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Message-ID: <49252asstr$1095833404@assm.asstr-mirror.org>
From: "Gina Marie Wylie" <gmwylie98260@hotmail.com>
Subject: {ASSM} Laura Alban Hunt Ch 21 {Gina Marie Wylie} (FF)
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Date: Wed, 22 Sep 2004 02:10:04 -0400
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<1st attachment, "Laura Ch 21.doc" begin>

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

	The following is fiction of an adult nature.  If I believed in
setting age limits for things, you'd have to be eighteen to read
this and I'd never have bothered to write it.  IMHO, if you can
read and enjoy, then you're old enough to read and enjoy.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

	All persons here depicted are figments of my imagination and any
resemblance to persons living or dead is strictly a blunder on my
part.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

	Official stuff:  Story codes: FF.

	If stories like this offend you, you will offend ME if you read
further and complain. Copyright 2004, by Gina Marie Wylie.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

	I can be reached at gmwylie98260@hothothotmail.com, at least if
you remove some of the hots.  All comments and reasoned
discussion welcome.

Below is my site on ASSTR:
http://www.asstr-mirror.org/files/Authors/Gina_Marie_Wylie/www/

My stories are also posted on StoriesOnline:
http://Storiesonline.net/

And on Electronic Wilderness Publishing:
http://www.ewpub.org/

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Laura Alban Hunt

Chapter 21 -- Errands

I was up early, just as dawn was breaking.  I went outside to
find June sitting in one of the pool chairs.  "I hope you didn't
sleep there," I told her.

She stood, shaking her head.  "I like to get up early.  Mom says
this is the best time of day, you avoid the lowlife scum --
they're still sleeping off last night."

"Well, if you're here to swim, we can do that," I told her.  She
peeled out of the jeans and blouse she was wearing, revealing a
modest two-piece suit.  I didn't bother with one, just hopped in
nude.  The water was warmer than I expected, downright pleasant
-- until I started to swim.  Then I found that warm water isn't
much fun to swim in.

And of course, June was running rings around me.  I kept at it
longer than I usually did, remembering Elena's request to swim. 
I wondered what June would think if I invited someone else to
swim early?  I laughed at myself -- as if what June thought
mattered.

When June finished, she smiled at me.  "You swam longer today."

"Yes, I went for a jog yesterday with a friend up Squaw Peak."

"You told me yesterday," June reminded me, "before you left."

No wonder I hadn't remembered talking about jogging with June!

"It was pretty bad," I told her.  "Carolyn's mother really
flipped."

"Worse than the other day at the party?"  June seemed
incredulous.

"Much worse," I told her.

"Are you going to get in trouble?"  June asked.

I met her eye and shrugged.  It wasn't hard to figure out what
she was talking about.  "I don't think so."

"When I was thinking about you..." June stopped and glanced my
way, then went back to watching the waves in the pool, "I thought
about what would happen if someone asked me about it.  Someone
besides my parents."

"Them too," I told her, suddenly a little dizzy.  I really was
crazy!  A single careless moment yesterday and Carolyn could have
messed up my life beyond measure.  A single careless word on my
part, on Susan's, on Sherrie's.  It was simply crazy.

"Oh, they're cool."

"When you were twelve?"  I asked, feeling bitter.

	June lapsed into silence for several seconds.  "Carolyn seems
older.  She is really nice.  When we talk..."  June spread her
hands.  "It's like I'm talking to Mom or Gus."

	Better by far, I thought, you than me.

	How easy by far, not to pay attention to the abyss!  You walk
out and stare into it, and don't notice you're standing on mist!

	I got Susan off to school, Sherrie left and I was alone again
with my thoughts.  About ten I called up my father-in-law and
spoke to him briefly.  Things were in progress, he told me, and
he'd be sending details in the next few days.

	I called the lawyers and talked to them.  Being busy made me
feel better.  When I ran out of things to do, I started working
on packaging the results of the Costco trip.  I was in the middle
of that when the phone rang.

	"Hi, Laura, this is Lou."

	"Hi.  What can I do for you?"

	She laughed, "You already did that!  Thanks, Laura for last
night, what you did for Denise and Carolyn.  I talked to Nancy
this morning and she told me about it."

	"Like I said, it's hard to get an adult to take a time-out. 
Denise needs one."

	"Well, you did good!"  She hung up, and I'd barely put the phone
down when it rang again.

	"Morning, Laura," Marybeth said.  "I have a favor to ask."

	"Sure," I told her.

