Child Brides of India

By: C. Stanton Leman.

Chapter 47: Equestrians and Erections (Mggg, rom, cons, mast)

The remainder of the night was again fretful, filled with hourly bouts of helping reassure Emma during her nightmares. I felt so sad for her and wondered what would happen to her. Would we really take her back to India? If we did, how would that affect our lives?

I awoke for good at six again and lay there until seven. I figured I’d let Emma sleep and tried to untangle myself from her grasp. She was clutching my hand to her breast so tightly that her nightshirt was soaked with sweat from my hand cupping her breast.

When I tried to pull my hand away, she stirred and woke.

“Where are you going?” she asked.

Feeling bad that I’d awoken her I said, “I thought I’d let you sleep in. I was going to get up, but I’ll stay here with you if you want.”

Hugging my hand tighter to her she replied, “Could you just hold me for a while?”

With a soft smile, I replied, “Sure Sweetheart if it will make you happy.”

Snuggling into an even closer spoon against me, she hugged my hand tighter to her breast and closing her eyes, smiled and softly said, “Mmmm yes, I feel so safe here with you.”

I just quietly laid there holding her and waited for the girls to arrive as Emma fell back asleep. About fifteen minutes later Priya and Aleeya came into the bedroom.

Aleeya bounced on the bed, waking Emma up. Priya scolded her saying, “Cut it out, Aleeya, Emma doesn’t feel well, you know better than that. Don’t be rude.”

Aleeya, acting the stinker replied, “Saaaww-rrreee Emma, I guess I’m being a snot again.”

Both Priya and I had to laugh at that.

Emma began to cry and said, “I know, but I don’t really feel too happy today. I’m really sad Leeya and my heart hurts really bad.”

Aleeya got serious, went to Emma and began to rub her back. She leaned over and kissed Emma in the cheek and said, “That’s okay, Emma, I lost my momma a few months ago and Sean made all my pain go away. He made me the happiest girl in the world!”

Emma rose up on one elbow and asked, “How did he do that?”

At that split second, both Priya and I thought Aleeya was going to say, ”He married me,” but Priya cut in quickly with, “He gave her lots of hugs and cuddles.”

Emma asked, “Will you give me lots of hugs and cuddles too, Sean?”

Having dodged the bullet on that one, I replied smiling, “As many as you want, Baby.”

I softly said to her, “We have to get up, shower and say morning prayers. Would you like to get up or stay in bed for a while?”

“No,” she replied sadly. “I’ll get up.”

Emma sat up, rubbed her eyes and looked around for a moment. She gave Aleeya and Priya a half-hearted smile then turned to me and asked, “Can I take a shower with you?”

Giving her an understanding smile I replied, “No, Sweetie, I don’t think that’s a good idea. You should take your shower with Aleeya or Priya.”

“Why not? Aleeya takes showers with you. Why can’t I?”

Trying to be understanding, yet unyielding I said, “Aleeya’s a very young girl; you are a young woman. I don’t think it would be right if we saw each other naked. If this is something you seem to be really wanting, I think you should talk to Auntie and Priya about it together later. Do you understand?”

Feeling rejected, Emma lowered her head and whispered dejected, “Yeah, I understand.”

Priya, trying to add a note of cheeriness said, “Come on girls, let’s all take a shower together, it’s getting late.”

The girls rose and left to take care of their morning duties. I got up and did the same by myself. After saying morning prayers, we all went downstairs about nine-thirty to eat. Walking down the stairs, I thought about how much Emma had learned about Muslim worship in just a few days. Mom and Dad were God fearing people, but weren’t overly religious, thinking it’s better to demonstrate Christian values than spent a lot of time in church. They were tolerant and didn’t impose their beliefs on others. Mom or Dad didn’t say a word about Emma participating in our prayer group or the fact that we were Muslim. I guess Mom felt that prayer, in any form to God would help Emma during her time of sorrow.

