and her face flushed with excitement.  She looked primed
to fuck, and while I didn't think she would consciously cheat on me, I know
how she gets when she gets too excited.  Before he could get to his feet, I
pulled her away.  "Let's go."

   I was in no shape to drive, but Dennis seemed okay.  In hindsight, none
of us belonged behind the wheel, but this was before the maturity of age
showed the errors of youth.  We made it to my apartment, but Kelly was out
on her feet before we opened the door.  Dennis carried her to the couch
while Carrie and I kissed and necked our way to my room.  I wasn't too
concerned with whether Dennis was getting any from Kelly or not.  I had a
hard on and I had Carrie.  Everything was fine in my world as I kicked the
door shut.

   Once we were on the bed, I kissed her neck from the edge of her earlobe
to the hollow of her collarbone.  She always loved it when I nibbled in
that space and then ran my tongue along the muscle of her shoulder.  My
attentions were rewarded with a deep sigh as she ran her fingers through my
hair.

   She pressed her hand on my chest and pushed me off her long enough to
get out of her clothes.  I shucked my shirt and jeans in record time and
was right back on top of her as she lay back down, our lips joined in a
battle of tongues.  I could feel the hard tips of her nipples pressing into
my chest and I reached my hand up to cup the swell of her breast.  I was
nestled between her spread thighs and I could feel the heat of her pussy on
my lower abdomen and her juices leaking out, making both of us damp.

   Her kisses were almost frantic, like she wanted to devour me.  I was
just as hungry for her.  The fire that was burning between us threatened to
utterly consume me, and I began to feel dizzy.  If I were anywhere else,
with anyone else, I might have been concerned about the sensation.  Since I
was with Carrie, and I was horny, I just went with it, even though I was
feeling disconnected from reality.  I could sense touch, and heat, but I
couldn't think straight.  I felt her reach between us and grab my cock,
pulling it to her.  The heat from her hand was almost as hot as I felt, and
the sensation traveled from my balls to the tips of my toes and back to my
head as her fingers smeared the precum that was oozing from my cock head. I
slipped up and felt the moisture from her labia on my cock as she rubbed
the spongy head over her clit.  I could hear the sound of her wetness
splashing as she beat her clit with my cock, barely dipping into the open
lips to catch more of her juices before drumming on it again.  When I had
had enough, I surged forward with my hips, burying myself inside her
tunnel, making her gasp.

   "YES!" She cried out as her pussy seared my cock.

   I pulled back and slammed forward again, drawing another "YES!"

   Each time I lunged into her, she rewarded me with another "YES!" Slam.
"YES!" Slam.  "YES!"

   I felt her hands on my ass, as though she was trying to pull all of me
inside her.  "Fuck me harder!  Give it to me.  Yes!"

   I began to swim in the sensations, almost lost to reality as I was
deluged with the euphoria of being inside Carrie.  I had never felt that
way before.  Sex with Carrie was always great, but something was different
this time.  I was having trouble focusing on her pleasure, as I usually
did. I was so immersed in the feelings I was experiencing that I kind of
lost myself to them.  Everything was blurring together.

   Before I knew what had happened, I was on my back and I could feel
Carrie riding me as she moaned even louder than usual.  I wasn't thinking.
I wasn't looking.  All I was doing was fucking.  The only sensation I
remember was the wet heat squeezing my cock.  I reached for her breasts,
but hands were already there, yanking hard on her nipples.  Then my tongue
was deep in her pussy as my cock was down her throat.  Then I remember
seeing her ass before me as I drilled into her from behind, red hair flying
across her back as her head thrashed around.  The rest of the night was a
blur of flesh, heat, and cum.

   When I woke up the next afternoon, my head throbbed.  Opening my eyes
was more difficult than trying to push start a tank.  My tongue was glued
to my mouth in a pool of cotton.  When I finally managed to lift my head
and look down, I discovered I was not alone in bed.  Carrie was draped over
me, her brown hair plastered to her forehead.  But there was another body
in the bed with us.  Kelly was in a nightshirt curled up in a ball on the
other side of the bed facing the wall, her red hair spilled all over the
pillow.

   I extricated myself from underneath Carrie, drawing a mumbled groan as
she settled back into the pillow I vacated.  I slipped my feet to the
floor, trying my best to ignore the pounding in my temples, and stood up,
swaying as I fought back a wave of nausea.  I was confused by many things,
but the big one was why was I hung over?  I never got hangovers.  No matter
what I drank, I never suffered from the morning after blues like so many of
my friends.  I had a doozy of one now.

   When I righted myself, I took a step toward the open bedroom door.  I
know I had closed it when we came home.  As I stepped, I almost fell when
my foot caught something on the floor.  I looked down to see Dennis
sprawled out on the carpet at the foot of the bed.  He was wearing only a
pair of gym shorts and his pasty white legs were in my way.

   I turned around.  Carrie and I were naked, but Dennis and Kelly were
covered.  Why were they in our bedroom?  Had something happened last night?
Did I miss something?  It was all so hazy that it was impossible to figure
out.  It didn't help that my head felt like it was a sack of marbles
rolling around in a large bell.

   Something didn't add up, but I couldn't put my finger on what that was.
Of course, my mind was so muddled it was a miracle I figured out how to
walk.

   When the rest of them woke up and everyone had showered and dressed, we
sat around the table nursing coffee and trying to make sense of what had
happened.  No one remembered anything after we got home.  After Dennis took
Kelly back to the dorm--he offered to take Carrie, but I said I
would--Carrie and I had one of the most awkward talks we would ever have.

   "Are you mad?" Her voice was a wavering whisper, and she wouldn't look
at me.

   "At what?"

