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 ï>¿The Trailer Park: The Road Trip A Story in the Wynter/Trailer Park
Universe by Wizard CopyrightÂ(C) 2007 by Wizard

   Chapter 1

   Life isn't fair.

   And nobody was going to convince me that it was.

   I mean, I know I'm a pretty lucky guy.  I'm kinda good-looking, at least
according to the girls, and they're the ones who count.  I'm athletic.  I'm
healthy.  And I have parents who give me a long enough leash to make my own
mistakes and usually back me up when I do.

   I've got a sister who's gotten a lot less bratty in the last couple of
years.  Either Traci's matured or I've gotten more tolerant.  Maybe both.
Of course, the fact that she pretty much stopped hanging with Ann Grey, the
world's biggest brat, helped.

   And more importantly, I've already got the love of my life.  I didn't
have to look for years like some guys.  Tami was a big part of who I was.
Yeah, I was a pretty lucky guy, I reflected as I watched another mile
marker sweep past.

   But I wasn't really feeling lucky at the moment, 'cause life isn't fair.

   I watched three more mileposts flash by, then looked around the van. 
Some people would consider me lucky.  Driving a van of beautiful girls and
one sister.  But damn it!  They were all asleep, and I had to be awake.  It
just wasn't fair.

   I pulled into the left lane to pass a station wagon only doing
fifty-five, then went back to brooding.  Hell, I didn't even know where I
was going.  Tami just said "Go west, young man, go west," then grinned and
wouldn't explain.

   Well, if we kept going west on I-90 we'd hit Seattle.  I figured Tami
had something planned for the big city.  I figured it was an over-nighter
since Mom, who seemed to be in on it, had packed me a suitcase.  I had a
feeling that even Traci knew more than me.  I'd have to get her for that.

   I saw the station wagon in my rear-view mirror and slid back into the
right lane.  At least traffic was light, but a little after nine on a
Sunday morning, that was to be expected.  I pushed the tape in the cassette
player in, not knowing what it was, and a second later Paul McCartney and
the Beatles were singing Hey, Jude.  I turned the volume down a little, but
nobody stirred.

   I'd read somewhere that McCartney had written the song to comfort
Lennon's son after his parents broke up.  That was kinda cool.

   Last night Mom had told me to set my alarm for six-thirty and to be up
and ready to go by seven.  No explanation, no nothing.  Six-thirty on a
Sunday morning, the only morning this week I could have slept in.

   I did what I was told.  I do that sometimes just to keep 'em guessing,
and Tami shows up at seven on the dot.  She smiled, kissed me, and took my
car keys.  Then she traded them to Mom.  My brand-new Mustang for her
year-old mini-van.  I didn't strangle her.  I've heard that's not conducive
to a lasting relationship.

   That's when Mom handed me my suitcase.

   Now, a mother sending her only son off with a beautiful girl he loved
could be a very good thing.  But I knew my mom.  I knew there was a catch.
Actually, there were five of them.

   Tami got in the driver's seat, which left me on the passenger side, and
we drove out of the trailer park.  Tami had only gotten her license this
month, though she turned sixteen back in March.  It was a confidence thing.
Tami was a good driver, but she wanted to be really, really ready before
she took her test.

   We drove to Robbie's house.  That was my first surprise.  Though to even
things out, Robbie looked just as surprised to see me.  She got in the back
with her suitcase.  My second surprise was driving to Darlene's house. 
Tami had me scrunch down out of sight cause Darlene's step-dad and I had a
history.

   Then we drove back to the trailer park, where Mikee, Kelly, and my
little sister Traci were standing in front of Tami's house.  All with
suitcases.  I was starting to smell a conspiracy, but none of them seemed
to know what this was all about either.

   There was a small travel trailer parked in front of the swimming pool.
Tami pointed at it.  "Hook it up."

   I smiled.  "Can't.  You need a trailer hitch."

   Tami cocked her head and stared back at me.  I got out of the van, and
damned if there wasn't a trailer hitch on the back of Mom's mini-van.  I
didn't think it was there last week.

   By the time I had the trailer hooked up -"I'd never done one by myself
before -"the girls all had their luggage stowed and were settled in the
van. Tami had moved to the passenger seat, where she was sharing a seat
belt with Kelly.  Mikee and Darlene were sitting in the middle seats, and
Traci and Robbie were in the back.  By default, I climbed in behind the
wheel.

   That's when Tami uttered her line, "Go west, young man, go west." So I
drove west.  First toward Wenatchee, then on toward Seattle.  Twenty
minutes out of town, all the girls were sleeping peacefully.  Me, I was
awake and going west.  Like I said, life isn't fair.

   Tami stirred, stretched, and opened her eyes.  She looked at me over
Kelly's sleeping form and smiled.  I didn't smile back.  I was a little
annoyed, and like I said, life isn't fair.

   The Beatles tape had ended sixty miles back, and I hadn't bothered to
find a new one from my mom's collection, so it was quiet except for the
noises of the road.  My car, the one that Tami had traded in, had a built
in MP3 system with a couple thousand songs.

   "Where are we?" she asked, stretching again.

   I thought about not answering.  On the one hand, it would serve her
right, but on the other hand, if I kept going we were going to get very wet
when I hit the Puget Sound.  "About forty minutes out of Seattle."

   She smiled again.  "You made good time."

   I considered asking her, 'How would you know?' but decided silence was a
better option.

   Tami reached down between her feet and got her laptop, the one she'd won
for the story that almost got me kicked out of school.  She pulled it up
and onto her lap.  She opened it and powered up, humming as she waited for
Windows to boot.  I couldn't make out what song.  You know the old saying,
"She couldn't carry a tune in a bucket?" Well, Tami couldn't carry one in a
wheelbarrow, but I love her anyway.

   Windows booted, which, considering that it came from Bill's house of
smoke and mirrors, was always pretty amazing, and Tami typed in her
password, ILOVETONY.  I'm not supposed to know that by the way.  The
password, not the sentiment.

   She looked up from the computer to the road signs we were passing, then
back at the screen.  "Take the third exit, then a left and go about a mile
to the park."

   "What park?"

   She smiled, pushed the F4 key to put her computer to sleep, and closed
the cover.

   I sighed internally.  Life isn't...  well, you get the idea.

   "Everybody up!" Tami yelled as we turned into the state park a few
minutes later.

   "Where are we?" Robbie asked.

   "Not a clue," I told her.  "I just kept driving while everybody else
slept."

   "At least you're good for something," she muttered.

   Sometimes I get real annoyed with my mother for teaching me not to hit
girls.

   Tami pointed at a picnic table as I parked.  "Everybody out and meet
over there.  Tony, there's a cooler in the back.  Would you get it?"

   I was beginning to feel like some kind of Egyptian slave, the kind who
spent their lives pushing big stones uphill to the tops of pyramids.  That
is, unless the aliens did it for them.

   "I got to pee," Kelly announced.

   "I wish you hadn't said that," her sister moaned.  The doors all popped
open and everybody headed for the restrooms about a hundred yards past the
picnic table.  I got out and stretched, wondering how long before I got
some feeling back in my ass.

   I opened the back and there was the cooler, buried under everybody's
suitcases.  I sighed again and started taking everything out, set the
cooler aside, then reloaded the suitcases.

   "Took you long enough," Robbie said as I carried the cooler to the table
a few minutes later.  I had a brief mental image of Robbie tied naked to a
tree, dripping with honey and waiting for a bear.  A big bear.

   I set the cooler on the edge of the table and started toward the
restrooms, wondering if Egyptian slaves got bathroom breaks.  Or aliens for
that matter.

   When I got back the girls were all sitting around the table sipping
drinks.  Tami, Robbie and Mikee had Cokes.  Kelly and Darlene root beer,
and Traci a Seven-Up.

   I opened the cooler and started rooting around.

   "I got the last Coke.  Sorry about that." As I looked over the lid at
Robbie, she didn't seem very sorry.  I decided that bears weren't enough.
Hyenas.  A pack of them.  I took a root beer and sat down next to Tami.

   She patted my thigh, then settled her hand there, her hand warm against
my skin.

   It was another beautiful June day.  It had been a good summer so far. 
The temperature was in the mid-seventies, and all of us were wearing shorts
or cut-offs.  The girls all wore t-shirts except Mikee, who had her bikini
top.  Tami and Darlene had their shirts tied just below their breasts.

   Tami gave my thigh a last squeeze, then slipped off the bench and moved
to the end of the table.  "I'll bet you're all wondering what's going on."

   "I'm not," Kelly said.

   "You're not?"

   "You and Tony are eloping, and we're your witnesses."

   "Sounds good to me," I agreed.

   "Sounds like a horror movie to me," Robbie muttered.

   Tami ignored us all.  "You've just been kidnaped."

   "Kidnaped?" we all said together.

   "Kidnappers don't usually have the victim drive the getaway car," I
pointed out.

   "This is a progressive kidnaping.  If your parents pay the ransoms
you'll all be returned unharmed by July sixth.

   "July sixth!" Robbie and I said together.

   "That's two and a half weeks," Darlene pointed out.  "I have to work."

   "So do I," Robbie and I said, then glared at each other.

   "Me too," Mikee added.  Mikee and I worked at the gymnastics club.  I
coached several classes and helped with the team, while Mikee worked with
the day camp kids.  Robbie worked at a nursery, doing something plant-like.
Darlene was a maid at a resort just outside town.  Her step-brother Mike
didn't work, but he never seemed to be at a loss for money.  Even Tami
worked.  She babysat several of the trailer park kids while their parents
worked.

   "Your bosses all know you've been kidnaped.  And Darlene, your boss said
some very nice things about you.  She said you were the hardest working
person on the crew." Darlene blushed.  "I told her if you were that good,
you deserved a raise.  She said they weren't giving raises right now."

   "Thanks, anyway," Darlene said.

   "Well, I mentioned three hotels that are looking for housekeepers and
told her that Mrs.  Albrecht at the Holiday Inn was a friend of my mother.
You're getting another twenty-five cents an hour on your next check."

   "You're kidding!" Darlene squealed, jumping up.  She ran to Tami and
hugged her.

   "What about my raise?" Robbie complained.

   "Sorry, only one nursery in town.  Harder to blackmail."

   "What about gymnastics?" Kelly asked, and Traci nodded.

   "Gary knows you've been kidnaped, and I told him that Tony would make
you do some back handsprings or something to stay in shape." The two girls
were both on the gymnastics club team.  Kelly had just moved up to level
seven and Traci had just started as a level five.

   "But our parents..." Mikee said.

   "Your parents all know about the kidnaping.  If they pay the ransoms and
fatten up my college fund, you'll all get home.

   "And how much are you asking?" Robbie wanted to know.

   "Five dollars each for you and Tony.  Three dollars for Darlene, two for
Traci and a dollar for the pair of them." She nodded at Mikee and Kelly.

   "Hey!" they protested.

   "Sixteen bucks.  You must be shooting for Harvard," I said.

   "Stanford," she said with a grin, knowing that's where I wanted to go.

   "If you asked my step-dad for the ransom, I'm afraid you're stuck with
me," Darlene joked.

   "Your mom.  But if that doesn't work out, I've always wanted a sister."

   "Trust me, they're more trouble than their worth," Mikee said.

   "Hey!" Kelly yelled.

   "Do you have a hideout for this kidnaping?" Robbie asked.