Arriving downstairs, Mom was nursing her morning coffee, but Dad had already left for work. Upon seeing us, she sat back with coffee in hand and a smile and greeted us with, “Well, good morning sleepyheads, it’s about time you got up.”

“Yeah, right,” I said wryly, “I’ve been up since six. I was waiting for the others to roll out of bed. Dad’s gone I see.”

“Yeah, he left for the office at six. You know what the capitol beltway is like.”

Chuckling I replied, “I sure do! If I had to fight that traffic every morning, I would’ve had a heart attack by now. I don’t see how he does it.”

As we were sitting down, Mom replied, “I guess it’s all in what you’re used to.”

Priya and Aleeya sat book-ending Mom and I took a seat next to Priya. Emma waited until we were all seated and then proceeded to sit sideways on my lap facing Mom, laying her head on my shoulder. Everyone looked at me (I guess to see what I’d say) and I just gave an “I don’t know” shrug and continued talking.

I craned my neck down against Emma’s forehead and asked her, “What’s the matter, Munchkin, don’t feel too good?”

She sighed and simply replied, “No, I just feel like being held. Leeya was right: I do feel safe and protected when you hold me.”

Aleeya smiled and said, “See? I told you so.”

Mom asked Emma, “Can you eat a little something? It’ll do you good to keep your strength up.”

She gave a silent shrug and replied quietly, “Can you feed me, Sean?”

I looked at Priya and then at Mom. Mom gave a slight nod as if to say, “Go ahead and coddle her,” so I replied, “Sure Sweetie, you can have some of mine, okay?”

She nodded, so I said to her, “I’ll feed you, but you have to sit up. I can’t feed you when I can’t see your mouth. My aim isn’t that good and I might poke you in the nose or something.”

With a tiny giggle, Emma sat up and put her arm around my shoulder as I fed her a bite of egg. We talked as we ate, me alternating bites between Emma and myself. We’d soon finished eating and were discussing what we might do today.

I thought today would be a good time to give the girls their new presents and said, “Why don’t we go horseback riding?”

Priya and Aleeya were very eager to finally get the chance to ride, but Emma said, “I don’t feel like riding. That is, unless I can ride with you, Sean.”

I looked at Mom and she gave me a wary, worried look that, after a few moments, changed to a “why not” look so I replied, “Sure, Sweetie, do you want the front seat or the back?”

She gave a slight blush and replied, “Front. I want you to hold me while we ride.”

Both Mom and Priya lifted their eyebrows at that remark. Aleeya, for the first time that I’d ever seen, was noticeably jealous.

Neither Priya nor Aleeya had any idea that they were going to get a horse of their very own and I told the girls to go back upstairs and put on some jeans. The leather saddles would chafe their legs if they started to sweat and rub against the leather.

Priya rose first taking Emma’s hand and the three girls went upstairs to change. Mom and I drank our coffee in the meantime and Mom said in a jocular tone, “Well, it seems Emma has certainly changed security blankets, wouldn’t you say?”

“I don’t know what’s going through her head.” I replied, “Aleeya said the other day she’s got a huge crush on me and wants to see me naked. She asked again this morning if she could shower with me because Aleeya has in the past.”

Shaking her head she replied almost sarcastically, “What is it with you and young girls, do you have ‘I love little girls’ tattooed on your forehead or something?”

I was noticeably upset by her remark and gave her a look that said so and replied, “That’s not funny at all! I haven’t done a damn thing to imply or encourage anything improper with her!”

Mom, backing off said, “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean that like it sounded. It’s just that something about you stirs a young girl’s curiosity about intimate things, that’s all.”

Responding I said, “Priya thinks that it’s because she’s looking for love, stability and security on a deep level because she’s lost both of her parents. She’s noticing the looks and interaction between me and my girls with more perception. I don’t know if there’s any truth to that, but she is certainly starting to put two and two together rather quickly. It won’t be long before she’s figured out everything.”

“You may be right,” she said as she sipped her coffee, “She was very close to Jack and she took his death very hard. She might be clinging to you as a result of that. She’s starting puberty very early and you may have noticed (a smile behind her cup), she’s already starting to grow breasts. Maybe Priya and I should have a talk with her.”