   "I don't know," her eyes darted from my face to the floor and back again
as though she was looking for some sign in my expression before she
shrugged.  "You look mad."

   "I'm not mad.  I'm worried.  I never get that drunk.  I never have
hangovers, and I never blackout.  I wonder if someone at the party spiked
the drinks.  Don't you feel odd?"

   "Well, I was drunk, I know.  But I've been drunk before.  I don't think
I was drugged, but I - how would I know?" She didn't seem as concerned as I
felt.  Perhaps I was making too much out of it.  Perhaps I just lost track
of how much I was drinking, or perhaps I mixed liquor and beer, or
something.  I decided to change tack.

   "Why do you think Kelly and Dennis were in our room?"

   "I don't know.  I don't remember them coming in." Her lips and eyes drew
into narrow lines, as if trying to remember something.  "The last thing I
remember was cumming really hard while I was riding on you." She blushed a
smile.  "I think I passed out after that."

   "Oh, no.  I remember we played around a bit more after that.  It's kind
of hazy," I said leering at her, "but I'm pretty sure I got a couple more
orgasms out of you before I passed out."

   Carrie smiled briefly, then her face faltered.  I swear I thought I saw
a flash of fear in her eyes, but then it went away.  "Oh, well, maybe.  I
really don't remember.  I wish I did, though.  I'm kinda sore down there."

   I bent down and nuzzled her neck.  "You were on fire, Carrie.  I do
remember you screaming and almost breaking my back at one point." She
straightened up when I said that, almost like she remembered something. 
"What," I asked.  "What did I say?"

   The fear was back in her eyes.  "Barry, I um, I don't...well," she
faltered.

   "Hon, what is it?"

   "I'm...I don't know.  Uhm.  I guess I'm glad the semester's almost over.
I don't know if I can keep partying like last night."

   "Well, I hear that.  It was a bit extreme." I tossed back the last of my
now lukewarm coffee.  "I still think someone spiked the drinks."

   She sat in silence for a moment as she traced her fingers over the
handle of her coffee cup.  "Maybe.  I don't know.  I doubt we'll ever
know." She shook her head, and immediately regretted it.  "Ow!"

   "You want some aspirin?" Even though I've never had one before, I knew
that hangover headaches were a bitch.

   "No.  Just....will you hold me?" She suddenly looked fragile, which was
the first time she ever looked like that.  One of the things I loved about
her was her strength.  She had always had an indomitable spirit.  Now she
looked almost broken.  Her hangover must be really bad.  "Please?"

   She didn't need to ask twice as I wrapped my arms around her and pulled
her from her chair into my lap..  She rested her cheek on my chest and
folded her legs under her as I stroked her back.  "I love you, Barry.  You
know that, right?"

   "I love you, too, Carrie."

   "But you know I love you, don't you?"

   "Of course I do.  And you know I love you."

   "I do.  Oh, Barry I do know.  I just want to be sure you know.  I
couldn't bear it if you ever doubted my love for you." Tears started
streaking her cheeks.

   "Carrie?" I lifted her chin, my brows creased with worry, and dipped my
head to see her eyes.  "What's wrong?"

   Her moist eyes flickered back and forth as she looked into mine for a
short eternity.  "Nothing.  It's nothing.  I just want...I just
need...well, I need you to hold me, that's all.  Will you hold me forever?"

   "Carrie, I'll never let you go."

   "No matter what?"

   "No matter anything."

   The actual proposal was a more elaborate affair--involving a limo ride,
fine dinner and a walk along a garden path--that wouldn't take place for
another month or two, but that morning, huddled together in my kitchen, is
when we became engaged.

   We did dial back the partying, but we were still college kids, so it
didn't actually stop.  At least, not yet.

   *****

   "What?" The word exploded as soon as the door swung open, and bounced
down the pastel-colored, door-lined hallway.  Spartan barely described the
decor of the building.  I had to guess it was because it was new and maybe
they hadn't finished decorating, but modern aesthetics always escaped me.
Dennis stood there in clean workout clothes that showed no sign of sweat. I
had repeatedly rang the bell as well as knocked, so I could imagine why he
was so brusque when he finally answered.

   "Is that how you greet a friend?"

   Dennis smirked as he regarded me.  I was dressed like I was going to the
office--which I was, eventually--even though I had retired.  But he didn't
know about my retirement any more than Brenda did.  "Sorry," he muttered.
"What can I do for you, Barry?"

   "Well, I think you know.  Are you going to invite me in?"

   His face showed the inner debate going on in his mind before he turned
around and walked inside, leaving the door open.  I followed, shutting the
door behind me.  The living room was empty except for a futon, a coffee
table, a TV tray, and a collection of cardboard boxes with clothes hanging
off the open flaps.  A pizza box sat on the coffee table next to several
empty beer bottles.  No.  Not beer.  Stella Artois.  Dennis always had a
pretentious flare.  Give me Yeungling any day.

   Dennis shoved a blanket off the edge of the futon and dropped into it.
While he wasn't dressed for work, he was clean shaven and didn't look bad.
Aside from the mess of the apartment, he didn't seem to be in too bad a
shape considering what he was going through.

   "Are you just going to stand there?  I assume you're here to tell me to
go back to Kelly."

   I measured my words.  I didn't want to pick a fight that he was clearly
geared up for.  "Not my place to do that, Dennis."

   His eyebrows lifted at that.  "Why not?"

   "What happens between you and Kelly isn't really my business, and it
isn't my place to tell you what to do in your life.  You know I love both
of you.  We've known each other like forever.  You were both there for me
when Carrie died and I want to be here for you both now."