	"I went to see Denise this morning.  When she was in cheer, I
got to know her well, even if I was doing a lot of traveling on
business."

	I made a socially polite sound.  "I talked to Father Luis.  I
talked to the shrink at the hospital.  Everyone agrees that
Denise needs some extended time off from Terry and Carolyn.  I
invited you for the weekend, and I want you to know I still want
you to come.  Denise is going to be here though; I'm going to put
her up for a couple of weeks."

	I didn't know what to say.  "We met just once and had some
words," I told her, wanting to be honest.

	"Yeah, I think that's part of the problem.  Sometimes people
lose their way, and they don't want to admit it.  When people
remind them, they get angry at the messenger; anything to
distract them from the message."

	I didn't say anything for a second, as I thought it over. 
"Please, Laura, as a favor.  If it doesn't work, it doesn't work.
 We can do the book review another time."

	"You think it will be okay?"  I asked.

	"I do," she said with quiet confidence.

	"Okay."

	"That's my Laura!" she exclaimed, obviously pleased.

	"Can I ask you a question?"

	"Sure, I'll even try to answer it."

	"Elena told me about her parents.  Yet, last night I met Father
Luis.  How is that possible?"

	"Just a second," she said.

There was a moment of silence, and then a familiar male voice
spoke.  "Marybeth says you want to know how a husband and father
can become a different kind of Father."

I was startled.  "Yes."  I was also terribly embarrassed.

"Once upon a time, I was a businessman who spent a dozen hours a
day, six and seven days a week, making things add up.  I had a
wife and a daughter.  A wife who drank too much, and who at first
screamed and shouted at me and at my daughter.  Then she started
hitting Elena.  And me?  I had my own world, one where I didn't
have to see it; I started pushing up my hours.

"One afternoon, I went home, planning on changing clothes,
getting something to eat and hopping a plane to Pittsburgh.  I
found my wife standing over Elena, who lying on the floor,
unconscious and bleeding.  I took exception to it, so I'm told --
but I don't remember.  I remember waking up in the hospital with
the mother of all headaches and a fractured skull.

"They put my wife in jail, Mrs. Hunt."

"Laura, please," I said absently.  This sounded uncannily like
what had happened to Carolyn and her father.

"My wife was sentenced to a year in jail for two counts of
assault and battery.  There were no plea bargains, no nothing. 
She'd hospitalized a sixteen-year-old girl and a forty-something
pillar of the community.

"Some people deal with jail well, most do not.  Some few can't
deal with it at all.  A few days after she started her sentence,
she got into a fight and was knifed to death."

"How did you come to be a priest?"  I asked, curious and
mystified.  Not to mention I was eager to change the subject.

He laughed.  "The Church requires celibacy for our priests when
they are priests.  Not before and not after.  The Papacy has
passed from father to son in the past."

He paused.  "I think I understand a little of what I've heard. 
That Elena told you about her mother... that is, so far as I
know, the first time she's ever done that.  I think you want to
know why, more than how, don't you?"

Why not be truthful?  "Yes," I answered.

"I facilitated my wife's descent into hell for years and years. 
I didn't say anything about her drinking.  I didn't speak out
when she started hitting Elena.  Penance, Laura.  Penance.  Then,
even more than that, I want to help people, help families, avoid
what my daughter, my wife and myself endured."

"Thank you, Father, for being so candid."

"Laura, Denise helped Elena, after she was hurt.  She and all of
the other people like her.  Denise, Nancy, Marybeth all worked to
make my daughter whole again.  I gave up my business; I turned to
the Church.  I make no apologies to anyone, except Elena, for
what I've done since then.  I apologize to Elena every chance I
get, even though she's threatened me with another braining if I
don't stop.  I wasn't there when my daughter needed me.  I wasn't
there for my wife.  It colors my thinking."

"I understand."  I did, too.  "Tell Marybeth I will be there
Friday evening, whenever she wants me there."

"From the expression on her face, I think she wants you now,"
Father Luis said and I nearly choked.  "But, all good things come
to those who wait."

Marybeth and I exchanged goodbyes and I promptly called Children
Services and asked what I had to do get a new caseworker.  Sure
enough, go down, fill out a form and talk to yet another
caseworker.

I got in the car and headed for their office, pausing only to
brush my hair a few times, gather my purse and go out the door. 
Halfway there, I regretted my decision, because I realized I
wasn't wearing a bra.  I glanced down and saw that underneath my
turtleneck, you couldn't really be sure.  I kept going, eager to
get the deed done.