Still a little pissed, I replied, “Yeah, well you’d better do something because I don’t appreciate being blamed for her precocious pubescent hormonal imbalance.”

“Lighten up!” Mom said with a chuckle. “Don’t get your boxers all in a bunch because I made an off the cuff remark. I didn’t imply or mean that you were putting ideas in her head so don’t go getting postal on me!”

“I’m sorry,” I said apologetically, “it’s just that I remember what Aunt Helen said and it struck a nerve.”

I must have touched a raw nerve because now Mom got a hot flash and replied tersely, “Don’t let that evil vindictive bitch get to you. She said what she said to piss me off, and she did a damn good job of it too. I never expected to lose it and slap her, but she sure as hell deserved it! And I have to tell you, after what she said it felt real good after I hit her!”

Changing the subject, I asked her, “Why don’t you come along, you haven’t ridden in quite a while?”

“No,” she replied as she drained her cup, “but I’ll go to the barn with you so I can see the look on those two little Indians when you give them their presents. Ha, ha — you can play cowboys and Indians!”

That was so lame, I busted out laughing. Mom replied, “Oh my, I made a funny!”

Shaking my head, I said chuckling, “I think you need another cup of coffee.”

“Well,” she said jokingly, “I haven’t had a chance to polish up on my one-liners in a while.”

I’d just finished taking the last sip from my cup when the girls emerged. Aleeya was impatiently jumping up and down and singing over and over, “Oh goody, goody! I’m gonna ride a horsey!”

Knowing we wouldn’t get any peace until the little imp was sitting on a horsey, Mom and I rose to go to the barn. Standing, I said, “Horseys it is! Let’s go!”

Once outside, Priya nestled herself under my right arm and Emma scooted in under my left. Aleeya was skipping, holding Mom’s hand and nearly dragging her towards the barn, singing as she went.

When we were about ten yards from the barn, I yelled out for Jim. I introduce him to Priya and Aleeya and after the introductions I said, “Before we get started, I have something to say. I’d like you girls to stand here a moment while we get things ready.”

Mom said, “I’ll go with Jim and give him a hand. You stay here with the girls.”

I nodded as Mom and Jim turned to go inside. They were gone a couple of minutes and Aleeya was getting impatient and said, “What’s taking them so long? Are we gonna ride horseys or not?”

Chuckling I replied, “Don’t go getting your panties in a bunch, they’ll be here in a minute!”

I looked at Priya, who had a quizzical look on her face and then at Emma, who was smiling. I quietly said to her, “Not a word. Understand?”

She smiled and nodded. Jim came out first with an absolutely beautiful, shiny black Arabian. One could tell this was an animal with a long lineage of pedigree. She gaited out the barn door with her characteristic small head held high and lifting her front hooves with dignity as she walked towards us. She looked tall, maybe as tall as my chestnut.

Priya and Aleeya gasped at the power, strength and undeniable beauty of this proud mare. Jim smiled as he walked up to me and handed me the reins.

Aleeya craned her head to look almost vertical and exclaimed, “Wow! He’s a big one!”

Laughing at her innocence, I said, “No, Darling, she’s a girl horse: a mare.”

Jim chuckled and said, “Yeah, she’s fifteen hands!”

Priya asked, “What’s that mean?”

I explained to her that before they had rulers, people used to measure a horse by how many hands high a horse stood. Today, a hand is equal to four inches, so her horse was sixty inches tall.

I turned to Priya and said, “I love you so much! Words cannot explain how proud I am to be your husband. As a reward for graduating high school in one year, please accept this horse as a living testament to my love for you. Here, she’s yours.”

Priya clasped her hands to her mouth and with bug-eyed awe, gasped and exclaimed, “Oh my God, she’s beautiful!”

Smiling, I went on, “She’s a pure bred Arabian with an Arabic name too long to pronounce. What would you like to name her, or do you want to think about it for a while?”