   He looked at me as he weighed my words.  I drove on.  "Look, I can't
pretend to know what's going on with you.  I know I haven't been much of a
friend these past few years since Carrie died.  Maybe I was worried being
around you guys would remind me of her too much.  Maybe that's a cop-out. I
dunno.  What I do know is there is a little girl living at my house who is
wrecked right now."

   "Linda's staying with you?" Clearly Dennis was out of touch and hadn't
talked to either Kelly or Linda in a while.

   "Since you left."

   He was quiet for a long moment.  "How's she holding up?"

   Well, at least he is concerned about her.  "She's a mess.  She has been
all week.  Brenda's trying to be there for her, but with the rape case..."

   Dennis bounced up.  "Wait.  What?  Was Linda raped?"

   "Linda?  No, of course not.  A friend of hers was, and a teammate stands
accused of it.  It's disrupted things at school and threatens to interrupt
the season.  So, on top of her parents splitting up, she stands to lose one
of the things she loves most.  So, no.  She's not holding up too well,
right now.  She needs her father to tell her things will be alright."

   Dennis rolled his eyes so hard his whole head moved.  "Don't start
laying a guilt trip on me, Barry."

   "You think that's what this is?"

   "Look, I'm sorry Linda is hurt about what's going on, but I can't see
going back to Kelly.  Not just to make my daughter happy.  I've sacrificed
my happiness too long as it is."

   "What are you talking about?"

   "Barry, you haven't been around in a while, okay?  Kelly is not the same
girl she was before Carrie died.  Hell she hasn't been the same since Linda
was born."

   "What do you mean?" Could it be that I was so wrapped up in my own grief
that I failed to think about how Carrie's passing would affect her best
friend so much that it wrecked her marriage?  Was I that insensitive?

   "Look, you remember how things were at college, right?  The parties, the
fun, the excitement?"

   I nodded warily.

   "Kelly and Carrie were unstoppable.  They were dynamic.  You and I were
the lucky bastards that landed them and got to enjoy their passion for
life."

   I smiled at the poetic way he remembered Carrie.  I felt a tightness in
my chest.

   "Once Kelly got pregnant, things were fine for a while.  But then, after
Linda had her scare, Kelly withdrew.  Then Carrie died and Kelly shut
down."

   When the girls were around 11, just a year or so before Carrie died,
Linda got sick and the doctors had no idea what was wrong with her.  She
had been admitted to the pediatric ICU for more than a week while they ran
tests.  Eventually she recovered, even though the doctors never found out
why she was sick in the first place.  Modern medicine at its finest.

   "Barry, she and I haven't had sex in six months.  And not because I
didn't want to."

   "From what I hear, that hasn't stopped you."

   "Alright, fine," he shouted, waving his arm.  "Yes, I had an affair.  I
had to.  Kelly wouldn't touch me!  It's like sex became something to avoid.
She went back to her parent's church and began spouting all kinds of
nonsense about purity at me."

   "You never said anything..."

   "What was I gonna say?  You weren't hanging with us anymore.  I don't
hold it against you, bro.  I know Carrie's death hit you hard and you had
to take care of Brenda.  So, no.  I wasn't gonna dump it all on you. 
Besides, what was I gonna say?  'Hey, Barry.  Could you ask Kelly to fuck
me once in a while?'"

   I couldn't think of anything to say to that.  I do remember Kelly going
back to church after Linda's illness, but I didn't think anything of it,
and Carrie didn't seem to think it was a big deal.  After Carrie died, I
kind of stopped worrying about Kelly and Dennis.  "Dude, I am sorry."

   He waved his hand and paced toward the kitchen, where the counters were
lined with more empty bottles.  "Don't worry about it.  What's done is
done. And we're done." He pulled open the fridge.  "Wanna beer?"

   I knew I shouldn't.  I still had to go to the office and I still needed
to find some way of helping fund the season for the team, and I had to
drive to do all of it, but then, one beer wouldn't hurt.  Provided it was a
real beer.  "Real beer?  Not that Stella shit?"

   "Gotcha.  One Sam Adams coming up."

   He tossed the bottle to me, and I caught it one handed.  It was just
like we used to do back when we spent weekends knocking back cold ones back
in college.  After opening the bottle, I cocked my elbow, flipped the cap
onto the pad of my thumb and with a flick of my finger, sent it flying back
toward the kitchen trash.  The cap ricocheted off the wall right into the
plastic can.  It was a party trick I learned in college.

   "Still got it, Barry," Dennis mentioned after taking a long pull from
his bottle.

   I chuckled.  At least I still got something.  I took a swig of my beer
as I tried to think of what to say.  "Dennis, I don't know what's going on
with Kelly.  I haven't really talked to her, other than when Linda showed
up at my house.  Would you mind if I talked to her?"

   "Why would I?  It won't make any difference.  You think I didn't try to
talk to her about it?  I even tried to get counseling, but all she would
agree to was going to talk to her preacher.  Hell, he was the reason she
was like that in the first place.  Why would I want to talk to him?"

   "I see.  So, what about this girl you were seeing?  Linda thought you
would be living with her."

   He looked a bit surprised.  "What?  No."

   Well, I was glad to hear that.  At the very least, it would be bad form
to move in with another woman before the divorce papers have even been
filed.

   "Besides, she dumped me when I told her I left Kelly.  Seems she liked
things casual and me being single would complicate things for her.  Hell, I
think she just didn't want a commitment.  Kinda ironic isn't it?"

   "How so?"

   "I start having affairs just for sex, but then I fall for a girl who was
having an affair with me just for sex, and she dumps me for wanting more
than just sex."

   "You could've kept things the way they were..."