   "Several.  Okay the truth is..." Tami swallowed, and I thought I saw a
hint of a tear in her eye.  "Most of you didn't know my grandma.  Tony and
Robbie did.  She passed on the beginning of May."

   "I'm sorry," Darlene said, and the others all chimed in.  Robbie and I
had known and said our condolences back when Tami found out.

   "It's okay.  We'd been expecting it for a couple of months.  She left me
enough money to go to whatever college I want, but she also left me a nice
chunk that she wanted me to have fun with.  Since she knew Tony and liked
him..."

   "Senile dementia," Robbie muttered from across the table, and I almost
forgot my mother's rule about girls and hitting.

   "She wanted me to do something fun with him," Tami continued.  "I was
thinking that since life's so short..." she stopped suddenly.  I know
images of Zoe flooded my mind and probably everybody else's.  "...  since
life's so short, we should all do something together.  We only have a
couple of years before we all start going our separate ways.  So I came up
with this road trip.  I wanted to bring Ashley, too, but her family is
doing something next week."

   "Let me get this straight," I started, finally pushing Zoe out of my
mind.  "You traded my car for this mini-van?" Tami nodded.  "I do get mine
back, don't I?"

   "Depends on how much your mom likes driving the Mustang."

   I decided I might have a problem.  I suddenly had a mental image of Dad
in his Porsche and Mom in my Mustang cruising Main Street, and I had to
grin.

   "You rented a trailer and we're all going off to a bunch of motels?"

   "Nope.  I rented a couple of tents too.  We're going camping."

   "Where?" Robbie asked.

   "Today, Cape Disappointment in Long Beach.  The rest is a secret."

   I noticed Tami trying to nod subtly at Traci, but Traci wasn't paying
any attention.  Tami tried again.  Traci was watching something over my
shoulder.  So, I kicked her, she glared at me, and I nodded toward Tami. 
She looked, and Tami nodded and winked.  Traci looked lost for a second,
but then the light bulb went on over her head.

   "What I don't get is why you took my dumb brother back so fast after
Zoe."

   Tami sighed and looked up at the sky as if thinking.  "The very last
thing he said to me before he started going out with Zoe was, 'I'll love
you forever.  Or like the song says, forever and ever, amen.' Your brother
doesn't lie.  Not about that."

   I remembered saying it.  I remembered how hard it had been.

   "Now!  The rest of us are going for a nature walk," Tami said, her eyes
flicking back and forth between Robbie and me, "and you two are going to
work it out."

   "Work what out?" Robbie and I said together, still sitting as the rest
of the girls all got up.

   Tami looked straight at Robbie.  "You are my best friend.  But for two
months you've used every chance you had to take shots at Tony.  I love him,
and I don't need protection from him"

   "And you!" She swivelled her gaze toward me.  "You are my love.  My
first and only.  But for two months you've just taken everything she said
and sat back and thought dark evil thoughts.  About her.  Well, I'm tired
of it.  And I'm not putting up with two weeks of it.  You two are best
friends.  You're going to work it out, or one of you has a long walk home."
She turned and started walking away, adding, "And right now, I'm not sure
which one."

   We watched the five girls walk off together and take a path into the
trees.

   "Your girlfriend is real subtle," Robbie said after a long silence.

   "The effect would have been better if Trace had been paying attention."

   "Yeah, kicking her under the table did lessen the dramatic effect."

   "I figured it was that or yell, 'Traci, Tami's trying to wink at you!'"

   "Good choice."

   We sat in silence and watched the spot in the trees where the girls had
disappeared.

   "You know," Robbie said five minutes later.  "I hadn't realized until
Tami mentioned it, but you haven't been shooting back.  She's right.  I've
been taking shots at you every chance I had.  You just took it."

   "Don't forget the dark evil thoughts.  She was right about that too."

   "It's not like you to just take it.  Why?"

   I hesitated, I wasn't sure I could make sense.  "'Cause you were
right.ï"

   "I was?"

   "Tami was your...  is your friend.  And I hurt her.  You were just
supporting your friend."

   Now it was Robbie's turn to hesitate.  "But she wasn't.  She wasn't
hurting, and I thought she should.  I think it annoyed me." We sat in
silence again.  "Did you really tell her that you'd love her forever?"

   "Yeah." I nodded, though Robbie was looking toward the woods.  "The
first night I took Zo for a walk, I stopped by to talk to Tami first."

   "But you didn't tell her why."

   "Well..."

   "You say life's complicated and I'll have to hurt you."

   I shut up.

   "You could have seen her in secret, still been with her."

   "I thought, I felt, I...  Zoe deserved more than that."

   I saw the back of Robbie's head nod.

   "Does it hurt?"

   "Everyday."

   We sat in silence again.  But it was a different silence.  Twenty
minutes later we saw the girls coming back.  Robbie turned and looked at
me. "What kind of dark evil thoughts?"

   I smiled.  "Well, when you took the last Coke, I was picturing a pack of
hyenas.  Very hungry hyenas."

   Robbie faked looking shocked.  "Isn't that a bit extreme, just for
taking a Coke?"

   "We're talking Atlanta's finest here.  You're lucky it wasn't rats."

   Robbie nodded.  "You know, the funny thing is, I would have rather had a
root beer."



   Chapter 2

   "So who's driving?"

   Tami looked at me as I stowed the cooler in the back of the van.  "I
thought you were."

   "Not me.  I have to finish making up with Robbie.  Just like you told
me. We'll be in the back seat if anybody wants us."

   "Was that making up, or making out?" Mikee asked with a smirk.  She was
close enough, so I swatted the top of her head.

   Tami sighed.  "I hate it when a plan backfires."

   "I'll drive," Traci volunteered.

   "Me too," Kelly echoed.

   "I don't think so," I said, closing the back end.

   "Mikee can drive," Kelly said.  "She's got her permit.

   Mikee chewed her lip.  "I don't think so.  Not on the freeway."

   Tami looked at Darlene.  "Looks like it's you or me.  Rock, paper,
scissors?"

   Darlene nodded and put her right fist on her left palm.  "Loser drives
to Tacoma?"

   Tami nodded.

   "One, two, three, shoot," they said together.  Tami had scissors and
Darlene paper.

   "Looks like I'm driving," she said, and I tossed her the keys.

   Darlene climbed in the driver's seat and started adjusting it.  Tami got
into the passenger seat, while Traci, Kelly, and Mikee took the middle
seat, leaving the back for me and Robbie.

   "I didn't know we had more making up to do," she said coyly as we
settled in.

   "You were mad for a long time.  There may be hidden issues."

   "Do those issues involve removing parts of her clothing?" Traci asked
from the seat in front of us.

   "Tami, can we stop at UPS and ship her home?  I'll put air holes in the
box."

   Tami turned around and looked at us sternly.  "Children, behave."

   Traci turned her head and stuck her tongue out.  I grinned.  It was
going to be an interesting couple of weeks.

   By the time Darlene got us back on Washington-18, Robbie and I had our
heads together, talking softly.  Mostly we talked about baseball.  We'd
both played varsity, Robbie at second and me at short, and while we talked
and played together, we hadn't really talked.  Now we had a chance to
relive the season and enjoy each other's exploits.

   We'd won the league championship, but got knocked out in the first round
of the state playoffs.  Robbie, Ricky Calloway, and I had all made
all-district, and Ricky actually got three votes for all-state.  We were
too old for Babe Ruth this summer, and both of us had decided individually
not to play American Legion.  Me because I was working, and Robbie because
she said she wanted a break.

   Darlene took the exit and turned onto Interstate-5, heading south.

   As Darlene took an exit off the freeway into Tacoma an hour later, I
looked at Robbie.  "You know, it's been a long time since I kissed a
quarterback."

   Robbie smiled.  "Mike Reed seems desperate.  He'd been hitting on me
since Cory and I broke up."

   "You and Mike is one combination that even Mr.  Spock with his Infinite
Diversity in Infinite Combination philosophy couldn't imagine."

   "I don't know, he's kind of cute in a Neanderthal sort of way."

   "More Cro-Magnon."

   "Oh shut up and kiss me already."

   Like I said at the beginning, sometimes I do what I'm told.

   Darlene parked at a Wendy's while Robbie and I were kissing.

   "Well, at least they kept their clothes on," Traci said as she opened
the side door and got out.

   Robbie drove after our lunch break.  Tami and I sat in the back.

   "Are you two all made up?" Tami asked.

   "I think so.  It's good to have us back.  I missed her."

   "I know you did." Tami moved over and sat across my lap.  She looked
deep into my eyes, then whispered loudly, "You might tell your sister that
if she doesn't turn around and watch the scenery in front of her, I'd never
ship her UPS, but I might put her on a Greyhound."

   Traci grumbled and turned around.

   "Are our lives back to normal?" she asked softly.

   I cocked my head to the side and sighed.  "What passes for normal in our
world, anyway."

   She kissed me gently.  "I'll take our normal.  Anything else would be
boring."

   I kissed her a dozen times, all over her face.  "Boring might be nice
for a day or two."

   When we got to Raymond, Robbie pulled over at a Dairy Queen.  Tami
bought us all dipped ice cream cones.  I tried to pay.

   "This is my grandma's trip.  You shell out so much as a dime and she'll
haunt you forever," she said forcefully.  I don't believe in ghosts, but on
the other hand, I don't disbelieve either.  I let Tami pay.

   "Who's driving now?" Robbie asked, holding out the keys and jingling
them.

   "I think it's Mikee's turn to earn her keep," I said with a grin.  Mikee
didn't look thrilled by the idea.

   "Can I walk?" Kelly asked.

   "Sure." I pointed down the road.  "It's about forty-eight miles that
way. Some of the signs may say Fort Canby instead of Cape Disappointment,
but just keep going, they changed the name a couple years ago."

   Robbie looked at her watch.  "It's a little after one.  If you don't
stop, you ought to be there by two A.M.  Four at the latest."

   "And no thumbing a ride," Mikee added.  "I'll tell Dad."

   Kelly looked surprised.

   I grinned.  "Just get in the van."

   "Would you ride up front with me?" Mikee asked.  "I'd feel better about
it." I nodded, and we all started getting in.

   Mikee didn't drive fast, but she got us there.  It took a few minutes
less than two hours, which wasn't bad.  Highway 101 is beautiful, but not
the best road you'll ever see.  It can be twisty and windy, and stretches
of it are one lane.  It would have taken me an hour-and-a-half.  Mikee
looked relieved as we pulled into the park.

   Tami went into the office and paid for the site she'd reserved and got
directions.  I gave Mikee a break and drove the rest of the way.

   "Okay, here's the plan," Tami announced as we dismounted for the last
time.  "Tony will set up the tents while we all take a nice relaxing walk."

   "I don't think so," I said quickly.

   "Okay, new plan.  Tony and I will take a romantic walk, the rest of you
will set up camp."

   "Try again," Robbie said.

   "You guys are hard to please.  Okay, new new plan.  Robbie and Traci
will take the van and go back to Ilwaco.  Here's your shopping list and
some money." She handed Robbie a piece of paper and a hundred dollar bill.

   "Mommy, can I keep the change?" Robbie asked in a little girl voice.

   Tami ignored her.  "The rest of us will try to figure out the tents."

   Forty minutes later Robbie was back with the food and the tents were up.
They didn't look like the picture on the box, but they were up and wouldn't
fall down.  At least, as long as the wind didn't blow more than a
mile-an-hour.  There were two of them, a small one for me and a big one for
the girls.