With tears in her eyes and gently pulling on the reins, she gingerly walked up to her mare and rubbed her nose. The horse took to her immediately and nuzzled her muzzle to her neck.

Priya turned to all of us with a beaming smile and said, “Kali, I’ll name her Kali.”

Jim asked her, “What does it mean?”

Priya turned and smiling replied softly as she hugged her horse’s head, “’Black One’. It means ‘Black One’.”

Priya stood petting her new friend when Mom came out with the quarter horse. My first impression was that this gelding, although no longer a stud, was still confident and proud, He walked out with a quiet reassuring gait and snuffed as he shook his head up and down a few times to let everyone know he was the male.

He was a tad shorter and had a beautiful black and white pattern with the fetlocks (part of the leg, just above the hoof), one side of his croup (rump) and the muzzle (tip of his nose) being black.

Mom smiled and said as she handed me the reins, “Here you go.”

I turned to Aleeya and whispered privately in her ear, “This horsey is yours, Darling as a wedding present to show you my love as your husband.”

She leapt into my arms, wrapping her legs around me and kissing my face exclaimed, “Oh thank you hus--- Sean! I’m sooooo happy! My very own horsey!”

Not knowing if Emma picked up on that or not, Priya, Mom and I looked at each other momentarily and then I said to Aleeya, “Well, do you have a name for him, he’s a boy horse?”

‘Oh yes!” she exclaimed. “He’s the most bestest horsey I’ve ever seen! I’m gonna name him Sultan. It means “King.”

Laughing, Jim told her, “That’s right little lady, if I hadn’t picked him out for you, I’d have bought him for my daughter!”

Curious, I asked Jim, “How tall is he” He’s a tad smaller than Kali, isn’t he?”

Jim replied, “Yeah, he’s twelve and a half hands: small, but compact - and fast. I watched him run on the track. He’s gentle, but when you put the whip to him, he’ll get up and go!”

“Isn’t he too much horse for her?” I asked with some concern.

“Naw,” Jim said with confidence. “He may be a lot of horse, but he’s gentle as a lamb. She’ll grow into him nicely!”

Reassured, I replied, “Okay, if you say so.”

While the girls were petting their new friends, I went inside to retrieve Dipper, my horse. I hooked the bridle, threw a blanket over his back and lifted a saddle onto my hip and walked Dipper outside with the others.

Mom and Jim had saddled the girls’ horses: that’s what took so long, so I showed the girls how to saddle a horse. I preferred a western saddle to an English riding one, and I felt that the western style would be easier for the girls to learn on.

Mom held the reins to keep Kali’s head still and then Jim hooked his hands together in front of Priya and said, “Okay, little Misses, up you go!”

Priya looked at Jim tentatively and he smiled and said, “Go ahead, she won’t bite you.”

Priya lifted her foot to the cradle of Jim’s hands. When she’d planted her foot, he told her, “Stand up in my hand then I’m gonna lift up a little. When I do, swing your right leg over her back and sit down in the saddle, got it?”

A little scared, Priya managed a smile and nodded. Priya jumped up and locked her left knee and stood in Jim’s hand. He said, “Okay now, I’m gonna lift you up some; when I do, throw your right leg over her rump and sit down.”

Priya nodded and let out an “Eeek” as Jim lifted. Holding onto the horn on the saddle, she swung her leg over and plopped into the saddle.

Complimenting her, we clapped as Jim said with a shrug, “See, nothin’ to it!”

Priya sat on her noble Arabian towering over us with a cheese-eating grin and said, “I’m sitting on my own horse and it feels great!”

I looked down at Aleeya and said, “Ready? It’s your turn.”

Aleeya, with no fear and all, excitedly replied, “Oh goody! Yes, put me up there!”

I grabbed her around her waist and swung her up and into the saddle in one fell swoop. She plopped down and grabbed the horn with an “Eeek” and a giggle.

“I’m taller than you are,” Aleeya sung out with glee.