   "Yeah, I could have.  But I was tired of the bullshit.  Having to lie to
Kelly and Linda.  Having to make excuses.  It was exhausting."

   I could see how it would be.  I could also see that there was nothing I
could say that would make him reconsider.  Obviously I needed to talk to
Kelly.  "Could you do me a favor?"

   "What?"

   "Come by the house tonight and talk to Linda.  She misses you.  You
don't have to talk about Kelly.  But Linda needs her dad."

   He was silent for a moment as he stared off through the window
overlooking the clubs.  "Yeah, I guess I can stop by for a bit." He looked
at his beer as he swirled the bottle.  "Will, uh, will Brenda be there?"

   "Of course.  She lives there."

   "Right, of course.  Sure.  I'll stop by."

   "Cool.  We're eating at 7 if you want to have dinner with us.  Linda
would probably like that."

   "Uhm, yeah.  Sure.  7."

   I let myself out, pausing briefly at the door.  "7."

   "Right."

   For some reason, I got the feeling I didn't need to tell Linda he was
coming.  And why was he concerned with Brenda?  I shook my head as I made
my way to the elevator.  Something wasn't fitting together here.

   *****

   My meeting with the president of the school board and the district
superintendent didn't go as well as I'd hoped.  I met them in the
superintendent's office.  With hard wood paneling, gilded framed paintings
adorning the walls, antique brass fixtures, and leather chairs, the office
was kind of ostentatious considering the scarcity of money they purported
to have in the district.  Superintendent Lacey was dressed better than most
Hollywood royalty, too.  He was tall and fit with a full head of hair that
was just beginning to gray at the temples.  No doubt he wasn't pinching
pennies, being the important man he obviously thought he was.  He made sure
to let me know several times how gracious he was being by meeting with me
in the first place.  I only managed to get the meeting because the CEO of
my former firm was on the school board.  The emergency board meeting had
already been held, and the decision pretty much set in stone.  They
confirmed what Brenda relayed to me.  Without the Landry endowment, there
would be no funds for the swim team.  The budget had been set with the
expectation of the funds being released at the beginning of the quarter,
and the shortfall was actually going to impact more than the swimming
program.  The board was already looking for emergency funds just to keep
other programs running until the next fiscal year.

   I did get a pledge that the district would allow the team to compete if
they could secure their own funding, so if Brenda could raise the money, it
would work.  They also permitted me to use my pool for the team practice as
long as it was in an unofficial capacity after school hours.  They were
worried about lawsuits.  John Metherd, the board president, a short, thin,
wiry man with a prominent nose, pulled me aside as I was leaving the
office. I knew of Metherd but had never been formally introduced.  He led
me toward the elevator and pushed the button before speaking.

   "Look, Mr.  Brandford, I understand your situation.  My oldest daughter
is on the swim team, too.  My youngest has been looking forward to joining
next year.  I know your Brenda is poised to earn some significant
recognition for her talent and skill, especially considering that she's
graduating this year."

   "Well, thank you..." I sensed he had more to say, and I was content to
wait for it.

   "Look, this is highly irregular, but I know several business leaders in
town.  Perhaps we can help your daughter with her fundraising.  I'd hate
for my Lucy to miss out on following in her sister's footsteps if the
program were to be permanently suspended."

   I raised my eyebrows at that.  Brenda would be thrilled to know she had
backers in the business community.  The elevator dinged and the doors slid
open.  We stepped back as a very attractive brunette in a pencil skirt and
ruffled blouse exited looking like she just stepped out of a glamor
magazine.  Since I hadn't been on a date in more than a month, she seized
my undivided attention.  She said hello to Metherd before casting her
radiant blue eyes up and down my frame.  I reciprocated, which drew a sly
smile from her full lips.  "Hello, Mist...I mean Diane," Metherd said as
she stepped past him.

   "John." She turned to face him.  "Are you coming to the party this
weekend?"

   Methered seemed momentarily unnerved but recovered quickly.  "Of course.
Wouldn't miss it."

   "Great." She looked at me again like a chef appraising a cut of beef. 
"Who's your friend?"

   "My apologies.  Diane West, this is Barry Brandford.  Barry and I were
just discussing the, uh, swim team issue."

   "Right," she said with a nod.  "Terrible thing, that.  All the more
reason for the party.  John, why don't you bring Barry with you.  I'm sure
he could use a little fun."

   John's eyes widened before he shrugged.  "Sure.  Whatever you wish,
mi...I mean, Diane."

   She cocked her eyebrow at him ever so slightly before giving me a smile
that could thaw icebergs.  She turned and walked away with a swing that
belonged on a playground.  "See you later, then."

   Metherd and I both watched until the doors closed in front of us. 
"Uh..where were we?"

   "Business leaders in town..." I prompted.

   "Right.  Of course.  Now, you must understand many of them do business
with Landry, so it would have to be done quietly.  Like the district, they
can't afford to jeopardize the money supply, if you get my meaning."

   I did.  After saying goodbye, I drove over to a couple of businesses I
knew to put out feelers about the project with mixed results.  This was
going to be an uphill battle to be sure, but if Metherd was right, we could
get it done.  I went to my former office to finish the work I had promised
and to talk with Joe, my former boss.  He agreed to help as much as he
could, which wasn't a hell of a lot, but it was better than nothing.

   On my way home, I considered veering over to the Mitchell's house.  I
had to talk to someone who would make sense of the drama, and since Dennis
didn't seem to know what happened with Kelly, I figured maybe she would
shed some light.  Then I thought better of it.  It was already getting
close to dinner time, and the girls would be expecting me back.  I made a
mental note to visit Kelly tomorrow.  Perhaps she could help me understand
what Dennis was talking about.