The man who met with me was more polite, his face more controlled
and unrevealing than Sanchez's.  I explained that I'd had several
meetings with the woman and that the chemistry wasn't there.

"Is it because you feel that she isn't going to give you a
favorable recommendation?" he asked towards the end.

I met his eye.  "I haven't discussed with her what she might
recommend.  She hasn't discussed it with me.  I would assume that
if I were to be disqualified for some reason, I would be told
what the reason was and could appeal."

"No decision has been rendered," he looked down at a file folder,
obviously reading.  Then he looked up.

"One item of concern is that you have a three bedroom house.  You
currently have a boarder living with you, as well as your
daughter."

"The boarder is temporary, until she can work something out," I
told him.  "It was my understanding that Amy would not be moving
until after the end of the school year."

"That's true.  I also see a note here that your case worker is
concerned you might allow the young woman to visit her current
foster parents."

"I would accord anyone living in my house all of the rights my
own child has.  To have her own friends, to be able to associate
with them in according to the rules of the house.  Amy would also
be subject to those rules."

"And you're not trying to circumvent the rules?"

"Sir, what I'm interested in is doing the best I can for Amy, as
I would for anyone given into my care.  I fully understand the
responsibilities I have towards the young woman as they've been
described to me.  I have every intention of meeting those
obligations."

He looked at me without expression for a moment, and then turned
back to the folder.  "Carolyn Gamble.  I understand she has
visited with you on several occasions, that she has stayed the
night."

"Yes."  I waved at the folder.  "Her mother is having a difficult
time right now and last night had a break down.  Carolyn's mother
is receiving medical care and observation.  Carolyn is in the
custody of her father."

"Who allowed the situation to develop," I was told.

"Who was powerless to stop what happened," I replied.  "Denise
Gamble has a number of very close friends, people who've been her
friends for decades.  They thought she was working through her
problems.  None of them anticipated what happened."

"You are very glib, Mrs. Hunt."

"I have come here to present you with an issue I think is
important," I told him, my voice level.  "What you choose to do,
of course, is your choice."

I sat still for a few seconds.  A week ago, I'd considered
dropping a nuclear weapon on Linda Kellogg.  Now I was
considering dropping a quite different one on this man and
everyone associated with Children Services.

I decided that was too extreme.  No, there was a better way, a
much better way; I was surprised it hadn't occurred to me before.
 Probably because I'd never cared for lawyers or lawsuit-induced
coercion.

"Do you have anything else substantive, or am I done?"  I asked.

There was a tiny tightening of his eyes.  "No, I have nothing
else."

I got up, thanked him for his time, turned and left.  I reached
my car, and found to my dismay it was a quarter of three.  Worse,
I hadn't programmed the lawyer's phone number into my phone.

I drove home, getting there about three thirty.  Everyone was in
the pool, even Sherrie.  

I waved, then went and called Amy's phone number.  Her mother
picked up and I asked if I could bring a guest by later to talk
with her, her husband and Amy.  She was a little curious, but
agreed.  "Ann, when's Amy's birthday?"

"The thirteenth of May.  She's going to be fifteen.  She was
really looking forward to it, until this..."

"Well then!"  I said, happily.  "Cool!  That's my daughter's
birthday as well.  Let's have a party for both of them!"

"Amy doesn't have that many friends.  Some of the girls on the
cheerleaders," she told me.

I realized that she wasn't aware of Amy's problems with the
cheerleaders, or much of anything else about them.  "Look, we can
talk about it tonight, but one thing I know about teenagers:
invite them to a party and they will come!"

She agreed and I told her I'd be there around eight.  Then I
programmed the law firm's number into my cell phone and called
Devin Hannigan.  He was polite and didn't seem to be fazed with I
asked him to meet me at Amy's.

I explained what I wanted and he was quiet a few seconds before
answering.  "Legally, you have no standing; thus I can't
intervene on your behalf.  What we would have to do is have the
Bowdens retain us for a nominal sum.  A dollar suffices.  You and
the firm would have a side agreement about fees."  He laughed. 
"We do this sort of thing all the time for mob defendants."

I laughed as well.  "Thanks!"  I replied.

We talked a little more about the issue at hand, as I explained
what I'd been told.  When I finished, he was forthright.

"You obviously are interested in knowing the likely outcome."

"Yes."