   Don't you hate it when segregation rears it's ugly head.

   With the camp up, we walked to the beach.  I just stared at the ocean.
The Pacific has always impressed me.  I mean, the Atlantic seems like such
a wimpy ocean next to the Pacific.

   "Okay, ladies," Tami announced.  "You go that way, and Tony and I will
go this way.  Either keep walking, following the shore, and we'll meet you
in New Jersey, or come back in about half-an-hour."

   The other girls nodded and started off, heading North.  Since we had the
southern route, I wondered if we were supposed to walk around South America
or if we were cutting across Texas.

   I slid my hand around Tami and into the back pocket of her cut-offs. 
Just Tami and me on a beach.  It seemed so perfect.  I wondered if there
were any more deserted islands out there beyond the breakers.

   We walked about fifteen minute without saying a word, just enjoying each
other, the ocean beside us, the salty smell, the whole experience.

   We turned and started back.

   Tami cleared her throat, then stopped.  I stopped too, and she turned me
until we were looking at each other.  "Tony, I think you should know, this
is a alcohol-free roadtrip."

   I was surprised, and I felt the heat rushing to my cheeks.  "Okay," I
said after a few seconds.

   "I mean it.  Not a drop."

   "That's cool," I agreed and turned and looked out at the ocean.  There
was some kind of big ship just at the edge of the horizon.

   "Tony!  Look at me!" she commanded.  I did.  "When was the last time you
didn't have a drink at night?"

   "It's not that bad.  I..."

   "When?"

   I thought about it.  April.  "A few weeks."

   "You're a terrible liar."

   "I..." Tami put her fingers over my mouth.

   "I know why.  And it probably helped.  But it's time to stop."

   I looked back out at the ship on the horizon.  I thought it was a
tanker. "I guess."

   I watched the ship and Tami watched me.  I'd never been much of a
drinker.  Now and then at parties, or with friends.

   I'd had a pint of single malt scotch that Luke had given me stashed in
my closet, and the night after Zo's funeral I just couldn't get her out of
my head.  The scotch helped.  It helped a lot.

   I thought I'd been sneaky, that nobody knew.  I guess I hadn't been
sneaky enough.  Most nights I had a drink just before I crashed for the
night.  Sometimes two.  Or maybe three.  But some nights I started earlier.
I guess Tami had noticed on our walks.

   "It helped me sleep," I said after awhile.

   Tami stepped up next to me, found my hand, and slipped it into her back
pocket, then slid her hand into mine.  "I understand.  She's a powerful
memory."

   I felt some of the sea spray on my face, but it was warm, not cold.

   "Just remember, you didn't make her sick." Tami turned me away from the
water and started walking me back toward the camp.  "You made her happy."



   Chapter 3

   Sometimes nature just overwhelms you.  I dropped to the sand and just
admired it's majesty.  The moon was full and bright.  As it shone down it
made the waves that were crashing onto the sand almost glow.  Every one of
Tami's six thousand three hundred and thirty-two stars was out, each trying
to outshine the others.  And they brought friends.  A gentle breeze drifted
from the west, carrying the salty smell of the sea with it.

   Nature was magnificent.

   Especially the six naked bodies cavorting in the surf in front of me. 
That was nature at her finest.

   Skinny dipping had been Robbie's idea of course.  Though the others
joined in quickly.  Traci and I had been the most reluctant, each very
conscious of the other.  I know that Traci had seen me naked, having caught
me with a couple different girls.  And I'd seen Traci, having caught her
with a girl too, though she didn't know it.  But this was different.

   Eventually we relaxed and enjoyed the feel of the surf and the cool
night air against our bodies.  We'd gotten lucky.  The park had several
different camp areas, and ours was deserted on a Sunday evening except for
us.  We had the beach to ourselves.  After a while I'd come to sit on the
sand and watch as the girls played.  Like I said, this was nature in all
her glory.

   Tami and I had gotten back to camp earlier, before the others, and Tami
had taken the half-full bottle of tequila out of the gym bag I'd packed
after Mom gave me my luggage and thrown it away.  Then she and the others,
when they got back, made dinner.  I didn't have to lift a finger.  And
somehow, one of them was always on my lap chatting about anything.

   I decided that maybe, just maybe, life was fair after all.

   Baked potatoes, sweet corn on the cob, and steaks any Texan could be
proud of.  Life was good, even if I did have to eat with one hand, cause
the other arm was wrapped around Kelly as she sat in my lap.

   There was a nice big campfire that felt good to sit next to, even if the
night wasn't cold enough to need it.

   After dinner Kelly had to get off my lap to clean up, but Tami quickly
took her place.  Come to think of it, it was Tami who decided that it was
Kelly's turn to clean up, but I'm sure that was just a coincidence.

   "Enjoying the view?" Tami asked, coming out of the surf and plopping
down next to me.

   "Oh yeah," I agreed enthusiastically.

   "You pervert!  That's your sister out there."

   "And you know, she doesn't look half bad for an eighth-grader and a
sister."

   From the corner of my eye I saw Tami cock her head as she looked at me.

   "When the hell did she grow tits?"

   Tami laughed.  "You might open your eyes and look at her occasionally."

   "They're open now."

   "Pervert." She draped her arm across my back and leaned her head on my
shoulder.  "Was this a good idea?"

   I knew instinctively that she wasn't talking about the skinny dipping.
"This was a great idea.  I think we all needed it."

   "And you and Robbie...  ?"

   "I think we're us again, or at least we're getting there."

   "Good."

   We watched the girls for a while.  Kelly had climbed onto her sister's
shoulders, and Traci was riding Robbie, and the girls were having a chicken
fight, trying to pull each other down.

   "And Zoe?' Tami asked just as Traci managed to unhorse Kelly.

   "Zoe's shy.  She's in the bushes watching.  She's not ready to go skinny
dipping in a group yet." I could feel Tami nodding her head against my
shoulder.

   We kept watching as Darlene and Robbie raced toward the surf and dove,
trying to imitate the lifeguards we'd all seen on Baywatch.

   "So where to tomorrow, madame tour director?"

   "Nowhere.  We stay tomorrow.  There's some hiking trails and a couple of
lighthouses.  We'll leave Tuesday."

   "Where?"

   "South.  Or east.  Maybe north.  Definitely one of those."

   "You're getting pretty devious in your old age."

   Tami leaned up and kissed me on the cheek.  "I learned from the best."
She laid her head back on my shoulder.  "I'm surprised that Big Tony hasn't
joined the party."

   I looked down at my crotch, surprised.  I hadn't even thought about it,
but I wasn't erect.  Not even a little.  Six beautiful naked girls, and I
wasn't hard.  "I guess it's the nudist camp thing.  They say that in a
nudist camp, guys don't get hard all the time because the nudity is so
natural it's not sexy.  I never believed it."

   "And what are you two doing up her alone and naked?" Robbie asked as she
squatted down on my other side."

   "Talking," I told her.

   "I always knew you two were boring.  Your wedding present is going to be
a pair of rocking chairs."

   Cool," Tami and I said together.

   The other girls settled to the sand in front of us.

   Did you hear about school?" Darlene asked, and we all shook our heads.

   "Mr.  Kincaid and Mrs.  Jeffries are leaving."

   "Kincaid's no loss," Robbie said before I could.

   "Jeffries might be a problem if Parker's going to replace her," I added.

   "My mom said the school board hasn't decided yet," Darlene said.

   "That's something." The thought of Parker in charge of everything was
unsettling at best.

   "Where are they going?" Tami asked.

   "Mom said that Kincaid's quitting teaching and is going to be a some
kind of curator for some company.  I guess Jeffries got a job offer from a
school in Idaho," Darlene explained.

   I looked at Robbie, "Think I should write them a letter and warn them?"

   "I think you should be good," Tami said before Robbie could answer.

   "Can I ask you something?" Kelly said shyly.

   "You can ask me anything, squirt."

   "Hey!  I though she was the squirt," Kelly protested.  pointing at my
sister nxt to her.

   "You both are," Robbie said before Traci could protest.

   "What do you want to know?" I asked.

   "It's about Zoe, is that okay?"

   I swallowed hard, but nodded.

   "It's just...  I don't understand why...  I mean you and Tami, and you
and Zoe.  I..."

   "Breathe," Tami said, trying not to laugh at the flustered younger girl.
She reached over and took my hand, entwining her fingers in mine.  "Tony, I
think you should tell her a bedtime story."

   I felt the heat rush to my face.

   "You don't have to," Kelly said quickly.  "I just wondered."

   "No, I think Tam's right.  She was a pretty amazing girl, I think you
all should know that." I reached my other hand out and found Robbie's,
holding it and giving her a squeeze.  Robbie seemed startled at first, then
squeezed back.

   I looked up at the stars, wondering if Zoe was up there among them,
looking down.

   "Once upon a time there was a far-off kingdom called New York.  It was a
strange land of tall towers and mysterious tunnels."

   Kelly pouted.  "I'm not a baby.  You don't have to make it a fairy
tale."

   "That's okay, I like fairy tales," Tami said.

   "Me, too," Darlene said.

   "Zoe liked fairy tales too," Mikee added.

   I grinned.  "And into this mystical kingdom, in the month of September,
a beautiful raven-haired princess was born.  The princess grew up amid the
wonders of the kingdom.  The park called Central, the museum called
Metropolitan, the statue called Liberty, and many others.

   "She grew and went to school, where she studied hard.  She was bright
and clever, so school was easy and fun.  And late at night she lay in her
bed and dreamed of someday going to the High School of Performing Arts,
where she could learn to act and maybe, just maybe, go on to the smaller
kingdom of Broadway."

   "I didn't know that," Mikee said, surprised.

   "She could have been in our play," Robbie added wistfully.

   "She would have liked that," I said simply, and stared up at the stars
again for awhile.

   "When the princess was eleven," Mikee continued for me, "she missed much
school, from what her good and devoted parents thought were colds and flu.
That summer her parents finally took her to a doc...  to a wizard who
looked at her and poked and prodded and even took her blood.  He looked
dark and worried and shook his head a lot, then sent her to a greater
wizard, who poked and prodded some more.  And took more of her blood."
Mikee looked down at the sand.  I saw a tear streaming down the side of her
face.

   I took up the story from her.  "Finally, the wizard came forward and
proclaimed that a terrible curse had been laid upon the princess.  It was a
rare version of the leukemia curse."

   "Leukemia, that's kind of cancer of the blood, isn't it?" Darlene asked.

   I nodded.  I changed from story-teller mode to lecturer mode.  I wanted
them to understand.  "Basically, in the early stages, her body wasn't
producing enough white blood cells, and they are the ones that help fight
infections.  So she got sick a lot, and got bruises or cuts that took a
long time to heal.  Toward the end, some of her organs shut down on her.  I
guess that's what pushed her into a coma and..."

   None of us looked at each other.  We all stared at the sand, or the
surf, or the stars.

   "So for over a year, the parents of the princess took her to many
wizards, and the wizards used all their powers but couldn't stop the curse.
And in between wizards, the little princess went to school and played with
her friends and just enjoyed the magical kingdom.  And still dreamed of the
High School of Performing Arts.