   My granny's words rose unbidden from the depths of my memory.  "Don't
stick your nose in other people's business," she would say.  "Especially
marriages.  That's the quickest way to get it bent out of shape." She also
said it could end friendships.  I could see that happening if things went
south.  Of course, I hadn't been close to either of them for almost six
years, so what did I have to lose?

   *****

   When I got home, the girls had already started making dinner.  The
smells from the kitchen told me that much.  I dithered on whether or not to
mention that Dennis might show up, but considering his state of mind, I
kind of doubted he would.  As I pondered, something was nudging my
consciousness.  Something was off.  Something was different.  It made me
uncomfortable, and when I get uncomfortable, I start looking closer at
things.

   The house was clean as usual.  Brenda always did a good job of picking
up after herself and tending to her chores.  I know enough to know that
when most kids do their chores without nagging, they are trying to either
butter up for a big ask, or cover up a big mistake.  Brenda wasn't like
that, unless she had always been like that and I've been falling for it
hook line and sinker for years.  I doubted that.  I don't know if Linda
helped her, since she was staying with us, but it seemed likely.  Linda was
a very conscientious girl, after all.  No, the house looked fine.

   I looked out the French doors at the pool.  It seemed normal.  No mess
out there, the water surface rippled letting me know the filter was humming
along fine.  The patio furniture was in its place.  No wet towels were cast
about.  No kids were gathering which would have been a violation of the
rules on a school night.  I turned around as Brenda came up from the
kitchen.

   "Oh!" She stopped short, her hand over her chest.  "Hey Dad.  You
spooked me."

   "Sorry, sweetie," I said.  The reason for my odd feeling started to
become clear.  Brenda was dressed up.  I blinked.  She was wearing a dress.
She hardly ever wore a dress.  The last time I saw her in a dress was when
she interviewed for her college application.  This dress made that one look
frumpy.  This frock demonstrated in no uncertain terms that Brenda was a
young woman.  It hugged every curve and line of her body from her ample
bosom along the flare of her hips to her well-toned legs.  She even had
makeup on.  She is a girl, so she does wear makeup, but usually much more
understated than what she was sporting this evening.  She looked like she
had a date.  "Uhm, Brenda.  Are you planning on going out tonight?"

   "No," she answered without blinking.  "Why do you ask?"

   "Well, you look...well...uhm..."

   "Oh this?" She held her arms out and turned around, showing off the
slope of her buttocks, presented spectacularly by the drape of the dress.
"I just felt like dressing up for dinner.  We don't do this enough."

   "Honey, we don't do this at all."

   "Well, it's time we should."

   At that time Linda made her appearance and my heart jumped making me
audibly catch my breath.  Linda's strawberry-blond curls had been beaten
into submission with a straight iron and pulled to one side of her face,
where it draped over her shoulder.  She was wearing what I think they call
a tube dress, it was off her shoulders and form-fitting.  It took every
fiber of my being to avoid looking at her ample breasts and devastating
ass, no doubt made even more breath-taking in that dress.  They both looked
much more mature.  If I didn't know any better, I would think them in their
late twenties.  I would also be trying to find an angle to hit on them.  I
blinked several times.

   "Hi, Mr.  B.  Do you like our dresses?" She struck a perfect model's
pose, her hip cocked out, knee flexed, up on her toe on that leg, hand on
her hip.  The pose just accentuated her figure and I felt myself stirring
at the sight.

   "They're lovely." Keep your eyes on her face I told myself.  "Can I ask
where they came from?" I leveled a look at my normally frugal daughter.

   "We raided Bethany's closet today," Linda offered.  "Of course, this may
or may not be hers," she grinned.  "There is an outside chance they're her
mom's.  Bethany borrows her clothes all the time." Both girls giggled.

   "But her mom has such nice clothes," Brenda explained.  "Bethany, too.
Don't worry, we'll return them tomorrow."

   "Or next week..." More giggling.

   At least they were back to conspiring together, like the besties I had
raised.  Whatever tension between them seemed to have vanished.  At least
it looked like that.  "Well, you both look beautiful.  I feel honored that
you would dress up for dinner.  Speaking of which, what's on the menu?"

   "Blackened chicken, spinach, and blue cheese salad with raspberry
vinaigrette dressing," Brenda announced sounding every bit like a chef
announcing the evening special.

   "That sounds as good as it smells, which is amazing.  I hope you made
enough, because I sure am hungry."

   The girls giggled again.  "It's almost ready.  Would you like something
to drink before we move to the dining room?"

   The dining room?  We haven't eaten in the dining room since, oh, six
years ago.  A touch of melancholy reared its head as I realized it was
during Carrie's wake, but I shook it off.  I wasn't going to let that ruin
the evening Brenda planned for us.  With a dubious mind, I stepped through
to the dining room to see the table already set with three place settings,
linen napkins, and lit candles.  It had a sense of a romantic rendezvous,
which made me wonder what the girls had planned.

   Before I could spend too much time on it, the doorbell rang.  I didn't
know who it could be at first, since no one usually came around this late,
but then it hit me.  He came, after all.  I left the girls at the table and
crossed the room to the foyer.

   "Dennis," I said as I opened the door.  "Glad you could come.  Please
come in." I turned around and watched a series of emotions play on Linda's
face.  I saw shock, then a hint of a smile, then a narrowing of her eyes,
then a quivering of her lower lip.  She made an odd sound before darting
into the kitchen, leaving Brenda in the dining room as Dennis and I moved
into the room from the foyer.

   "I, uh, almost didn't," he said.  "For just that reason.  I'd better go.
She clearly doesn't want me here..."