He chuckled, "Well, that depends on how willing your friends are
to going all out.  If we take this to trial, the odds are about
60-40 in their favor.  While that's good, when you're talking
about CPS possibly breaking up your family, it's not really
acceptable.  No, the way to win is to drop a mention to the
press.  They will be on this sort of story like a swarm of
locusts.  CPS has done a number of stupid things.  Across the
nation, the various state children's welfare agencies have
repeatedly been hammered by their abysmal incompetence."

When he said abysmal, I was reminded of why publicity might not
be welcome.

He went on, "This would become a human interest story.  There are
a lot of people out there who've lost loved ones to cancer, to
any number of causes.  People who would take great umbrage at the
notion that the family of a cancer victim can't adopt a child. 
Really, you can take it to the bank: once this reaches the six
o'clock news, CPS would backtrack by the next day."

He paused and then went on.  "You would probably get approved for
placement the day after that and would have someone assigned to
you right away.  Someone they would be confident you could not
possibly succeed with."

He hung up and I went into the kitchen where Susan and Sherrie
were in the last stages of dinner preparations.  "Susan, this
concerns you too," I told her.  "This concerns both of you, but
you, Sherrie most of all."

"Me?"  Sherrie looked confused.

"I have something I want you to think about.  It is possible
events may move swiftly, so you need to think about it sooner
rather than later.  I realize you aren't paying much in rent; you
paid once, but I don't honestly think I could collect more.  Not
with what's happened."

"It shouldn't affect things," Sherrie said.  "We did start
outside, after all."

She grimaced when she saw my expression.  "Okay, I'm thinking!"

"You have three choices that I see, right now," I told her.  "You
can take my money and either accept it in the spirit it is
offered, or if you want to, take it as a loan.  If you do that, I
will never dun you, never ask for repayment in any form
whatsoever.  The last thing you can do is something else."

"I don't understand," Sherrie said, looking hurt.  "Are you
kicking me out?"

I sighed.  "You are a mature young woman, Sherrie.  You are
capable of living by yourself in an apartment.  If you get an
apartment with a couple of bedrooms, you could have roommates,
who would further cut down on expenses.  The thing is that I need
the room, in case I can get Amy as a foster child.  Or, if they
are bastards, if they send me someone else.  I'm betting they are
bastards, and I'm going to be ready for that.  One thing I need
to do, is be able to look them in the eye and say I have a room
free.  It has nothing to do with what's happened between us. 
Absolutely nothing."

"You're not just saying that?"

"No.  I realize this hasn't been the longest acquaintance in the
world, but I hope you've learned a few things about me.  That I
would never consider this if I had a choice.  My offering to help
you with rent isn't conscience money.  It isn't an attempt to buy
you or pay you off in some way.  Money is something I have scads
of, and if I can use it to help a friend, I will."

"That's a lot of money," Sherrie told me.

"You have no idea, Sherrie.  None.  I could walk down the street
outside, find the single most expensive house around and plop
down the money from my checking account.  And not materially
affect it.  Renting an apartment?"  I just shook my head.

Sherrie looked at me, took a step close and reached out for me. 
I took her and hugged her, a very mutual hug.

When she let go, she looked me right in the eye.  "Can I suggest
something?" she asked.

"Anything, like I said.  I wouldn't do this if I wasn't
desperate."

"Mom, you are so stupid!"  Susan said with a laugh.  "I know what
Sherrie's going to say!"

I looked at Sherrie.  "What are you going to say?"

"Laura -- do it.  Walk out the door; find the biggest, nicest
house for miles around.  Buy it.  Sixty-'leven bedrooms.  A
kitchen the size of a restaurant.  More freezer space than
closets here.  A pool, tennis courts -- just do it."

I opened my mouth to speak and instead emitted something that
sounded like a mouse squeak when the trap closes on it.

I could do that, yes I could.  The question then became, how
fast?

"Let's eat dinner," I told them.  "I have to go out.  Manana will
have to do for a new house."

We'd just sat down when the phone rang, and I went to get it.

"Laura, you are the hardest person to get a hold of!"  Elena told
me.

"It's been a busy day, and it's not over yet."

"Is this about yesterday evening?  I heard about that."

"That and some other things," I told her.

"I want to see you," she said baldly.

"How bad?"  I asked.

"Well... I'd really like to."

"How about tomorrow at five thirty in the morning?  Come swim
with me and a neighbor."

"Is she cute?"

"Yes she is, albeit she's my daughter's age."

"Well, I will stir my lazy bones out of bed in time to be there.
Five thirty?"

"Yep, we're early risers out here in North Scottsdale."

She laughed.  "Okay... see you then."