   "Then one day the princess's parents heard of a very learned wizard who
lived in a far off kingdom who was trying to cure the leukemia curse.  So
they quit their jobs, packed up and moved across the continent to the
kingdom of Washington, a very different kingdom than New York, because this
kingdom had trees instead of towers and rivers instead of tunnels.

   "And the princess went to a different school and made many friends,
including one very special friend named Michelle.  In fact she once told me
that Michelle was the best friend she'd ever had."

   The moon was bright enough that I could see Mikee's cheeks turn red.

   "Now, the princess had never told anyone of her curse.  She kept the
secret because she wanted to be normal.  She didn't want her friends and
others feeling sorry for her."

   "Is that why she kept going to school?" Traci asked.  I could see tears
in the corner of her eyes.  "I mean, she didn't have to."

   I smiled across at my sister.  "But she did.  Not going to school meant
giving up.  It meant just sitting at home waiting to...  to die.  Besides,
the little princess liked school.  And she liked being around the other
kids.

   "So the princess went to her school and made many friends, especially
the princess Michelle, and even the princess Michelle's annoying little
sister, Princess Kelly."

   "Hey!  I'm not that bad."

   I grinned.  "And she met the beautiful Princess Traci."

   "How come she's a beautiful princess and I'm an annoying one?" Kelly
asked with a pout.

   "Genetics," Robbie said.

   "And she met Princess Traci's handsome..."

   "And full of it," Robbie commented.

   "...  older brother, Tony," I continued.  "The little princess looked
upon the handsome prince and felt something stir within her.  But, alas,
the prince Tony was already in love with the fairest maiden in the land,
Queen Tamarone."

   "What am I?  Chopped liver?  Robbie protested.

   "Only when compared to Tami," I said and gave both theirs hands a
squeeze.

   "And so, for several months life went on.  Then one day, after the
holiday of pine trees and mistletoe, the princess confided her secret to
Michelle..."

   "I was sleeping over at her house one night, and we were talking," Mikee
explained.  "I asked her why she missed so much school.  At first she made
a joke about it.  Then she started crying and couldn't stop." The tears
were streaming down Mikee's face now, and she didn't even try to wipe them
away.  "So she told me about the leukemia, and she told me she was going
to...  to...  to..."

   I let go of Tami and Robbie's hands and reached out to Mikee.  She took
my hands, and I pulled her over and onto my lap.  I held her and let her
cry.

   "The beautiful..." I kissed Mikee's forehead, "...  and brave Michelle
knew the little princess's other secret, her feelings for the prince.  She
thought about it for a long time, and then, though she had promised to tell
no one, told the prince all about the little princess and the terrible
curse.  Then the prince..."

   "I think that's enough bedtime story for tonight," Robbie interrupted,
looking around at all the damp faces.  "Everybody back to camp."

   The girls all stood and started gathering their discarded clothing as I
cuddled Mikee.  Tami gave me a smile and a nod as she left with the others.

   We sat there on the sand for a long time.  Finally Mikee lifted her head
and looked at me.  "Why did she have to...  to die?"

   I sighed.  "If I were religious, I'd tell you that it was all part of
God's plan.  That He needed her somewhere else."

   "But what do YOU think?"

   "I just don't know.  It's almost a cruel joke to create a soul as
beautiful as Zoe's, then take it away so soon." Sometimes I wish I were
religious.  It would be so nice to call it God's plan and accept that.

   "Did you do everything just because you felt sorry for her?"

   That took some thought.  I'd never really analyzed the why.  "I think at
first.  I just felt that she deserved some happiness, and if I could
help..." I swallowed the big lump in my throat.  "But then, I realized what
a special person she was, and I fell a little bit in love."

   Mikee smiled, and that smile made me feel a lot better.  "You're a
special person, too.  And so is Tami."

   I smiled again.  Tami was very special.  "I think she guessed what was
going on a long time before you told her."

   "I still think she's special."

   I kissed Mikee on the forehead.  "So do I?"

   Mikee climbed off my lap and stood up, then held out her hand and helped
me to my feet.  "You know what I don't understand?" she said as she
gathered her clothes.

   "What?"

   "With everything that was going on, why did Zoe's mom get so wigged out
about you going out with Zoe."

   Another one I had to think about.  "I guess no matter what, you can't
stop being a mom.  I was still a sixteen-year-old going out with her
thirteen-year-old daughter.  I was a guy, and guys only have one thing on
their minds, and Zoe was her innocent thirteen-year-old-daughter."

   I took Mikee's hand, and we walked back to camp.



   Chapter 4

   As we got back to camp I could hear all five girls in the big tent. 
That meant my tent was empty.  See?  Deductive reasoning.  There's a reason
for all those A's on my report card.

   I picked up some wood and started stoking the fire.  We'd dressed before
walking through the woods, so I didn't have to worry about sparks.  Mikee
looked at me, the tent, then back at me.  "You going to be okay?"

   I smiled.  "I'm fine.  I just want to enjoy the night."

   She nodded, though I don't think she completely believed me, and
unzipped the door to the girl's tent enough to let herself in.

   I watched the fire for a few minutes, then got my MP3 player out of my
tent and took a walk on the beach.  One of the great things about the new
MP3 players is you can load playlists.  I had one I called "Moody." It
started with the Theme from Exodus, then some of David Lanz's Desert Vision
album like Eagle's Path, then a little country and seventies pop.  Just
what I needed.

   I walked up the beach for about half-an-hour, then back.  It felt like
Zoe was walking with me.  I missed her, and I really missed that bottle of
tequila that Tami had gotten rid of, 'cause it was at night that the big
questions came.

   Why did she have to die?

   What had she ever done to deserve it?

   Why would a benevolent God...  ?

   When I got back to camp, the fire had almost burned itself out.  I
thought about building it up again, then shrugged and headed for my tent.
I'd gotten undressed and was ready to climb into my sleeping bag when I
realized it wasn't empty.

   "Have a nice walk?" Tami asked softly.

   "Yeah."

   "Was she there?"

   "All the way."

   "I need you."

   I remembered that once her lie had come between us for a long, long
time. But this lie didn't bother me.  It wasn't her need that brought her
here.  I opened the sleeping bag and crawled in next to her.  She was naked
and wrapped her arms around me, pulling me close.

   I kissed her long and deep as Big Tony started to make an appearance
rubbing the front of her thighs.

   "I see you brought a friend," Tami cooed as she massaged Big Tony.

   "I brought two," I said, knowing Zoe was with us.

   "It's a good thing I'm not shy." She was rubbing her hand up and down my
shaft and letting the head rub against the folds of her pussy.

   "I guess not.  I can't believe you went skinny dipping in the ocean. 
Hell, I can't believe everyone did."

   Tami laughed.  "What's the big deal?  It was you and a bunch of girls.
And you've seen me once or twice."

   "Once or twice," I agreed.  I tried to scoot downward toward her tits
and other treasures, but she held Big Tony firmly enough that I stayed
where I was.  "Darlene and Traci surprised me though."

   "Darlene didn't surprise me," Tami said as she moved me onto my back and
slid on top of me.  "I knew she'd be embarrassed but wouldn't want to look
embarrassed, so she'd go along.  I also knew that once she stripped she'd
relax.  It was you and Traci I worried about."

   Tami positioned my cock so that it lay on my pelvis, and she rubbed it
with her pussy.  Her lips seeming to grab at it.

   "What about the others?" I asked.

   Tami laughed softly.  "I doubt any of them would be surprised by this.
They'd be more surprised if I spent the whole night in our tent."

   Suddenly a thought hit me.  It was that deductive reasoning thing again.
"Did you put Robbie up to that skinny dip?"

   Tami sat up as much as she could, trapped by the sleeping bag.  "Of
course not." She reached down and opened herself with one hand and guided
Big Tony toward the promised land with the other.  "I just mentioned a
story about Paula going skinny dipping last summer and let her devious mind
do the rest." She pushed herself down, enveloping me.

   "And you call her devious," I muttered as Tami started rocking back and
forth, her cunt rhythmically squeezing my favorite appendage.  "You never
cease to surprise me."

   "If I ever do, you have my official permission to have me replaced."

   "What else do you have planned, little girl?"

   "I'm not a little girl.  But if you want one I could wake Kelly.  Or
Traci."

   I was shocked that she'd suggest it.  More shocked because when she did,
my mind pictured my naked sister and my cock seemed to grow bigger.  "You
may not be a little girl, but you're not too big to spank."

   "Promises, promises," she groaned as I started to fill her belly with my
seed.  She shuddered and started cumming too.

   'This is so much better than tequila, ' I thought as my mind shut down
and I drifted into a deep, and for once dreamless, sleep.

   "He lives!" Traci announced as I stuck my head out into the sunshine.

   "I thought maybe Tami was too much for you," Robbie said, bringing
giggles from all the other girls.

   I grinned.  "She almost was.  Especially when she tried that new thing."

   Tami blushed, but I was mostly watching Robbie's face as she tried to
figure what new thing.

   "What time is it?"

   "Almost eleven," Mikee told me.  "Tami said to let you sleep.  She also
said we had to feed you even though it's my turn to clean up and I already
did."

   "When I got groceries, I saw where the bus stop was.  I could drop you
off," Robbie volunteered.

   Mikee stuck her tongue out, then offered, "Bacon and eggs coming up,"
and busied herself by the camp stove.

   After I'd eaten and Mikee had cleaned up -"again, as she reminded me
-"Tami plopped herself into my lap.  "So, what's your favorite song to
sing?" she asked after a quick kiss.  She flipped open a steno pad, but
kept it tilted away from me.

   "Song?"

   "You know, you sing words in time to some music.  What's your favorite?"

   "Uh..." I didn't really have a favorite.  It mostly depended on my mood.
"I don't know."

   "You're a lot of help.  What if the talent show was tomorrow?  What
would you sing?"

   What the hell was Tami on about?  Then I knew the song.  "Holes in the
Floor of Heaven."

   Robbie smiled.  "Good choice.  She'd like it."

   Tami scribbled something.  "What else?"

   "You only get one song in the talent show," I pointed out, then nibbled
on her ear for effect.

   "Not in my talent show.  What else?"

   I looked up at Robbie, but all she did was shrug.  "Uh, Daydream
Believer."

   "The Monkees?" Tami said in surprise.

   "More a Davy Jones solo, but yeah."

   "Do you know anything from this century besides country?"

   I pretended to think about it.  "Nope."

   Tami shook her head sadly.  "My stone-age boyfriend." She kissed me,
then hopped off my lap.  "Traci, want to take a ride?"

   "Where?" my sister asked.

   "Town.  I have some errands."

   Traci nodded, and a minute later the two of them drove off.

   "What was that about?" I asked Robbie.

   She shrugged.  "Not even a guess, but I got the same treatment this
morning, except she didn't sit in my lap or kiss me."

   "Too bad.  That was the best part of the interrogation."

   "We have orders," Mikee informed me.  "We're supposed to haul some more
wood and treat you like a king."

   "Sounds good to me." I leaned back in my camp chair, hands behind my
head and stretched out my legs.  "You may bring me a cookie.  An Oreo. 
Double stuff."

   Kelly took two steps and launched herself five feet, landing in my lap.
Note to self: no Oreos for Kelly.  She's getting heavy.  "I can be your
combine," she said, wrapping her arms around my neck.

   "Combine?"

   "You know, the king's combine."

   "Concubine," Robbie corrected.

   "Whatever.  I'm it.  Shouldn't you be getting wood?"