   "Nonsense," I caught his arm before he could move.  "She's just
surprised.  I didn't get a chance to tell them you were coming.  It's my
fault.  Brenda..." I turned to my daughter, but her face was a dark mask
I'd never seen before.  I'd heard of "resting bitch face" before, but there
was no resting on hers.  It was quite actively being bitchy.  I'd never
seen an expression that was at the same time blank and threatening.  "Do we
have enough for Dennis?"

   She didn't respond.

   "Brenda!" I stepped in front of her.  "Do we have enough for one more?"

   "Yes, dad," she said through clenched teeth as her eyes flinted back and
forth between Dennis and me before she forced a smile.  "We do.  Let me
just set another place."

   As she turned and walked into the kitchen, one thought ran through my
mind: What was her problem?

   "I have scotch, if you'd like," I offered Dennis.

   "Uhm, thanks, but no.  I don't think, under the circumstances..."

   "Right.  I get it." I did, too.  I also really wanted one to settle the
nerves that flared with the girls' reaction to Dennis.  Still, if my guest
wasn't drinking, it would be rude for me to.  "Beer?"

   "Not the crap you drink," he tried a joke on for size.  It fit.  We both
chuckled.  Dennis had a pretentious taste, while I was a meat and potatoes
man.

   The girls brought out the food and set it on the table before returning
to get drinks.  Dennis and I took chairs adjacent to each other, leaving
the opposite chair for the girls.  Brenda sat opposite Dennis, while Linda
was next to her.  We sat in awkward silence for several moments, the only
sound was the clinking of silverware on plates.  Dennis didn't look up from
his plate and the girls could only steal glances at each other.  Neither
would look at Dennis.

   "So," my voice sounded much louder than I thought, "I had that talk with
the District today."

   "Oh, my God.  I totally forgot." Brenda and Linda both perked up. 
"What'd they say?  Can we have the funding?"

   "Sadly, no," I began.  "Hold on," I hastily added when they both drooped
in their seats.  "They did agree to allow the team to train here, at our
pool, after school.  And they did allow us to plan 'alternate funding.' So
we're not shut down for good."

   "Alternate funding?" Dennis furrowed his brow.  "What are you talking
about?"

   I filled him in on the Landry situation and how the district dealt with
it.  To his credit, he was every bit as incensed as we were.  "I have
gotten a commitment from Joe to help sponsor the team, but it won't be
enough by itself.  We need more."

   "Well, I'll ask my board to help.  We were just discussing community
involvement at our last leadership meeting."

   Linda glanced at him; her face a confusing mask of mixed emotions.

   "Well, that's a start.  Now, girls," I leaned in.  "You're not off the
hook.  You'll probably still need to raise some pretty good money on your
own.  Have you given that any thought?  Maybe a car wash?"

   "Or candy sales?" Dennis suggested.

   "I heard some kids actually clean houses..."

   "Well, dad," Brenda shot a quick look at Linda, "we've been thinking
about that, and we've talked with the other girls--including Ivory's sister
Austin--and we might have a pretty good idea how to do it." She and Linda
grinned like cats full of canaries.

   If I'd only known what that meant.

   *****

   Once the ice had been broken, Dennis and Linda began talking during
dinner.  I was glad to see them interacting, although it was still subdued
and somewhat sad.  They talked about Speedo Boy's case, and Mr.  Landry
pulling the funding from the school.  Brenda kept quiet throughout the
discussion.  I guess she was giving them space to sort out their issues,
but she still seemed to be between a simmer and a seethe when I caught her
looking at Dennis.  It confused me because I understood her desire to
protect Linda, but her reaction seemed more direct than that.  She was mad
at him.

   "Honey," I leaned close to Brenda and whispered while Dennis was talking
about his new apartment and telling Linda he had a room for her to use
whenever she came over.  "I get that Dennis hurt Linda, but why are you
taking it so personally?"

   Her eyes flared and I drew back slightly before her expression softened.
"He cheated," she said.  "He lied.  He betrayed...everyone."

   I blinked.  While that was true, I never knew fidelity to be such a
hot-button issue for Brenda.  Carrie and I were always faithful to each
other, so we never exposed Brenda to the horrors of infidelity.  "That's
true, but that's between him and Kelly.  Not him and Linda, or us."

   Her mouth dipped into a frown for a second.  I could see different
thoughts playing behind her eyes as she tried to sort out her feelings. 
"No, you're right.  I'm being unfair." She looked at him with pain in her
eyes.  "I'll be okay."

   Something's not adding up.  Before I could think more about it, voices
were getting louder on the other side of the table.  "I don't want to go to
your apartment.  I don't want to go home."

   "But Linda, honey, you can't stay here forever.  Your mom misses you."

   "How would you know?  You haven't been there either.  Have you even
called her?"

   "Don't raise your voice to me," he flared, but then dialed it back. 
"Linda.  These are difficult times for all of us.  But that doesn't mean we
all go our separate ways.  Your mom needs you.  She can't lose both of us
at once."

   "Oh, so it's okay for you to walk out on us, but I have to stay where
you want me?  What about what I want?"

   "You're too young..." he started to say.

   "I'm eighteen," Linda's volume had been climbing with each sentence. 
She was almost yelling.  "That's legal.  I can live wherever I want."

   "Hey!" I interjected.  "How about we make some milkshakes and listen to
some music?  Maybe watch some stand-up on Netflix?" I got up and made a
show of gathering the dishes.  Brenda, thankfully, followed my lead by
reaching between Linda and Dennis to gather their plates, making them both
sit back.

   "Linda, could you get the glasses?" She paused in front of her friend. I
saw the pointed look she gave her.