I shook hands with Jack Bowden, smiled at Ann.  Odd, I thought. 
Two people with the same name -- and personalities as far apart
as night and day.

Jack ushered me in and I looked around.  A nice living room, not
too fancy.  Something someone who has had a lot of medical bills
might have.

"I took the liberty of inviting someone with me, he'll be here in
a minute," I told Jack.  "Before then, I want you to listen to a
proposal I have."

He nodded, but waved his hand, nervous.  "Ann and I need to talk
to you.  Right now Amy is in her room, with her friend Fred."

I nodded.

He looked at me.  "Amy and Fred came to us yesterday.  Amy says
she's gay, so is Fred.  That they've been lovers."  He rushed,
his voice nervous.  I kept my eyes on his, not wanting to look at
Ann.

She surprised me, though.  "Jack told me he wanted to talk to you
about it, Laura."

I looked at her, and for the first time, I saw death.  Not
theoretical, not poetical or metaphorical.  "I told him I'm not
quite gone yet."  She looked pale and weak; I have no idea what
inner strength sustained her.  Then I realized the source of her
strength was in the other room, Fred keeping her company.

"My daughter is gay, Laura."

I met her eyes.  "Is that a problem for you?"  I asked her,
turning the tables, knowing that had been the question behind her
words.

"I want Amy to be happy, right now, I don't care how that comes
about," Ann said.  She looked worse after speaking three
sentences than I'd looked after running up the mountain.

"Ann, choices like that are for our daughters to make.  We can
advise, we can counsel -- but the decision has to be theirs."

"We're afraid it's going to mess things up with CPS," Jack said.
"For both of you."

"It isn't now, nor will it ever be a problem for me.  And that's
the worst case.  I realized something earlier today; I've been
looking at this all wrong.  So have you.  So I invited someone
here tonight who can do something about it."

"Another social worker?"  Jack's voice was filled with disgust.

"No, not that!"  I laughed.

He smiled, and their doorbell rang.  Jack brought Devin in, and
Devin introduced himself.

Jack turned to me.  "A lawyer?"

"Yep, Devin says this will work just like it does for a Mafioso.
You give him a dollar and you're his client.  I will take care of
the fees."

"We can't let you do that," Jack said obstinately.

I laughed.  "Amy has a birthday in a few weeks; so does my
daughter.  I've gotten my daughter something that will set her
friends buzzing for weeks.  If, between now and then, we can get
your status changed, get Amy on the path to being adopted, I
don't care what it costs.  A birthday present, do you
understand?"

"That's a lot of money."

"Jack, my husband was killed on 9/11.  You and everyone else in
the country kicked in tax dollars and charity.  I got a lot of
money from that; if you can't think of it as a present for Amy,
think of it as a refund of taxes and charity."

Ann leaned close to Jack and whispered something in his ear.  He
nodded, and looked at me.  "It's not going to hurt you?"

"No, it's not going to hurt me.  I don't honestly know if I will
be approved at all.  The caseworker they assigned to me hasn't
been helpful.  I went to get her changed today, but I don't know
if they will or not, or if that will prejudice things against me.
 I don't want to take any chances, Jack."

"I'm going to die," Ann said calmly.  "I won't be here to see
Amy's birthday, except by a miracle.  I think I've used up all
the miracles a person can reasonably expect in a lifetime.  You
know they will take Amy as soon as I go into the hospital,
Jack."

"No they won't," Devin told them.  "Laura explained; I didn't
know things were... that close.  The one way I know to make this
100% rock solid is that you need to tell people what's happening
to you.  Go public."

Jack looked uneasy, looking at me.  "What we talked about
earlier..."

I'd already decided that Devin was a lawyer who got things done.
So I simply looked at Devin and elaborated, "The other day, Amy
outed herself to her parents: she's gay.  They're worried that
will affect things."

"Fourteen going on fifteen?"  Devin asked, and Jack nodded.

"I will be calling the news departments personally.  I'll give
them some background.  That will be part of the background. 
Trust me, the media will never, ever, even hint about it.  If
someone gets out of line, the rest will simply make rude
comments; it's just not something people get excited about these
days."

Finally, Jack went to get Amy and Fred.  The two of them came
out, hand in hand, smiling.  They stopped smiling and their hands
fell away when they saw Devin.

We explained things to Amy for the better part of an hour.  Amy
had been reluctant, until she understood that if this worked, she
and Jack would be father and daughter, forever.  Then she started
crying.

Fred, hugged her, and then met my eyes.  "Laura, could I talk to
you?"