   For a second I thought Kelly was an endangered species.  Then Robbie
smiled.  It was one of those payback-is-a-bitch kinds of smiles, but Kelly
didn't see it.  "Yes your royal concubineness.  Right away." She nodded at
the other girls, and they headed toward the end of the camping spaces where
the park service kept a pile of wood.

   "I'll help," I said, hoping to keep Kelly among the living.  I started
to stand.

   "Nope.  Tami said you couldn't," Kelly told me and didn't move.

   "Did she say you were the designated combine?"

   "Concubine.  Nope, but somebody has to do it."

   How do you argue with logic like that?

   "Let's go skinny dipping again," Robbie suggested about three.

   "No!" I said firmly.

   "What's the matter sport, shy?"

   I stepped up to Robbie grabbed her arms and twisted her into a dip, then
kissed her before standing her back up.  "Very, but that's not the reason.
Tami's planned a two week trip, I don't want it to end on the second day."

   "But..."

   "But nothing.  That's a public beach.  People walk up and down the
shore. There may not be anybody in this campsite, but I doubt the park is
completely deserted.  If someone complains to the park rangers, just how
long do you think this will last if they call Mrs.  Temple and say Kelly
and Mikee were skinny dipping in the Pacific?  Or call Mr.  Reed to tell
him his step-daughter was skinny dipping with a guy named Tony?"

   Robbie stuck her tongue out.  "Fuddy duddy!"

   "Nope, I just want my fun to last."

   "Tonight?"

   I just grinned.

   "Okay Mr.  Hall Monitor, can I at least take my top off to sunbathe
here." Robbie was already pulling off her bikini top.

   I reached out and cupped the side of her breast and tweaked her nipple
with my thumb.  "I don't think that would be a prob...  on second thought,
no."

   "Why not?" Robbie asked surprised.

   "'Cause I think we're about to get neighbors." I nodded to the road in
front of the campsite, where a big white RV was coming.

   Robbie pulled her top back on as we watched the RV pull up to a space
about five away from ours.

   "Damn tourists!" she muttered.

   I looked over the girls to make sure everyone was decent.  All the girls
were wearing bikini tops.  Traci and Tami had on cut-offs, Darlene and
Mikee were wearing shorts, and Robbie and Kelly, their bikini bottoms. 
Together, they were a wet dream come true, but at least they were
technically dressed.  I was wearing a pair of cut-offs.

   The driver had a little trouble getting the big vehicle into the space,
but after a few minutes stopped and four people piled out and stretched. 
It looked like a Mom and Dad and a pair of teenaged boys.  As a guess, one
was my age, maybe a year older, and the other about Traci and Kelly's age.

   When Mom saw us, she started to wave then stopped, a look of distaste
crossing her face.  Somehow, I had a feeling that technically dressed
wasn't good enough for the new neighbor, though I had another feeling that
Dad and the boys didn't mind a bit.

   The girls pulled big beach towels out and laid them in front of the
tents, then settled on top of them, stomach down.  I sat in my camp chair,
sipping a Coke and admiring the view.  Now and then I glanced at the
neighbors as they set up their own camp.  They set up a small tent, I
guessed for the boys, and Mom appeared to be giving the menfolk lots of
helpful advice.  I chuckled, closed my eyes, and turned my face to the sun.

   "Are your parents here?"

   I lowered my head and opened my eyes, I must have nodded off.  Mom was
standing in front of me, but looking disapprovingly at the girls.

   "Nope."

   Robbie propped herself up on an elbow to watch, but the others just
enjoyed the sun.

   "Do they have any idea what kind of clothes your sisters are wearing? 
Or not wearing?"

   "Oh, they're not my sisters.  Well, one of them is.  Traci, come here."

   Traci rolled over onto her butt, then stood and walked over.  "This is
my sister, Traci, and I'm pretty sure that Mom has never seen this
particular suit."

   From the way that Traci blushed I knew I was right.

   "Where are your parents?"

   "At home.  A couple hundred miles that-a-way." I pointed vaguely east.

   "You're here by yourself?  You with all these half-naked girls?"

   "Is that a problem?" I asked, smiling politely.

   "It's not decent!"

   "Sorry, girls," I said loudly.  "I guess we have to go home.  Fresh air
and sunshine isn't decent."

   "That's not what I meant," she snapped.  "A boy alone with six girls."

   "Five girls and a sister," I corrected, and Traci stuck her tongue out.

   Robbie stood and walked over.  "My dad trusts Tony," she said putting
her hand on my shoulder.

   "I heard my mom tell my dad that meeting Tony was one of the best things
that ever happened to our family," Mikee said, sitting up.

   "My mom's letting me marry him after we graduate," Tami added.

   Mom sniffed.  "Your parents may trust him, but it just isn't right.  Out
here in the woods, all alone.  He's..."

   Kelly jumped to her feet and charged over.  "When I got raped, Tony got
me through it, so you can fuck off!" Her face clouded and she ran toward
the path to the beach.

   The other girls faces were all filled with shock and confusion.  I stood
quickly.  "Ma'am you can go now.  Everybody stay here," I ordered then ran
after Kelly.

   Kelly was sitting on a small log watching the waves when I ran out on
the beach.  I sat down next to her and stared too.

   "I'm sorry," she said after about five minutes.

   "For what?"

   "I know you hate when I say things like that."

   I sighed, put my arm around her, and pulled her in close.  "You're a big
girl now.  You can talk the way you want to.  But one of the great things
about not saying fuck in every other sentence is that people know you're
really pissed off when you do say it."

   "She was just so..."

   "Pretty much.  There are people out there who think they decide what's
decent or what's right.  The technical term is busybody."

   Kelly giggled.

   "You have to learn to ignore them.  Or have fun stringing them along,
like I was doing."

   "Oh!"

   "You realize that you just told your sister and everybody your secret?"

   "Yeah.  I was just so mad."

   "The problem with mad is words take a shortcut from your mad to your
mouth, and you don't have time to think about them."

   Kelly thought about that and nodded.

   "I told Mom a couple months ago.  What Kenny did.  What you did."

   "I had a feeling.  She looked at me funny for awhile."

   "You were right.  She didn't blame me at all."

   "I knew how much your mom loved you."

   "I think she loves you too."

   I grinned.  That was one of the nicest things anybody ever said to me. I
held Kelly and we watched the waves some more.

   "Is everything okay?" Tami's voice came from behind us.

   "It was 'till you showed up," I said, trying to sound disgusted.  "I was
just getting ready to seduce my favorite combine."

   "Combine?" Tami asked.

   "Long story," I said.

   "Concubine," Kelly corrected at the same time.

   Tami came around in front of us.

   "Well, since you've blown my chance at seducing my combine, why don't
you sit here with her for a minute, 'cause the only thing more perfect than
watching the ocean with two beautiful girls is watching the ocean with two
beautiful girls and a cold Coke," I said and stood.

   "I'm not a baby," Kelly protested.  "I don't need somebody to hold my
hand."

   "I do," Tami said, and Kelly seemed to accept that.  Tami took my place
and held out her hand.  Kelly gripped it.

   I jogged back down the trail.  Mom was nowhere to be seen, which was
good since I wasn't sure what I would have said to her.

   "Ladies!" I yelled as I trotted into camp.  The girls quickly gathered
around.  "There will be absolutely NO discussion of what you heard a few
minutes ago.  Three heads nodded agreement.

   "But Kelly's my sis..."

   I leaned down into Mikee's face.  "None, nada, zip!  Or we'll pack it up
right now and head home."

   Mikee looked like she wanted to argue, but nodded.

   I walked over to the cooler and grabbed three cans of Coke.  Robbie
walked up.  "Who?" she asked softly.

   "What part of 'no discussion' didn't you get?" I snapped.

   "I just wondered.  I wouldn't say anything to Kelly."

   "Just remember Monster Girl, you're not too big to spank."

   If Robbie had a comeback I didn't hear as I jogged back to the beach.

   "Tell Tony what you said," Kelly demanded as I sat on the other side of
her.

   "I was just telling Kelly what happened after you two left.  Robbie went
over to her stuff and got her cell phone and held it out to the lady.  Then
she said, 'My dad's speed dial three.  Call him and tell him that I'm not
decent.  While you've got him on the line, you can also tell him that I
called you a fucking tight-assed bitch.' Then Robbie used all the words you
don't like in some very interesting and colorful combinations.  The bitch
left without calling Robbie's dad."

   I grinned in spite if myself.  I had a feeling that if Robbie put her
mind to it, she could put any Arab camel driver or French dockworker to
shame.  I handed out the Cokes, and we sat and watched some seagulls
practice aerobatics for awhile.

   "Hi, there."

   I looked up.  I'd been blowing in Kelly's ear.  The two boys from the RV
were standing in front of us.  The other girls were getting dinner ready
while Kelly sat on my lap and I tickled her ear with warm puffs of breath.
I'm guessing Tami planned it, because for some reason, tonight we weren't
playing musical lap-warmers.

   "Hi," I said, noncommitally.

   "Uh, sorry about our mom.  She can be a little..."

   "Yeah," I agreed, saving him from having to come up with the right word.
"I'm guessing she's not around, or you wouldn't be here."

   "You got that right," the younger brother said, speaking for the first
time.  "You're a bad influence."

   "She and Dad took a long walk," his brother added.

   I held out my hand.  "I'm Tony and this is Kelly.  She'd be an eighth
grader this year if she knew how to add."

   "Hey!" Kelly protested.  "I passed.  Besides, I got better grades than
Mikee."

   "She had harder classes," I said, clamping my other hand over her mouth.

   "I'm Virgil," the older brother said, shaking my outstretched hand. 
"And this is my brother Seth.  He's in eighth too." I shook hands with
Seth. "I'm a junior."

   "Me, too.  Girls, come here a minute," I called.  The girls all came up
around my chair.  "This is Virgil and Seth," I said pointing at each.  We'd
gone swimming a little while ago and the girls were all in their bikinis,
so the guys weren't looking at me.  "This is Darlene, the hottest
cheerleader in the state." Darlene nodded and blushed, though maybe not in
that order.  "This is Tami, the hottest girl in the state, but you got to
watch out for her cause her boyfriend is the second toughest football
player around."

   "The second toughest?" Seth asked.

   I nodded.  "And this is Robbie, also hot, and also dangerous.  She's the
toughest football player around.

   "You play football?" the boys said together.

   "Do you live in Washington?" I asked.  They nodded.  "Then you may have
read about her.  They call her Monster Girl."

   Virgil's eyes almost bugged out.  "You were in the state championships!"

   Robbie grinned.

   "I saw some of the game highlights on the news.  That was a fantastic
game.  Our team didn't even make districts."

   "Were you there?" Seth asked me.

   "I just carried equipment and stuff."

   "This is weird.  I mean, the papers made a big deal about a girl being
on the team, but the only pictures were of you with a helmet and
everything. I figured you were..."

   Don't you just hate it when you talk yourself into a corner?

   "You figured she was a big Bertha type?" I supplied.

   Virgil nodded, embarrassed.

   "Well besides playing football, she was also homecoming queen.  The
first sophomore in school history."

   "I can see why," Seth said, practically drooling.

   "Oh, and the runt in the back is Traci, also eighth, and the sister of
the second toughest football player."

   I was ready to duck a swat from Traci, but the one from Tami caught me
by surprise.