   Linda hesitated for a moment, and Brenda cast her eyes at me and tilted
her head.  I don't know what they were saying to each other, but it was a
silent conversation that only they could hear.  Linda stood and grabbed her
father's glass off the table.  "Sure.  I'll get the glasses." She pivoted
around and marched into the kitchen.

   Dennis threw his napkin on the table.  "This was a mistake, Barry. 
She's clearly not ready to talk to me." He pushed back from the table as we
heard the girls turn on the water to do the dishes.

   "Dennis, maybe it's not just her.  You can't talk to her like she's
still a kid.  She is eighteen, you know."

   "Oh, I know.  Look Barry, I appreciate what you're trying to do, but
Linda has been pushing things at home for some time.  I think she's going
through some kind of rebellious phase.  She's argumentative, obstinate,
disrespectful to both me and Kelly.  It's been going on for a while now. 
Long before I left.  I haven't had a civil conversation with her in a
while."

   Linda?  Sweet little Linda?  "She's always been an angel when she's over
here.  Best behavior.  Like all the time."

   "Kids always behave better with anyone besides their parents," Dennis
said.  "That's what my mom always told me, anyway."

   "Look, she's welcome here until things get settled with Kelly."

   "Well, I'm not entirely in favor of the idea.  Kelly needs her.  I worry
what she might do, left all alone like this." He started walking toward the
foyer.  "Look, Barry.  I appreciate the offer, and I thank you for the
meal, but I think it's best if I go." By the time he had his hand on the
door, I saw him look over my shoulder.  I turned around to see Brenda
looking at us from the kitchen door.  Her expression had a palpable effect.
"Yeah, I need to go." He opened the door and stepped into the night but
turned around.  His eyes welled up as he spoke.  "It's been great spending
time with you, Barry.  I've missed you.  Take care of my little girl."

   "I will." We hugged before he took off.

   *****

   The rest of the evening was tense.  We did the dishes in silence.  I
cleared, Brenda rinsed and loaded, and Linda wiped down everything.  It was
like a well-oiled machine.  A very quiet machine.  After we were finished,
the girls changed into nightshirts and came back to the living room where I
was reading my phone while drinking a Yeungling--my second.  I had also
changed into my gray PT shorts and my Def Leppard shirt.  I was so
engrossed in my phone I didn't hear the girls come in.  I was so used to
constant chattering with these two, it seemed surreal without it.  I
resisted the urge to start talking, though.  I didn't want to pick at any
open wounds with Linda or ignite any fires with Brenda.  I don't know what
was going on with them, but it had me on eggshells and I was getting tired
of tiptoeing around.

   "I'm heading to bed," I said standing up.  "Dinner was delicious, girls.
Thank you for that."

   "You're going to bed now?" Brenda seemed overly concerned.  Linda looked
stricken.  "But it's only 9."

   "I'm exhausted.  It's been a hell of a day."

   "You can say that again," Linda mumbled.

   Brenda flashed her friend a look.  "But I thought we'd watch a movie or
something.  Right Linda?  We were going to watch a movie?"

   "You two feel free," I offered.  "I'd probably doze off before the
opening credits were done."

   "Please stay with us, Mr.  B." The plea was in Linda's eye, and though
she wasn't begging, I could sense her need.  It was kind of like that
morning I woke up to find her in my bed needing a cuddle.

   "We'll even watch those superhero movies you love so much," Brenda
added.

   "Oh, come off it.  You love them, too." Brenda practically dragged me to
the theater when a new Marvel movie was released.

   "Only the Chrises.  Hemsworth, Evans, Pratt.  They're so yummy." She had
that playful glint in her eye.  "I'll even bring you another beer."

   I rolled my eyes at that, which got a giggle from both girls as I
plopped down in my spot on the couch as Brenda retrieved my beer.  Before I
could settle in, Linda glommed herself at my right side, folded her legs
under her, and rested her head on my shoulder.  I looked at Brenda as she
handed me the cold, sweaty bottle, and she shrugged before claiming the
recliner with the remote.  I wrapped my arm around Linda's tiny shoulders
as she pulled a throw over our bare legs.

   Her body was so warm and comfortable against mine it would have been
easy to forget she was my daughter's best friend.  As the movie started,
Linda had her arm laying across my abdomen, her hand resting just below my
rib cage.  I didn't think anything of it aside from how pleasant it felt.
My hand rested on her right hip, over the blanket.  Again, it wasn't a
conscious thought, it just felt comfortable there; right somehow.  I downed
half of my third Yeungling as I sat there enjoying it.

   As we lay there, I was aware of her breathing; of the pressure of her
breasts on my chest with each and every breath she took, of the warmth of
her breath blowing over me.  The comfort, the beer, and my exhaustion, led
to my eyelids getting heavy fairly quick.  I felt myself sliding down on
the cushion into a more relaxed posture, and Linda shifted with me.  She
lifted her face and nuzzled my neck briefly as she did so.  "You smell so
nice," she murmured and I felt her hot breath on my neck, triggering me to
catch my breath.

   I glanced over to Brenda, but she seemed engrossed in the movie.  I had
no idea what was going on in the film.  My existence was wrapped up in a
bundle of warm softness in my arms.  I wondered--not for the first
time--how her soft skin would feel on my bare chest.  How it would feel to
have her straddle my hips and lay on top of me as we kissed.  How it would
feel to move inside her.  I downed the last of my beer to distract me from
the not-so-pure thoughts running through my mind.  A loud explosion in the
movie drew my attention to the TV.  Linda and Brenda were both apparently
engrossed in the film, so clearly, she just needed a cuddle for cuddling
sake.  I was both relieved and disappointed at the realization.