I nodded, and we went down the hall and into the kitchen.  

She told me, "I wanted to help, I promised I would.  And I
haven't."  She too was crying.

"Fred, this isn't something you could have thought of, and if you
had, it wouldn't have been something you could ask."

"Amy didn't want to lie to Ann anymore.  She's going to die, Ann
is.  I don't know how I could live if my mom or dad died."

"Fred, the way you live is one day at a time, doing the best you
can.  Grief is necessary, but it can't become your whole life. 
If you couldn't help Amy find a way to stay with Jack and Ann,
now you have another opportunity.  Find a way to help Amy get
through the loss of her mother."

Fred nodded, serious.  "This time, I will!  I promise!  I will!"

Afterwards, Devin convinced me to stop in a restaurant for
coffee.  He simply wanted to repeat to me what he'd told Jack and
Ann.  He was going to start tomorrow; they had to do the same
thing.  Apply for a change of status, apply for adoption.  Call
him as soon as that was done and he'd set the wheels in motion.

"What about Fred?"  I asked him.

"The girlfriend?  A year between them; no harm, no foul.  She
will never come up; I swear it.  The media these days are intent
in rubbing out any social stigma there is about being gay."

"Do you think there's a social stigma in being gay?"  I asked
him.

He shrugged.  "I'm conservative, Laura, like you.  Like you, I
don't think it's my job to tell people how to live their lives. 
I grew up Catholic; I'll leave that 'how to live your life' stuff
to the priests like Father Bustamonte."

I nodded, finished my coffee and went home.

Odd, I'd dreamt of Raul several times; had masturbated once
thinking about him.  Devin was, I thought, being gentle and
subtle, letting me know he was available.  But I wasn't
interested, even a little.

Instead of masturbating, I went and kissed Susan, wishing her a
pleasant night's sleep; one she was well started on.  I peeked in
on Sherrie.  She had a big smile on her face, and her were hands
still between her legs, even asleep.  I left her with those
dreams and crashed myself.



I was surprised when I awoke easily the next morning, well before
my usual time.  I felt refreshed, my head was clear and I felt
alive and vibrant.  I had to smile at that.  Usually, I didn't
have any coffee after about eight in the evening; afraid I'd be
jittery half the night.  Maybe I should try a late night cup more
often?

I went outside and ran the skimmer over the pool; it didn't take
but a few minutes.  June arrived through the side gate, and a few
seconds later Elena came along too.

"I saw someone going through here," Elena told me.  "I had a kind
of dread about knocking on someone's door at this time of the
morning."

"Not a problem," I told her.  "Elena Bustamonte, this is June
Wheeler, a neighbor who likes to swim.  And vice-versa, June. 
Elena is a friend."

June was in her modest two-piece suit, I'd put on something
similar, and Elena was wearing a flashy one-piece suit, one with
a lot of colors.  June dove in, then Elena, and I came last.

If it had been hopeless before, now it was terribly hopeless. 
Elena challenged June, who responded by speeding up.  When I
reached the end of the pool and turned, they were already on
their way back.  I contented myself with keeping out of their way
as they flew through laps.  I pulled myself up on the steps and
sat on the edge of the pool and watched them.

There was no doubt about it.  Elena might be very fit, but June
was just faster.  And, as I watched, I could see that it was on
the turns that June gained the most.  When she pushed off she
would pick up four or five feet on Elena.  Finally Elena came out
of the water and sat next to me.

The next time June was down at our end of the pool, Elena called
out, "No mas!"  June smiled and kept going another full lap.

When June sat down next to me, Elena laughed again.  "Goodness! 
Where did you learn to swim like that?"

"My coach is amazing," June told her.  "I like diving too, but
not as much as I like to swim."

June looked Elena right in the eye.  "In two years, coach says
I'll be ready to try out for the Olympics.  I might have a shot
at being on the team."

Which was, no doubt, why she was here early in the morning, and
often, later in the day.  And she almost certainly spent time
being coached.  Nope, not cheerleading, but then, cheerleading
wasn't an Olympic sport.

It was a little after six, and I went inside and roused Susan. 
Elena was sitting at the dining room table when Susan came out,
and I introduced them.  Elena held up her phone.  "Could I invite
Nancy and Marybeth to coffee this morning?"

"Sure," I told her.  "I have about an hour or so before I have to
get Susan to school."

A while later the two arrived.  Susan excused herself and went
into her room.

"It's good," I told them, "that you came."  I explained about Amy
and what was going to happen.