   "Don't listen to him.  He's not really that tough," she said.

   Virgil grinned.  "It must be really cool to come out here with your
friends instead of your parents."

   I was tempted to say that some parents would be okay.

   "We'd better get back.  If Mom finds us over here..." He left the rest
unsaid, but I could imagine.

   "I got a question, Mr.  Hall Monitor," Darlene said.

   I'd been counting stars.  There were only a couple dozen as night
started to fall.  Tami had just gotten off my lap and walked to the rest
rooms with Kelly.  I looked down from the sky.  Darlene was looking at me
with a big smile.

   I whipped my hand out, grabbed her wrist, and pulled her across my lap.
I could see her butt cheeks clench through her nylon shorts even before my
hand landed the first time.  I spanked her five times, then set her on her
feet.

   "Robbie can get away with calling me that 'cause I'm afraid of her. 
Tami might get away with it 'cause I love her.  Not you."

   Darlene rubbed her butt with an exaggerated circular motion.  I hadn't
spanked her that hard.

   "You had a question," I prompted.

   Darlene pouted.  I shrugged and looked back at the sky.  A few more
stars had shown up.

   "I was just wondering if we were going to skinny dip after it got
completely dark.  Now I'm not sure I want to go anywhere with you."

   I looked back at her, grabbed her again, and pulled her across my lap,
but sitting this time.  "Want me to rub it and make it better?"

   "Make what better?" Tami asked as she walked up.

   "Darlene's butt.  Tony spanked her," Traci said.

   "Sorry I missed it," Kelly said, and Darlene gave her a snooty look,
nose in the air.

   I put my hand on Darlene's butt, and I thought she was going to jump
into a tree, but after a second she relaxed.

   "Watch those hands," Tami said, taking Darlene's seat.  "He'll get you
all relaxed and then you never know what will happen.  In fact, that's how
I got stuck with him."

   "You haven't given me a massage in a long time," Kelly accused.

   "Or me," Mikee added.

   "Me either.  We've been doing other things," Tami finished.

   "Tomorrow, massages all around," I said to avoid a revolt.  Well, maybe
not Traci.  I wasn't sure if I wanted to rub her body or not, but I was
pretty sure she wouldn't want me to.

   "Is that before or after we hit the road?" Mikee asked.

   "I didn't know we were hitting the road."

   "Tami told me."

   "She didn't tell me."

   Tami grinned.  "We'll leave about ten.  Now you know." It occurred to me
that for a relationship without secrets, we had a lot of them.

   "You never answered my question," Darlene accused, leaning back against
my chest as I continued to rub one cheek then the other."

   "What question?" Kelly asked.

   "She wanted to know if we were going skinny dipping tonight," Mikee
said.

   "Well?" All four asked together.

   "I suppose we could since it's dark, after the neighbors look settled
for the night," I said after a couple seconds thought.

   "Good, that'll make Robbie happy," Darlene said and wiggled her butt
against my hand.

   "Where is Robbie?" Tami asked.

   "Wasn't she down at the restrooms?" I asked.

   Tami shook her head.  "She took a walk about forty minutes ago, I
thought maybe she stopped for a shower or something."

   "Should we go looking for her?" Tami asked.

   "Robbie can take care of herself," I said.  'She can take care of
herself for another twenty minutes, then I'm going to find her, ' I
thought.

   Five minutes later the night exploded with voices.  One voice, actually,
loud and shrill.  It was our favorite next door neighbor, and I couldn't
make out a thing she said.

   A minute later Robbie came jogging into camp, her t-shirt in her hand.

   "What the hell?" I asked, standing and almost dumping Darlene on the
ground.

   Robbie grinned.  "You know how you're always saying life is
complicated?"

   I nodded.

   Her grin got bigger, "Sorry about that." Then she skipped to the big
tent.

   Tami and I looked at each other.  Robbie skipping could not be a good
sign.

   A minute later I saw Mom charging toward our camp.  "Girls why don't you
wait in the tent," I suggested.  I sat down and waited for whatever.  I
wondered who'd get more bruised if I tried to spank Robbie.

   "Beautiful night," I said as she charged up.

   "Where is she?"

   "Who?" I asked politely.

   "That red-headed bitch."

   "I haven't seen any dogs, male or female."

   That stopped her.  I think I was supposed to cower, not make jokes.

   "You know who I mean," she snapped.  "Your red-headed girlfriend."

   "My girlfriend's a brunette."

   "You know who I mean," she repeated.  "Get that fucking red-headed bitch
out here now."

   "No."

   "No?  You can't say no."

   I smiled.  "I just did."

   "You're just a kid.  Now get that little cunt out here."

   I stood up.  "I think you need to leave.  I don't appreciate that kind
of language.  My little sister's in that tent."

   "I'm not going anywhere, and I don't give a flying fuck what you
appreciate."

   "Tami, come here," I yelled turning away from her.

   Tami came out of the tent and smiled.

   "That's not the one!" The woman bellowed.

   "Tam, drive to the ranger station and tell them we have a problem."

   Tami nodded and started walking toward the van.

   "You're calling a ranger about me?  That little bitch seduced my son."

   I had to hand it to Robbie.  When she wanted to complicate things, she
did a great job.

   "I didn't realize," I said, trying to sound sympathetic.  "Tami, never
mind.  Ma'am, we'll leave tomorrow, and you can be sure that the girl will
be punished appropriately."

   "Well..."

   "I'm responsible, and I'll deal with it."

   Tami had come and stood behind me.  "Don't be too hard on her.  You know
your temper," she said, putting her hand on my shoulder.

   Temper?  I have a temper?

   I turned and looked at Tami.  "This is serious.  I can't let her get
away with it."

   I turned back to the simmering woman.  "You'd better go back and make
sure your son's okay."

   She hesitated, then stomped off.  I hated to do it to Virgil, but at
least it got her out of my hair.

   When she got to her campsite I turned back to Tami and sagged.  "I
couldn't have kept a straight face for another second."

   She grinned.  "I know what you mean," she said and hugged me.

   "Roberta Elizabeth Marie Tate, get your butt out here!" I yelled.

   A head stuck out the flap of the tent.  "What did you call me?"

   "Roberta.  Now get out here.  Everybody else too." While they were
assembling, I went to the food box and grabbed some things.  "Let's go," I
said and led them toward the beach.

   On the beach I turned to Robbie.  "Is it true?  Did you seduce Virgil?"

   "Well, yeah," she said, surprising me with her hesitation.  "Earlier. 
But she caught me with Seth."

   My jaw dropped.

   "You did both of them?" Darlene asked.

   Robbie nodded.

   "And just why did you get caught?" I asked, a nasty suspicion forming in
the back of my mind.

   "It was Seth's first time.  He made a lot of noise when he came."

   "And just out of curiosity, what would have happened if he hadn't made
noise?"

   Robbie grinned.  "I would have." Suspicion confirmed.

   "I'm shocked that you would have sex with a thirteen-year-old." The look
on Kelly's face when I said that was priceless.  "And I think you should
know that I promised Seth's mother that we'd leave tomorrow."

   "We're leaving anyway," Robbie said.

   "And I promised that you be appropriately punished."

   Robbie still smiled.

   "And you know how I feel about promises."

   That cracked her smile.

   I handed each girl but Robbie one of the Oreos that I'd gotten out of
the food box, keeping one for myself.  "No Oreos until tomorrow."

   Robbie grinned but meekly said, "Yes, sir."

   I pulled off my t-shirt.  "And we're all going skinny dipping, and you
can't come."

   Robbie stood there as we stripped and headed for the water.  At the
water line, I turned back toward her.  "For five minutes."

   "Aren't vacations supposed to be relaxing?" I asked Tami as we started
down the trail to camp.

   "Aren't you relaxed?" she asked with a small laugh.  She and I had taken
a walk after our swim while the others went back to camp to get ready for
bed.

   "I feel like I'm in training for Mr.  Parker."

   We walked into the deserted camp, and Tami kissed me gently and headed
toward the big tent.

   "Where...  ?  Aren't you...  ?"

   "Not tonight." She blew me a kiss and went in.

   I sighed.  The perfect ending to a perfect day.

   I went in my tent and started undressing, wondering if I could will
myself into a dreamless sleep.

   "It's about time."

   I must have jumped six inches.

   "Mikee, what are you doing in here?"

   "It's my turn, silly."

   Why did Big Tony decide that was a cue to make an appearance?

   "Turn?"

   "Tami said you are not allowed to sleep alone.  And tonight would be,
uh, inconvenient."

   Inconvenient?  Oh!  I realized that it had been four weeks since her
last inconvenience.

   "I offered to trade with Kelly since she was upset today, but she said
she'd wait until tomorrow."

   Isn't it nice when your girlfriend plans out your sex life, even when
she isn't going to be part of it?

   "I can leave if you want someone else," she added with just a little
whimper.

   "Oh, shut up and scoot over." It had been a long time since I'd been
with Mikee.  First there was Zoe, then after Zo I didn't want to be with
anyone but Tami.  I wondered if this was part of Tami's plan when she was
putting together this roadtrip.

   Mikee reached down and caressed Big Tony.  "You ARE glad to see me."

   "Michelle Temple," I said, realizing that I didn't even know her middle
name, "I am always glad to see you."

   Mikee giggled and slid down into the sleeping bag, and a few seconds
later I felt her hot little mouth envelope my cock.  I reached for my gym
bag and started rooting through it, wondering if I had any rubbers.  Since
Tami had a patch, I hadn't needed them.  I found a box and pulled it out.
Three packets.  If there was going to be turns, I needed to get more by
Thursday.

   I ripped open a package and pulled one out, wondering how the turns were
going to work.  Tami's inconveniences were very regular: three days.  So
did that mean three turns and she was back full time?

   I reached down and pulled Mikee to the top of the sleeping bag.  "My
turn." I scooted deep until my face was above her crotch and then pressed
my face into that wonderful slit.  Mikee sighed.

   "I really did hear my mom tell my dad that meeting you was one of the
best things that ever happened to our family.  I wonder what she'd say if
she could see us now?"

   I lifted my head off her pussy.  "She'd say that I make her daughter
very happy." I kissed her slit.  "She'd also say that you're getting pretty
hairy down here.  It's tickling my nose."

   Mikee giggled.  "Want me to shave it all off and be bare like the first
time you molested me."

   "Me molest you?  I thought you molested me."

   Mikee grabbed my ears and pulled.  I came up to face her.  "Would you
shut up and fuck me, already?"

   "Yes, ma'am," I said as I reached down and rolled the rubber onto my
willing cock.

   "And make it last," she ordered as I moved Big Tony into position.

   "Getting bossy in your old age?"

   "Oh, God," she moaned as I entered her.  "That feels so good.  It's been
so long."

   "You haven't been a virgin all this time," I accuse jokingly.

   "No," she admitted.  "But none of them are as good as you."

   Right then, I didn't care if it was a lie or not.

   We used all three rubbers.



   Chapter 5

   I woke as Mikee wiggled her ass into Big Tony.  She moaned in her sleep
and pushed.  I reached down and opened her legs enough for my cock to slid
between next to her slit.  She moaned again as I started rubbing my cock
between her legs.

   "That's a nice way to wake up," she said a minute later.

   "It has its advantages," I whispered in her ear.

   "You can..." she reached down and tried to guide my cock inside her.

   "No rubbers," I said, pulling back and letting Big Tony slip from
between her thighs.