   I tried to engage the movie, but I had seen it so many times that it was
difficult to focus on the action, especially with such an enticing
distraction under my arm.  My fingers had unconsciously already started
tracing the curve of her hip bone where my hand rested.  Her hand was doing
the same thing on my abs, the thin fabric of the shirt the only thing
separating our hands from each other.  It was just idle fidgeting.  Nothing
overtly sexual.  But it sure was sensual.  I closed my eyes and drew a deep
breath, inhaling the scent of her hair, and allowed myself to enjoy the
sensations.

   It had been a while since I held a woman in my arms; at least held one
in a manner that wasn't comforting.  My last date was more than a month
past, and my body was craving intimacy.  The taste of soft lips against
mine, the weight of a warm body on mine, the feel of a woman's skin sliding
over mine, and the heft of a breast in my hand all were sensations I was
missing.  But it wasn't just the physical sensations I missed.  I also
yearned for a woman's desire.  The heady feeling of knowing she wants me as
much or more as I want her.  To work each other up to the point of ecstasy
several times before allowing ourselves to crash over the crest into a
mutual explosion of bliss, knowing that most of the satisfaction comes from
pleasing her rather than her pleasing me.

   I had really avoided making those connections since Carrie died, opting
instead for casual dalliances when the need arose.  Perhaps it was time for
me to think differently about women.  Perhaps I needed to actually have a
spiritual connection instead of a purely physical one.  Linda had been in
my arms a lot lately, needing emotional comfort, and I know I felt an
emotional comfort from those embraces, too.  Perhaps, just perhaps, I
needed to know that I could hold a woman for both emotional and physical
needs.

   I felt certain that my physical needs could be met by Linda, but it
seemed so wrong, somehow.  I couldn't take advantage of an emotionally
frail child, who happened to be the daughter of old friends and my
daughter's best friend, no matter how much I wanted to.  Besides, she only
sees me as a surrogate father.

   She couldn't know how much I wanted her.  How she affects me every time
I see her.  How her eyes ignite a passion deep inside me.  How the way the
light plays in her hair sends a bolt of energy to my heart.  How the curve
of her hips sends a bolt of energy to my groin.  How I constantly imagine
myself holding those hips as I drive my seed deep insider her as she soaks
me in her juices.

   A loud musical crescendo shook me back to reality.  I must have dozed
off, because the end credits of the movie were rolling on the big screen. I
lay there as they scrolled, my mind in that fog state between consciousness
and sleep.  My ruminations had resulted in a tightness in my shorts, as I
had sprouted an erection.  What made it more awkward was that Linda had
slid down so her head was in my lap with her face resting against my
tumescent bulge.  Her eyes were closed, and her breathing seemed regular,
so I guessed she had fallen asleep herself.  I glanced over to see that
Brenda was curled up asleep in my recliner, the remote balanced on the arm
of the chair.  I started to move, but Linda's hand tightened on mine,
squeezing it even tighter to her breast.  Wait.  My hand was holding
Linda's breast again.

   Rational thought was impossible now.  Linda moved ever so slightly in my
lap, her face rubbing against my fabric covered cock as her hand squeezed
mine, forcing my fingers to knead her breast.  I could feel the hard nub of
her nipple pressing into my palm through the fabric of her shirt.

   Time slowed to a crawl as I enjoyed the sensations of her body lying
there against me, her breath warm on my cock through the fabric of my
shorts, her firm breast in my palm.  I couldn't help but allow my fingers
to stroke her and pinch her nipple ever so slightly.  She groaned in her
sleep, but I felt her shift her chest more firmly into my grip.  My cock
lurched as she responded to my touch and my breath caught in my throat as I
could have sworn she intentionally nuzzled the shaft against her cheek. 
Her mouth was slack, but open enough to feel her hot breath through the
fabric.

   I should have stopped there.  I should have gotten up and sent the girls
to bed and gone to my room and flagellated myself until I emptied the ten
gallons of cum that were threatening to boil over.  Instead, I caught her
nipple between my fingers again and pulled ever so slightly with a twist.
She drew in a soft gasp of air, pressed her hand into mine, forcing me to
squeeze her breast even harder.  I repeated the movement, marveling at how
resilient and firm her young breast was, yet how pliable.  When I pulled on
her nipple again, she moaned out loud and began to tremble in my lap.  I
held her and stroked her as she shook ever so slightly until her breathing
returned to a more normal sleepy rate.

   What had I done?

   Did I just give a teenager an orgasm in her sleep?  The realization hit
me in the forehead, bringing me to total consciousness.  I looked over to
see Brenda still asleep, but in a slightly different position.  I had to
get up.  If I didn't, I didn't know what I would do.  My cock was rampant
and if left unchecked, I know it would try to get me to fuck that poor girl
in my lap.  I sat still, my hand no longer kneading Linda's bosom, but
neither did I remove it.  I willed my cock to flag to a half-hard state,
knowing full well that one wrong move from Linda and it would resurge even
bigger than before.  After I was confident it was under control, I slid my
hips away, lifting Linda's head from my crotch.  With a pivot of my hips
and a strategic pillow placement, I managed to swing myself off the couch
and away from the beautiful young temptation.  The last thing was to
disentangle my fingers from where she held them to her breast.

   I left her there, her head on the pillow I left in my place, and
lingered long enough to appreciate the sensual way she lay on the couch:
the curve of her hips into her thighs, no longer covered by a blanket,
threatened to reverse the work I had done to quiet my cock.  I turned to
check out that Brenda was still asleep before I made my way to my room. 
Before I got there my cock was already back to full erection in
anticipation of the rub-off that was coming as I replayed the feel of
Linda's pert breasts in my hand and the sounds she made as she came under
my touch.