Jim has taught so many people to ride horses it isn’t funny. He taught me when I was seven. We handed the reins to the girls and Jim, holding each horse by the reins about a foot below the bit, walked them into the round corral.

Once inside, he gave them simple instructions on how to guide the horse where they wanted it to go, how to stop, turn around sharply and to back the horse up. He climbed on behind each girl, one at a time and held their hand in his as he instructed them. After a few minutes he jumped off and let them do it themselves.

He had Priya lead, then bring her horse alongside, and then behind Aleeya as they went around the corral. He had Aleeya do the same. After running through several commands, he was satisfied that they were comfortable enough to go out for a ride.

Satisfied that we could now go out for a ride, I boosted Emma up on Dipper and then climbed in behind her. As I swung my leg around to sit down, Emma leaned forward over the horn. I sat down and she then sat back with the crack of her ass right against my dick.

She turned, looked over her shoulder and said with a coy smile, “This is gonna be fun.”

Feeling her ass against my cock, I replied, “Yes, it could be interesting.”

Mom noticed the exchange, cocked her head and gave me a look as if to say, “Okay dickhead; no funny business!”

In reply, I gave Mom and ‘innocent’ shrug as if to answer, “Why Mom, I haven’t the faintest idea what you’re talking about.”

Priya pulled alongside me and asked, “What kind of horse is this?”

“Who, Dipper?” I replied.

“Yeah, why do you call him Dipper?”

He’s a thoroughbred Chestnut, because he’s a chestnut brown. I call him Dipper because when he’s running all out, he dips his head more than most horses do when they’re running full speed.”

“Which horse is the fastest?” Aleeya chimed in.

“Well,” I began, “Jim might know more about that than I do, but I’d guess that in a short race Sultan would be faster. He’s a quarter horse and they’re famous for running a quarter mile at lightning speed. Mine would probably be last. Arabians are famous for their speed, agility and endurance. An Arabian can run for long periods of time at a fast pace.”

Seeing a double entendré there, Priya quipped, “My kind of horse and a woman to boot: fast, agile and with staying power.”

Feeling the soft ass against my dick and the double meaning of the comment, I started to get a tingle in my loins and replied, “Enough about staying power, let’s go for a ride.”

Once on the grass, we came to a stop three abreast with me in the middle. I said to the girls, “Aleeya, you take the lead followed by Priya. Emma and I will bring up the rear (a double meaning there, I thought). Aleeya, walk Sultan towards that fence line and follow it for a while.”

Aleeya stuck her tongue out at Priya and sung, “I get to be in front,” and led on.

It was kind of funny watching Aleeya ride. As the horse walked, she was sloshing back and forth sideways in the saddle. She looked like one of those bobble head dolls, only bobbling sideways.

I had my left hand resting on my thigh and my right around Emma’s waist holding the reins. She asked me, “Can I handle the reins?”

“Sure,” I replied as I handed them to her.

With my hands free, I rested them on my thighs and looked down at the view. She has the nicest little butt that was accentuated by her tight jeans. They displayed her cheeks nicely and the fact that her legs were apart as she sat astride the horse certainly helped fuel my imagination.

After about twenty minutes of riding, I was beginning to feel more pressure against my package (and a few tingles) as she moved against me in the saddle. I looked down and I wasn’t sure, but it looked like Emma was rotating her hips back and forth, front to back in time with the horse’s gait.

After another five minutes of this, I was definitely feeling those good feelings of being rubbed against: almost like dry humping, and looked down again. Emma’s breathing was noticeably deeper and quicker, so I studied her movements.

The little shit was masturbating! She’d hump her tingle button against the horn as she rotated her hips forward and her ass against my cock as she rotated her hips back: she was giving herself a “double rub”!

I could tell by her breathing and by the fact that her movements were gradually getting faster than those caused by the horse that she was getting close. Emma leaned back against my chest and whispered, “Hold me.”

I put my arms around her waist and now I could really feel the movements in her hips, which got me rock hard! I thought to myself, Boy, if she works those hips like that, she’d probably fuck like a minx in heat!