"You're sure that Amy's orientation won't go public?"  Nancy
asked.

"Yes," I told her.  "I know you like to consult and all, but I
didn't know how close Ann Bowden is to death.  I want to hit this
as hard as I can.  I was going to talk to Marybeth first thing
this morning, and you, Nancy, hopefully later this morning."

Nancy glanced at Marybeth who had been silent.

"What do you think, Marybeth?" I asked, a little nervous.

"I think your lawyer is right; the media wouldn't touch Amy's
sexual orientation with a ten-foot pole.  But it's given me
pause, and I think it's something we need to think about.  We
were going down the wrong track, weren't we Nancy?"

Nancy nodded.

"You know what else I think?" Marybeth went on, "I think in the
past girls remained loyal because there was a social stigma
attached to being gay.  That stigma is nearly gone, and what
little that's left is mostly with people my generation and older.
 The girls aren't worried about someone finding out they're gay,
not anymore.  Since it doesn't matter that much, they've started
pushing.

"I think," Marybeth concluded, "that it's been staring us in the
face, and we were so pleased at becoming more accepted that we
lost track of the long term consequences.  Now, I think the idea
of a cooling it for a while has definitely arrived.  We need to
think this through.  And then think some more."

"I've been doing that.  Particularly after what happened with
Carolyn, but even before," I admitted.

"You're sure you don't mind Denise this weekend?" Marybeth
asked.

"No, I don't mind," I told her.  "I want to help Lou and her camp
this summer; I was thinking it would be a good idea to learn how
to make an adult take a time-out."

All three women smiled.  Marybeth turned to Elena.  "You've been
quiet, what do you think?"

"You know me, Marybeth.  I never had a problem with making love
to you or Nancy.  Or anyone else.  I never thought you were
taking advantage of us.  I think if anyone ever did, the girls
would see it and it would stop, very quickly."  She nodded at the
door Susan had left through.  "Laura has a very cute daughter!"

"Doesn't she!" Nancy agreed.  We all laughed again.  "I'm going
to have to get to school," Nancy told us then.

"And I want to go make a few phone calls," Marybeth added. 
"Prepare a little coordination with your lawyer.  Devin Harrigan,
you said?"

"Yes."

"I know him slightly," Marybeth stated, "I will see what I can do
to help."

They left, and I looked at Elena. "Could I wait here until you
come back after taking your daughter to school?" she asked.

"Sure, make yourself at home," I told her.

I was half way to Susan's school when I saw a "For Sale" sign in
a yard, which reminded me I wanted to go house hunting.

"Are you sure you're okay with moving again?" I told Susan.  She
looked at me, obviously surprised.  "Not far, but into something
larger.  More bedrooms."

"Like I said, sure.  I don't want to change schools."

"No, that wouldn't happen," I told her.  "Let me see what's
available."

"It's got to have a pool!" Susan added.

When I got back, Elena was sitting on the couch in the living
room, dressed again.

I smiled and she got up.  "Laura, I keep getting these mixed
vibes.  From you, from me."

"About us?"  I asked and she nodded agreement.

I stepped close, and reached out and stroked her face.  "Elena,
I've had a lot of sex in the last few weeks.  More than I ever
imagined having, with people I would never have imagined I'd be
with.  I look at you and see someone I wish I'd been.  I cruised
through life, Elena.

"I never had to worry about anything.  I was smart, I got good
grades in school, I met a nice guy and married him, the sex was
great, having a daughter was icing on the beautiful cake.  I was
on autopilot throughout my life.  I wasn't thinking at all about
what I was doing.

"The other day I talked about starting my own business and my
father-in-law made a comment that it was about time; that I was
wasting a perfectly good MBA.  At the time I was sort of
dismissive; I thought being a mother was as worthy a thing as
having an MBA.

"Now, I've looked around.  My husband is dead, killed by people
who can't tolerate our nation.  I'm not a warrior, out to avenge
him, but I think it's time to do something more with my life than
cruise.  So, I'm fighting for Amy.  I'm fighting for Carolyn. 
The lawyer says that the children's services people are going to
dump the foster-kid-from-hell on me.

"I want to spend the summer helping out at a summer camp and next
fall I want to do something for the scrubs.  Particularly those
girls who were turned away because they aren't gay."

"You're saying getting involved with you means getting involved
with all that," Elena said evenly.

"Pretty much."