   "It's okay.  Just this once."

   I flipped open the sleeping bag, rolled Mikee onto her stomach, and
brought my open hand down hard on her ass.

   "Hey!"

   "I thought I taught you better than that.  It's not okay just this once.
Not with me or anybody else."

   "I just thought..."

   "No, the trouble is, you stopped thinking.  You think your mom will let
you go on next year's roadtrip if she has to stay home with the grandbaby?"

   "Sorry."

   "Besides, she might not even let me bring Kelly, the sexy one in the
family."

   Mikee rolled onto her side facing me.  She reached down, grabbed my
cock, and squeezed.  "You're going to pay for that."

   I pulled her hand off.  "Not right now.  Some of us, have to go piss."

   Mikee made a face.  "I wish you hadn't said that.  I do too."

   We got up and quickly dressed in shorts and t-shirts.  As we stepped out
of the tent, the other girls were sitting in a semi-circle around the
opening.  "See, I told you my sister couldn't make him sleep as long as
Tami."

   "Ignore them," I said, trying to sound upper crust and sophisticated.

   "She's just jealous cause she didn't get laid last night," Mikee said.
So much for sophisticated.

   "I did," Robbie smiled.

   "Three times?" Mikee shot back.  At least Darlene and Traci had the
grace to blush as I led Mikee toward the restrooms.

   After breakfast the girls mostly sat and watched as I took down the
tents and packed the van and trailer.  Apparently, we'd reached a division
of labor: they cooked and tended the camp, I set-up and took-down, though
they did help when I needed an extra hand.

   I saw Robbie eyeing the neighbors campsite, where everyone was up and
moving slowly.

   "Roberta?" I called from where I was pulling tent stakes.

   "Call me that again and I'll rip your tongue out," she said as she came
over.

   "No you won't," I said simply.  "What do you have in mind?"

   "I just wanted to say goodbye."

   "Not a good idea.  Tami had to register for the campsite.  The bitch
might get Tami's name from the rangers and call home."

   "My dad won't care."

   "Rob, if your dad was the only parent involved, I'd just sit back and
watch.

   "Oh." Robbie looked at the other girls sitting by the van.  "I still
wanted to..." she didn't finish.

   "I think you need to go to the restroom," I said after a minute.

   "What am I, four?"

   "Go the back way and hang out for a few minutes," I said, ignoring her
comment.

   After she'd gone I called Tami and Darlene over and asked them to go
visit our favorite Mom, make nice, and apologize again for Robbie's
behavior.  And if they could, quietly suggest to the boys that it would be
a good time for a bathroom break...

   "Did you get your goodbye?" I asked.

   Mikee had driven the first half hour, from the park to Ilwaco, then east
to Stringtown and south to Chinook and McGowan, but when we got to the
bridge at Point Ellice she got nervous, so I took over.  After a quick
round of musical chairs, Robbie had wound up in the passenger seat next to
me.

   The bridge was a little intimidating.  Just over four miles long
including, if you'd read the information sign, it's main span of twelve
hundred and thirty-two feet, the longest continuous truss in the world.  It
connected Washington to Oregon over the Columbia River.

   "I got a few minutes," she answered.

   "Anything besides goodbyes?"

   Robbie blushed.  "Nope, not enough time.  Besides, they were kinda
embarrassed because they both knew I'd done the other one."

   "You kind of used them."

   "Not really."

   "Be honest.  If Mom hadn't pissed you off royally, would you have had
anything to do with them?"

   "I..." She sat quietly for a minute as I navigated my way through
Astoria.  "Seth, no.  He was cute, but he's just a kid.  Virgil, maybe. 
But I wouldn't have fucked him the first day."

   I nodded.  "Well, you may have used them, but I doubt they minded."

   It took just over three hours to make Lincoln City.  I stopped at a
shopping center on the north side of town.  Actually, a pair of shopping
centers.  I parked the van in front of a Safeway in one, then we jogged
across the street to a Bi-Mart in the other.

   In the drug section I found what I needed and carried it to the
checkout. The guy behind the register was maybe five or six years older
than me.  "You sure this is gonna be enough?" he asked sarcastically as he
scanned my two boxes.

   I picked one up.  Twelve rubbers to a box.  I smiled.  "You know you're
right.  Robbie, would you grab me three more boxes.  I looked back at the
clerk.  "It's going to be a long two weeks."

   "Two weeks?" he almost choked as Robbie set three more boxes on the
conveyor.

   I nodded to the five girls standing at the end of the checkout and
Robbie beside me.  "Well there are six of them."

   "We can always stop and get more next week," Robbie added.

   I couldn't describe the clerks expression as we left if I tried.

   We hit Safeway for groceries, then stopped at Mo's, a seafood and
chowder place on the bay, for lunch.  They advertised world famous clam
chowder, but I wasn't impressed.  It wasn't even in the top ten.

   We'd passed an outlet mall on the way to the restaurant, and after we
ate, the girls all wanted to go back for just a little window shopping. 
Fifteen, maybe twenty minutes.  The place had a book store, so I figured
what-the-hell.  Three hours later, when I saw all the shopping bags, I
wondered if we could rent another trailer.  All I bought was a book of
Doonesbury cartoons.

   With the shopping spree it was almost five when we pulled into the
Beverly Beach State Park.  Tami registered with the rangers, and we found
our new home.  The park wasn't full, but we did have neighbors on either
side a couple spaces away.  I considered warning Robbie about her behavior,
but I decided living through the end of the month was more important.  The
neighbors were on their own.

   The tents were a lot easier to pitch.  Having put them up and taken them
down once in the last couple days, I almost knew what I was doing.  While I
worked on the tents, the girls set up the camp with the chairs, camp stove,
and other stuff.

   After camp was setup we walked to the beach together, then Tami and I
turned south while the rest headed north.  It was nice walking on the beach
with Tami, holding hands, being part of nature.  The beach here was rockier
than at Fort Canby, with a lot more logs and drift wood.

   Several families were on the beach flying kites.  A steady breeze made
that a good idea.  I tried to remember the last time I'd flown one and
couldn't.  Probably back in California, before we moved.

   "Want to buy one and try it?" Tami asked softly.

   I hate when she does the mind reading thing, but I guess this time it
was pretty obvious.  "Nah.  But it's fun to watch." Tami squeezed my hand
and we walked on.

   We walked another mile, then turned around.  The kite flyers had all
retired when we got back to that spot.  I wished I'd had a picture.  One of
the kites was huge and shaped like a Chinese dragon.  It looked really cool
as it shimmied in the wind.

   That was when I remembered my camera.  It was in my bag, and I hadn't
used it at all.  I should have gotten some pictures at Fort Canby.  Hell, I
should have gotten some picture of the skinny dip.

   "Anthony Marion Sims, you're thinking evil thoughts," Tami announced.

   "How do you do that?"

   "Do what?"

   "Know what I'm thinking."

   "So you were thinking evil thoughts," Tami said with satisfaction.

   "I was thinking if I'd brought my camera to the beach when we were
skinny dipping, I could have sold the pictures for enough to pay for next
year's roadtrip and still have enough left over to make my car insurance
payment next week."

   "You'd sell pictures of me and Robbie and Darlene and..." Tami was
trying to sound shocked, but barely containing her laughter.

   "Robbie and Darlene and the others, in a heartbeat.  You're private
stock."

   "You wouldn't sell my pictures?"

   "Only if the price was right.  No one in Washington has that kind of
money."

   "That's one of the sweetest...  Doesn't Bill Gates live in Washington?"

   "Like I said." I grinned, pulled her to me and kissed her.  "You're
private stock."

   "I don't know whether to kiss you for being so sweet, or knee you in the
groin for talking about me like I'm property."

   I grinned again.  "When in doubt..." I kissed her and she kissed back,
her tongue probing into my mouth.  She also brought her knee up slowly
until it was pressing against my balls just to remind me to be good.

   "I can't believe you'd sell your sister's pictures just to make your
insurance payment," she said when we'd started walking again.

   "Are you kidding?  I'd sell Traci's pictures to buy a gallon of gas."

   "And your friends?"

   "Well, maybe not Robbie's.  She'd want a cut."

   Tami giggled.  "She would, wouldn't she."

   "Yeah, I'd...  damn!" I said coming to a stop.

   "What?"

   "My car insurance.  My payment's due next week."

   Tami smiled, took my hand again and pulled me down the beach.  "That's
why they invented cell phones.  You've got one, I've got one, Darlene's got
one.  Robbie's got one, though she'd probably charge you to use it.  Call
your dad, and he'll make your payment.  He knows you're good for it.  After
all, you paid his mortgage."

   I stopped dead again.  "You're not supposed to know about that."

   Tami sighed.  "Your mom told me one afternoon while we were watching
your baseball game.  She thought I should know what I was getting myself
into."

   "But, I..."

   Tami put her finger over my mouth.  "Tony, your secret is out.  Almost
everybody knows you're a good guy." My tongue darted out and licked her
finger.  We were back where we started.  The trail back to the campsites
was on my right.  I pulled her toward it, then dodged into a little grotto
formed by three large logs.

   I pulled her finger off my lips and sucked it into my mouth as we sunk
down to the sand.  Then I pulled it out and lowered my lips onto hers, one
arm going around her and the other reaching down to massage her crotch.

   Tami reached down and pulled my hand away and placed it on her breast.
She was always self-conscious about her crotch during her inconvenient
days. That was okay.  There wasn't an inch of Tami's body that I didn't
love, and want to caress.

   Our kiss went on and on.  I wondered if Guinness had a record for
kisses. If they did, maybe Tami and I would break it.  If not today...

   And if Guinness has a kiss record, do they have categories?  With
tongue, without tongue.  With hands...

   "You're thinking evil thoughts again," Tami accused, breaking away.

   "Not evil, just irrelevant."

   Suddenly Tami's eyes got big.  I looked over my shoulder at five heads
lined up along the log wall.  "Don't you have anything better to do?" I
asked disgustedly.

   "Not really," Robbie said.  "Besides they started it." I looked over
Tami at the other log.  Two boys, about eleven or twelve, were watching
intently.

   I sighed.  "You know, guys, doing it is a lot more fun than watching." I
pointed behind me at Traci and Kelly.

   I don't know what kind of expression the boys had, but the two younger
girls shrieked and sprinted toward camp.

   "That was mean," Tami said climbing to her feet.

   "Just a little, I agreed, standing up.

   "Hey, guys!" I grabbed the sides of Tami's t-shirt and pulled it up,
flashing them a quick view of her tits.  Like usual during the summer, she
wasn't wearing a bra.

   "There's more where that came from," Robbie said and pulled up her own
shirt.  As hers came back down, she grabbed Darlene's and pulled it up. 
Mikee giggled and flashed them her own tits.

   The boys looked stunned.

   "Next show, tomorrow at two," I said as I helped Tami over the logs and
we started toward our camp.

   "You do realize that those guys will be standing there at one o'clock
don't you?"

   I grinned.  "Probably noon."

   We barbequed hamburgers for dinner, then decided to catch a movie. 
There'd been a multiplex in between the outlet mall and the restaurant.  We
got there and had a choice of six movies.  Batman Begins, which I figured
might be okay on television some night when I had nothing better to do. 
Madagascar, Mr.  and Mrs.  Smith, and Cinderella Man might be okay.  The
Longest Yard was a remake I could care less about and Star Wars Three, the
only one I'd already seen.