Thinking (with my dick) that this was her ride and if she was going to get a nut, I might as well lend a hand to the cause! I brought my hands up her sides kind of like holding a big jar: my thumbs around the curve of her side to the back with my fingers around the front of her sides. I stopped when the first finger on each hand was just barely touching the underside of her puffy (now erect and hard), pointed little nipples.

When she felt the feather-like contact on the bottom her nipples, she gasped. She now began to work her hips like a rabbit on a rampage. I brushed my hands against the underside of her nipples, just barely touching them and she began to pant. She was reaching the pinnacle because her legs started to tighten and she was really grinding herself to get off. When I sensed she was right at the precipice, I took each of her nipples between my thumb and forefinger and gave each a tiny squeeze.

Blast off!

She bit her lip to keep her mouth closed and all I heard was a loud hiss as she exhaled through her nose. She rotated her hips back and against my cock and just shuddered. That made me lose it and I shot off into my boxers.

Emma was in lah-lah land! (I felt pretty good too!) She just silently leaned against my chest as her breathing slowly returned to normal. She must have really looked out of it because Priya turned around to see where we were and said over her shoulder, “Is everything okay?”

Holding Emma around the waist with one hand to keep her from falling off the horse and holding the reins with the other I said back, “Yeah, just relaxing.” (I wasn’t lying, was I?)

Priya started to pull up alongside me and I think we smelled Emma’s arousal at the same time because she asked, “Having a nice ride?”

“Very nice,” I replied matter-of-factly. (Still, not a lie.)

Priya smiled and shook her head. Changing the topic, I asked her, “Well, how do you like Kali?”

Letting things slide, she replied, “She’s beautiful! She’s the best present I’ve ever gotten! Thank you so much for her!”

Smiling I said, “The gift is from me, but you should thank Jim: he searched and picked her out for you; same with Aleeya’s horse. He really wanted to buy that quarter horse.”

Emma had regained her composure by now, so I yelled to Priya and Aleeya that I’d take the lead. I brought Dipper up to a trot and passed the girls and said, “Okay, now we’ll take this horse trail through the woods. Don’t get too far behind. If you need help, just holler.”

Emma and I ducked to clear an overhanging tree limb and entered the trail. Dipper knew the trail and could walk it blind; so I turned and watched my two little Indians follow me up the trail.

Turning back to face forward and with Emma still leaning back against me, she said, “I love you, Sean. Thank you for making me feel so wonderful!”

As soon as I heard her words, I knew I fucked up. Feeling guilty, I softly replied, “And I love you too, but I was wrong. I shouldn’t have done that. It wasn’t right.”

Emma looked up at me over her shoulder and asked, “Why? You make Aleeya feel good that way, don’t you?”

Stunned, I replied with a question, “Where in the hell did you get that idea?”

Smugly she replied, “I’m not stupid, Sean. I’m going into the third grade. You think I don’t see how the older girls in the fifth grade act around their boyfriends? Aleeya looks at you just like that: just like Priya looks at you - and she’s your wife. Leeya certainly doesn’t look at you like you’re her Daddy.”

Trying to make her question her own reasoning, I said, “You’d better have proof before you make accusations like that or I could get into real trouble. I think you should rethink things. Don’t go comparing me to your fifth grade friends at school.”

Keeping me on the ropes, Emma retorted, “Then why did you do what you did with me if you haven’t done it with a young girl like Leeya before?”

“Look, Emma,” I said, “everybody — including me — has a weak moment when they do something they shouldn’t. What happened between you and me just now has nothing at all to do with Aleeya.”

I guess that having survived the death of both of her parents made her wiser than we thought because after a few moments of silence she replied, “Maybe. I could be wrong, but I doubt it.”

We exited the trail in silence about ten minutes later. I turned and asked the girls if everything was alright. They both smiled and waved; now looking confident on their mounts. We reached the barn about five minutes later. I showed the girls how to walk the horses around after removing the saddles to cool them down. We then watered, and brushed them before down returning them to their stalls.