"Laura, a hundred and fifty years ago our country was divided
over slavery.  We ended up fighting a war to emancipate the
slaves.  I don't want to have to fight a war so that I can be
sexually emancipated.  My dad thinks what I do is a sin.  He has
the weight of two thousand years of church doctrine behind him. 
I have the weight of less than a century and a half and we still
haven't settled civil rights in this country.

"I'm going to teach.  I'm going to teach kids that they have to
look at history, old and new.  That they have to make up their
own minds, regardless of the weight of doctrine on either side. 
Because if people are forced into having to agree, no matter
which side forces them, they will have resentments for hundred
and fifty or two hundred years too.  I don't want that for any
children I might have, or anyone else has."

"So, you're saying that you don't mind getting stuck with my
problems, either," I said.

She laughed.  "Pretty much."

I closed the last distance between us, stroking her cheek again.
"I very much want to make love to you," I told her.  "But it has
to be on your schedule."

She quirked a smile.  "Now's good for me."

I kissed her, mildly amazed how easy it was to do something, once
you've made up your mind.  Her tongue came into my mouth as she
came into my arms.  I kissed her hard, and that's the way she
kissed me.  I could feel the strength in her arms, feel the play
of her muscles under my hands.  I wouldn't have thought those
sexy -- not until I experienced it, and then it was definitely
sexy.

The next thing I knew, I was sitting on the couch, my jeans
around my ankles and Elena was licking and kissing my clit.  I
sighed with pleasure as she brought me higher and higher.

The last thing I remember before she pushed me over the edge was
the time with Carolyn and her shy touching me between my legs, as
she tried to pleasure me.  She hadn't done much for me, but I
hadn't minded because I knew she was inexperienced.  Sure, I
pleasured Carolyn and she'd liked it, but more than ever, I
wanted her to find the joy of sex with someone a lot closer to
her own age.

Then I stopped thinking and just relaxed as a very skilled woman
made love to my clit and vagina with her tongue.

And when I was thoroughly relaxed by that, she moved, presenting
me with her pussy, and I showed her I'd learned a few things in
my few weeks of practice.  I wasn't the expert she was, but the
sighs and gasps told me that I was skillful enough.

And then we were kissing again, and after a second, Elena's
kisses wandered over my cheek, and her tongue sought out my ear.
"I would never have imagined you shaved," she whispered.

"Like that, do you?" I asked, only mildly kidding.

"Oh, yes!  I have a feeling what Marybeth was talking about this
morning means that being with the young girls isn't going to be
something we can do much longer.  I, for one, am going to miss
that."

I lifted an eyebrow and Elena laughed and nodded.  "When I was a
senior, there was a very cute wannabe who showed up to the
retreat.  I did everything I could to entice her into bed.  Oh
my!  Was that ever good!"

She ran her fingers over my bare pubes, sliding her middle finger
between the folds of my pussy lips.  "I was looking to grow up
just like Nancy or Marybeth.  Like you, now that I've met you."

I looked at her for a moment, and then asked quietly.  "And if my
daughter came in just now, horny and looking -- would you try to
entice her?"

Elena giggled.  "Yep!  A cute girl!"  She looked at me seriously.
 "I'm looking for a relationship, a long term, stable
relationship.  But just because I'm on a diet, doesn't mean I'm
going to pass up the occasional tasty chocolate mousse."

"I started off with mildly cold feet and that quickly warmed in
the Arizona sun," I told her.  "The last couple of days have sent
a chill up and down my spine.  But I'm never going to have an
easy time saying no, not if someone I like asks please."

"I'm not saying it will happen, but just so you know.  I was one
of the first girls to bring a friend to go down on Nancy while
she was going down on me," she told me.

I met her eye.  "I'm not sure that will ever happen, either. 
Marybeth seemed to enjoy someone watching, but I hardly
noticed."

Elena smiled, and I saw her looking at my pussy once again.  "I
was thinking, maybe I should shave too.  Would you help?"

"If you'd like," I told her.

Elena sat on the edge of the tub, and like Sherrie had done for
me, I very carefully shaved her.  When I was finished, I could
tell from the moisture between Elena's legs that she was very
aroused.  She dragged me by the hand back to bed, and then,
telling me to trust her, positioned me, then moved herself.

She was lying with her head pointing one way, and mine the other,
our pussies in contact.  I found my clit could touch hers, and
the mutual stimulation was wildly erotic.  Then we began to move
as if we were men, making love to our partner, rubbing our
vaginal lips together.

It was a very different way of lovemaking, and after we both had
orgasms, I had no trouble at all falling asleep, our arms wrapped
around each other.

<1st attachment end>


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