   After some initial haggling we finished with a three-way tie between
Madagascar, Mr.  and Mrs.  Smith, and Cinderella Man.  My vote was for
Madagascar.  Kelly was the swing vote, having already been out-voted on
Star Wars.  I leaned down and whispered in her ear.

   "What did you tell Kelly?" Traci demanded after we'd gotten out tickets,
popcorn, and pop.  She'd wanted to go to Mr.  and Mrs.  Smith.

   "I said if we went to Madagascar, she could sit on my lap during the
whole movie and I'd play with her titty," I answered honestly.  Traci
stomped on ahead.

   We settled in some seats about halfway down the theater.  I looked
around.  Our group doubled the audience.  I sat down and took a sip of my
Pepsi.  It seemed like almost every theater I'd ever gone to served Pepsi.
Personally, I think it's part of a conspiracy by the DVD industry.

   We timed it almost perfectly.  Kelly settled herself on my left leg,
Tami settled herself on my right, and just as I slipped my hands up inside
their shirts, the lights dimmed and a box of dancing popcorn on the screen
reminded us there was still time to visit the concession stand.

   Both girls' nipples were already hard as I started fondling them. 
Tami's breasts were small, just a nice handful, and Kelly, three years
younger was already a little bigger.

   I kneaded the breasts and teased the nipples as I watched the previews.
Six previews.  Two looked good, two looked like television, one that could
go either way, and one I wouldn't see on a bet.  The trailers ended, and
Tami got off my lap and traded seats with Mikee who climbed on.  They did
it so smoothly in the darkened theater that I wondered if it'd been
prearranged.  I shrugged and worked my hand up Mikee's shirt.

   Mikee stayed during a short feature about a dancing sheep who got all
upset after the farmer came and sheared him.  The sheep thought he was
funny looking without his fleece.  Then she switched with Robbie.  "Do a
good job and I might let you play with more than my tits," she whispered.

   I grinned, then remembered they were all supposed to get massages today.
Well, maybe this would count.  I took my hand off Kelly's tit and dropped
it into her lap.  Then I wiggled it into her shorts and panties and started
stroking her slit.  Kelly sighed, laid her head on my shoulder and opened
her legs a little wider.

   Robbie stayed until the animals had been loaded on the ship, then
switched with Darlene.  Darlene seemed hesitant.  After all, we'd never
done much, so I slipped my hand under her shirt, but only rubbed the side
of her ribs.  I think that relaxed and frustrated her at the same time.

   The animals were exploring their new island when Darlene got up, my hand
falling away, and went to Tami.  Tami whispered something to Traci next
her, Traci giggled and shook her head.  Tami got up, came over and settled
back on my leg.  "I've missed you," she whispered in my ear.

   "What was that all about?" I asked, nodding toward Traci.

   "I just asked her if she wanted her turn," she said.

   "That's redicu...  obviously she didn't."

   "She said maybe next time," Tami whispered in my ear, her tongue
following her words.

   I wondered what I'd do if Traci settled on my lap in the darkened
theater.  Obviously I wasn't going to feel her up.  Maybe just rub her side
like I did with Darlene.  I mean, she'd sat on my lap before.  That was no
big deal.

   Tami switched with Mikee.  And Mikee with Robbie.  And Robbie with
Darlene.  This time I cupped the bottom side of Darlene's breast, then
eased my hand up and over her nipple.  It was hard like a candy skittle,
and I wondered what flavor it was.  I wondered if I'd ever find out.

   As the animals gathered on the beach, Darlene got up and switched seats
with Tami.  Tami whispered to Traci again.  Traci shook her head without
giggling, and Tami took her place on my leg.  I reached down and gave her
crotch a quick squeeze, then moved my hand under her shirt before she could
move it for me.  I watched the credits roll with Kelly's pussy in one hand
and Tami's breast in the other.

   The lights came back up, and I pulled my hands out of the girl's
clothing.  I gave Kelly and Tami quick kisses, then the girls stood and
stretched.

   Everyone was out of the theater except three guys standing by the door.
I guessed they were seniors, or maybe recent graduates.  "You missed one,"
the guy in the center said.  As we walked toward the door.

   "Excuse me?" I said, not understanding.

   "You didn't feel up that one," he said, pointing at Traci with a leer.
All three were leering.  I knew without looking that Traci would be
crimson. Probably Darlene too.

   I started to protest that she was my sister, then changed my mind. 
"Wouldn't be polite.  She's not my sister."

   Three sets of eyes got very big.  "The others are all your sisters?" The
one on the right asked.

   "And you felt them up?" the one on the left added.

   "Wouldn't be proper to do anything more in a theater," I said, trying to
sound hayseed without being too over the top.  "But a brother's got a duty
to keep his wimmin folk from getting too horny."

   Robbie caught on quickly.  "Wiley-boy said he'd do us all doggie-style
when we get home." She patted me on the shoulder, and I realized that I'd
been re-christened.

   "Yep, Rhonda Sue sure likes it from the back." I said, giving one of
Robbie's tits a squeeze.  "This here's Cammie Sue." I patted Kelly's
crotch. "And Mandy Sue." I gave Mikee's butt a pat.  "They's been ruttin'
since they was five.  This is Darcy Sue." I gave Darlene a kiss to try and
hide some of her blush.  "She's still cherry, waiting for Uncle Ralph to
get out of prison to do the job, so I's just eaten her.  And Tabby Sue" I
reached from behind and cupped both Tami's tits.  "She can fuck me and all
five of my cousins right into the ground."

   Tami grinned.  "And my three uncles too."

   "And don't forget Daddy," Robbie added.

   "I'd never forget Daddy."

   "That there's Mary Alice," I said with a nod to Traci.  "She lives in
the neighborhood and has her own brothers to take care of her." I started
past the guys and the girls followed.

   "Y'all have fun, now," Robbie said as she passed.

   "That was mean," Tami said as we all fastened our seat belts in the van.
"They'll probably bruise themselves jerking off."

   "No probably about it," Robbie added.

   "I didn't see you stopping it," I said.  "Three uncles and Daddy."

   "Daddy was Robbie's idea.  You started it with my five cousins."

   I grinned.  "One big happy family."

   "When we get back to camp, we'll all get naked and on our hands and
knees and you'all can start your chores." Robbie said.

   In the rear-view mirror, I saw Darlene blush.

   With Robbie's picture in my mind, I was almost afraid to start the van
and drive.

   "And I guess I'll have to wander around and find a brother of my own,"
Traci said with an exaggerated sigh.  And no blush.  I'd have to keep an
eye on my sister.

   "Just out of curiosity, when we'all get hitched and have us a passel of
kids, are they going to run around naked and hump each other like Wiley-boy
and all the Sues?" Tami asked as we walked on the beach in the moonlight.

   "Nope, they're going to be taught abstinence and saving themselves for
marriage."

   "Somehow, I can't see you pulling off the hypocrite act too
effectively," she challenged.

   "I'll learn."

   We walked on silently.  Actually, I'd never thought about our kids and
sex.  I'd thought a lot about our kids.  I wanted a big family; three sets
of twin girls would be perfect.  I knew Tami wanted a big family too,
though she'd never mentioned what mix.  But I'd never thought about raising
them.

   Would we be the kind of parents who had sex once a week, Wednesdays
probably, in the bedroom with the door closed, then pretended it never
happened?  Or were we going to have orgies in the living room with our old
school friends while the kids watched Sesame Street?

   And what was I going to do when my girls got to be twelve, like Tami was
when I met her, and Daddy gets a hard-on just looking at them?  I
remembered all those Frank McCoy stories on SOL, where it was practically a
duty for a father to initiate his girls into sex.  Of course in most of
those stories he was trying to get them pregnant too.  I never really
understood the appeal of that.  Or there was Uncle Sky's I Married Three
Girls.  Then I could initiate the girls without trying to breed them.  Or
Hoisington's G'Night Pixie story, all I had to do was get stranded on a
deserted island.

   All the stories aside, would it be betraying a trust to look at my girls
like that?  Maybe...

   "Stop!"

   "Huh?" I said, stopping in my tracks at Tami's command.

   "You're worrying about raising our kids, and we won't get married for a
couple of years yet."

   Damn!  I hate when she does that.  "But..."

   "But nothing.  We'll figure it out as we go along, just like every other
parent.  There's no one way to raise kids, because every kid is different."

   "How'd you get so smart?"

   Tami grinned, the moon reflecting off her white teeth.  "I used to go
out with this guy who read a lot."

   "Whatever happened to him?"

   "He worried so much his head exploded.  It's a beautiful night.  The
moon's up there and a whole audience of stars, so stop thinking and sing me
a song."

   I thought about singing her Paul Anka's You're Having my Baby, or maybe
Bobby Goldsboro's Watching Scotty Grow.

   "Wise men say,

   Only fools rush in,

   But I can't help,

   Falling in love with you."

   As I kissed Tami goodnight outside her tent I wondered why it was so
easy to sing her a love song that I meant with every fiber of my being one
minute, then crawl between another girl's legs the next.  'Cause I knew my
sleeping bag wasn't empty.  There was definitely something off-kilter about
our relationship.

   It didn't feel wrong, it just felt weird.  And how long did it last?  If
Tami and I did the traditional wedding vows, 'Forsaking all others, ' would
that be just words?

   "Stop thinking," she warned.

   "I..."

   "You were analyzing things that don't need to be analyzed.  At least not
tonight.  Go finish what you started with Kelly."

   I kissed her once more, then held open the flap of her tent for her. 
Maybe non-traditional vows.  I'd promise to forsake most others, and she'd
promise me a couple hours a day when my thoughts were my own.

   Kelly was not only waiting, she was naked on her hands and knees, her
little butt wiggling as I entered my tent.  One box of rubbers was out of
my shopping bag and open between her legs.  I may not be the brightest bulb
in the pack, but I can take a hint.

   I stripped and got to my knees between her legs.  I pulled a rubber out
of the box and opened the package, but didn't put it on yet.  Instead I
scooted forward and let my shaft rub against the crack of her ass, then
between her legs and against her warm moist pussy.

   "Why Cammie Sue, I do believe you're in a hurry," I said in my hayseed
voice.

   "Wiley-boy, I got a powerful itch down there." She sounded as hick as I
did.

   "Be patient Cammie Sue.  I does got other sisters ya know.  I was taking
care of..." I couldn't remember what name I'd given Tami.

   Then I realized that maybe our game was coming too close to home.  I
stiffened, and I don't mean Big Tony.

   I started to pull back, but Kelly reached down and captured my pole,
holding it against her pussy.  "Relax," she said softly.  "This is just a
game.  Besides, I know my brother Wiley-boy would never hurt me.  Never do
anything I didn't want to do."

   That's when I had the really scary thought.  Could every female on the
planet read my mind?  That could be inconvenient.  My mother was a female.
Or maybe Tami was giving lessons?

   I reached down and pulled Kelly's hand off my cock, then I rolled on a
rubber and slid it back between her legs.

   She grabbed it again and aimed it at her pussy.  Though she had the
tightest pussy I'd ever known, it slid it easily with her natural
lubrication.

   "And we're going to use at least four of those there rubber thingies,"
she said as she pushed her ass back at me.

   "It's not a competition," I said, remembering that Mikee had announced
this morning that we'd done it three times.

   "You've never been a little sister."