Returning to the house, I told Emma and Aleeya to go upstairs and get washed up for dinner. I then sat down with Mom and Priya and explained everything in detail about what happened earlier and what Emma had said.

Mom was pissed – with a capital “P”!

She started to say (more like shout) something but she stopped a moment to collect herself and began. “I thought I gave you a look that said to watch yourself, but I guess you have to be told like a child!”

Wagging her finger at me she went on, “I knew it! I fucking well knew it this morning! There was something in the way she looked at you during breakfast that I couldn’t put my finger on. I saw it again when you got on Dipper behind her.”

“Shit!” she exclaimed, “Your father is going to shit a golden cow over this! Just what in the hell are we going to do about this? She’s got to have some of those fucking super genes you two have got because she pegged the three of you right away!”

Priya asked Mom sheepishly, “Can I say something?”

Angry, Mom shot back, “What!”

Priya softly said, “Mom, Emma is the third wife I spoke of earlier. I know it in my heart.”

Still hot, Mom retorted, “Well, no offense, Priya, I really don’t want to hear about your fucking polygamist dreams right now!”

That shut both of us up.

Mom calmed herself and said apologetically, “Look, Priya, I’m sorry I cursed at you, but with all that’s happened this past year with you, Aleeya, Liz’s death, fighting with my sisters and Emma’s problems, I don’t really want to think about another child bride.”

Priya was now silently crying. Taking Priya’s hand, Mom said calmly, “Priya, I’ve always been able to be honest with you, haven’t I?’

Priya tearfully nodded.

“I need you to understand my side,” Mom asked. “You and Aleeya are from a different culture, with different values and customs with regard to marriage age. Emma’s American and has grown up in a whole different society with different values and customs. She may have figured out certain aspects of your family dynamic, but I’m not so sure she could fit in. She’s been raised to think a marriage is a one-woman/one-man relationship.”

Sitting back in her chair, Mom said, “This whole thing just sucks! Look. The girls will be down in a few minutes. We’ll have to continue this discussion later. I’m going to have to tell John about this, so let’s plan on the four of us sitting down either tonight or tomorrow to discuss this. Until then, Emma either sleeps with Priya or Aleeya or she sleeps by herself. Got it?”

Priya and I nodded.

Pointing her finger at both of us she said, “I don’t care if she has to drink that whole bottle of sodium phenobarbitol, all of us are going to make damn sure she doesn’t have another chance at any intimate contact with Casanova here. Understand?”

Again we both nodded.

Mom looked at Priya and said, “If she chooses to sleep alone or with Aleeya, then you can fuck Sean into oblivion tonight. Sean, I’ll talk to Aleeya. Until the matter is resolved, I don’t think you should be spending nights with her either.”

Sadly we both agreed and nodded.

Just then, Aleeya emerged from the stairs and walked over to us. She said, “Emma’s upstairs crying. She says she was naughty today and Sean’s telling on her. She’s also asking me if Sean and I do secret things together and if so why. What am I supposed to do? Lie to her? I’m not good at lying and it makes me feel bad if I do, what do I do?”

Aleeya was now crying. Mom took her in her arms and lifted her to her lap and said, “There there now. Stop all this crying stuff.”

Turning to Priya she said, “Go tend to Emma.”

Priya nodded and went upstairs.

Stroking her face, Mom said to Aleeya, “Listen to me, Munchkin, us grownups will handle this. I don’t want you to lie to her, but don’t tell her anything yet. If she asks you anymore questions, just tell her you’re not supposed to talk about secret things and if she wants to know anything to come to either me or Priya, alright?”

Sniffling, Aleeya nodded she understood.

Mom started again to talk to Aleeya saying, “And another thing: until all this stuff about secret things is cleared up with Emma, you shouldn’t sleep with Sean, understand?”

“But, but,” Aleeya started.

“But nothing,” Mom replied. “You sleeping with Sean only makes her more curious about these things and want to ask more questions. We’ll get it straight in a couple of days. It won’t be long, okay?”

“Okay,” she said sullenly, “I understand.”

Smiling at her, Mom said to Aleeya, “Now, get back upstairs and get cleaned up for dinner.”

Aleeya kissed her on the cheek, slid from her lap smiling and started for the stairs. Mom gave her a love tap on the butt as she left.

Shaking her head Mom said, “Men: you’re all alike!”

I looked at her with remorse as she finished by saying, “Haven’t you learned yet that that dick head between your legs has no brain or conscience?”

That hurt, but I deserved it so I took it silently.

Shaking her head she added, “Boy-O-boy, telling your father is gonna be a doozy! You’d better be upstairs when I do, that’s all I’ve got to say.”

Feeling ashamed of myself, I silently rose and went upstairs. I was truly sorry, but I guess I was also feeling sorry for myself because my first thought was to hide myself away alone in my bedroom.

After thinking about it, I knew that I was being childish and couldn’t hide myself away and ignore my problems like I did as a kid. I went to the bathroom, washed up and splashed water on my face again and looked in the mirror at myself. I thought out loud, “What the fuck’s wrong with you? Are you really that “Child fucker” that my dark side keeps reminding me of?”

Shaking my head in disgust at myself, I said out loud, “You really know how to fuck things up. You’re right about one thing, Mom: a stiff dick has no conscience!”

I dried my face and went downstairs to eat. Everyone was already quietly seated and as I sat, all eyes were upon me. It felt like eight daggers piercing my very core. I just sat in silence as everyone’s eyes returned to their plates.

I heard the door close and Dad came in with a smile and his usual friendly greeting. We returned his greeting as he walked to his study, dropped his things and went to the powder room to wash for supper.

Sitting in the chair next to Dad’s, I remembered back to my youth when sitting in this very chair, I got back handed by my father. Ironically, that event also involved a horse. I was ten and had taken a horse out riding without permission or anyone’s knowledge. I’d gotten lost and Jim spent an hour looking for me before I was found.

If Dad knew now what had happened this afternoon, he’d probably take me to the barn and pummel the shit out of me! He returned to the table and sat to eat.

While sitting, Dad looked over the fixings and commented, “Mmmm, roast beast! Looks good!”

While filling his plate, he looked around at everyone silently eating and said, “What gives? Why does everyone look so glum?”

Mom, picking at her food replied, “Long day is all. Sean gave the girls their horses today and they went riding. You know how it is when you ride the first time, everyone’s tired I guess.”

Still not recognizing that anything was wrong, Dad smiled and asked Priya, “Well, Priya, what’d you think of that beautiful black Arabian?”

Aleeya, being the child she is with that unbridled exuberance cut in with, “Oh, Poppy! I got a beautiful black and white horsey! I named him Sultan ‘cause he’s the king of horses!”

“You got it, Sweetie!” Dad replied with a laugh. “Mr. Jim wanted to buy that horse for his daughter. He’s a fine looking gelding.”

“What’s a gelding?” She asked.

Stopped in his tracks by Aleeya’s question, he said, “Ah, it’s kind of complicated, but even though he’s a boy horse he can’t make baby horses, got it?”

With a mouthful of food, Aleeya nodded her understanding.

Dad turned again to Priya and asked, “Well girl, how about that Arabian?”

Smiling, Priya swallowed her bite of food and replied, “She’s absolutely beautiful, Father! She and I became instant friends! She’s so gentle even though she’s big.”

Satisfied with the girl’s responses, he said, “Well, it looks like Jim did a fantastic job of finding the right horse for the right girl! I’m happy and I’m sure Jim will be happy to hear it.”

The rest of the meal went pretty uneventfully and quietly. After dinner, I quietly said, “I’m going upstairs for prayers. Mom, Dad, I’ll see you tomorrow, goodnight.”

“Sure, Son,” Dad replied.

Mom gave me a look that said she still pissed and said, “Goodnight, Sean.”

With that we left for upstairs, leaving my mother and father at the table.