Chapter 10
I awakened several times in the next while, usually when the wind was gusting strongly enough that the howling noise it made in the eaves was really loud. Each time, I'd glance over at Lisa-Marie who was laying on my left arm, checking by the light from the little night light on the wall to see if she was still asleep. Each time she was sleeping soundly and breathing deeply with a soft sigh that verged on a snore. So each time, I'd fall asleep again quite easily.
However one time I awakened and although I could feel Lisa-Marie still lying on my arm and still breathing with the same soft sigh, something was different. Almost instantly, I realised that the night light was out and it was pitch black in the room. Then I felt a chilly draft near my feet and up to my waist and to top it off, a soft hand was gently stroking my semi-hard cock. What the hell? Was I dreaming? Then I jerked in surprise as it felt like warm wet lips kissed the tip of my glans, then slid over it and down onto my shaft, all the while sucking gently.
I moaned softly, and the lips paused. At that second I realised that I was really awake.
Someone was giving me a blowjob!
For several seconds I lay there in sheer astonishment. Then my rational mind kicked in, I couldn't let this happen. if Lisa-Marie was still sleeping on my arm, then it had to be either Andy or Fran. It just couldn't be real, I had to be dreaming.
I mean, would either of them really come and give me a blowjob? Oh come on, sure they were both extremely friendly, but a blowjob? Especially while Lisa-Marie was in the same bed with me? My sleep fuzzed mind puzzled away and I didn't know.
Oh! My, but it felt good.
My mind wandered and I wondered was this real? I knew I should say something, do something, but . . . If it was real, who was it?
If it was either Andy or Fran, which one would it be, and how could I tell in the near total darkness? All I had to do was reach out to touch her hair and I was sure that I could tell who it was. But, in order for her to be giving me a blowjob, she had to be under the blankets. With one arm pinned under Lisa-Marie and the other on top of the covers, would she hold still long enough for me to shift a hand under the blanket? I thought not.
As my mind churned, the seconds passed and the desires of my body grew stronger then took charge. I realised that I didn't want to have whoever it was stop what she was doing. If I spoke up, if I touched her, if I did anything, I was certain she would stop. Yet, didn't I want to know who it was?
No! It felt too good to stop her. No matter who it was, I'd reached the point where I didn't care. I just wanted her to carry on.
Oh what a marvellous sensation. Her tongue was swirling, dancing, and all the time she was stroking gently with that hand. She was good at this, really good, wonderful in fact.
It had to be Fran because she was old enough and experienced enough to give a blowjob in this class, but then I thought about those lips that felt so young and fresh. Perhaps it was Andy, she was old enough to have some experience and she'd had a boyfriend. I wondered if Fred was a huge blowjob fan, if he was Andy might have a lot of experience. However at the same time, Fran was amazingly well preserved for a woman of her age, perhaps her lips were that soft?
I just didn't know. Did I want to stop her and lose the delightful sensations just to find out for sure, or did I?
No! Let her finish, then grab her arm, or turn on a light, or something. I wanted to know who it was, but . . .
Ohmigod! I was so close, just a little more and . . .
Oh damn, I'd been almost there and she was slowing down, pausing, pulling her lips away. She'd known I was nearing my climax, which proved she was quite experienced, but that didn't help me to guess who it was. All it did was make me realise that she knew what she was doing and she was teasing me. I was sighing softly, breathing through my mouth. She had to know I was awake. Yet after a several seconds, she was going back for more. Her lips were around me, then her tongue danced and teased again. I moaned softly and she paused as if to warn me to be quiet. I forced my mouth closed and resisted the impulse to shout loudly.
She started to move again. Oh damn, she was good!
I wanted to shout, wanted to thrust, wanted relief and yet once more she took me up and up and I was almost, almost, then . . .
She paused.
This time I was still in her mouth, waiting, holding my breath in anticipation. I just knew she was going to start again at any instant and yet she didn't. I'm not sure that she even breathed.
Then I was sucked inward, hard, deep. I was in her throat. She paused. Her head slowly lifted and her lips traced a path upward. All the while she was sucking lustily. It felt like she was drawing me inside out, drawing against my whole being, even my brain felt light headed. She paused, still sucking. Then her mouth opened and she lifted away.
I heard a sound. Someone was whimpering. Ohmigod, it was me!
I was going crazy!
I needed relief now!
I had to come!
I wanted to beg, but if I spoke, would she simply stop and leave? My body was quivering in anticipation. This was almost past the point of a simple tease. It was verging on torment. I could feel her breath as it flowed over my wet shaft, cooling it, yet that too was a tease.
Then her mouth touched me again, her tongue, her hand. Once more she took possession of my hard shaft. Once more she teased and kissed my tender glans. Then once more, I was sucked inward.
Suddenly I felt her tempo change and it seemed that somehow she was raising my desire even higher, drawing it upward, driving my body to the point of release.
And it was happening fast.
I was surprised to find myself ready so quickly and I exploded. She swallowed. Again. Then again. Then another time. Then one final time and I was empty, so empty that I ached. It felt like I'd emptied my whole body into her mouth.
All of my energy was simply gone and I felt like a rag doll. I'd been tense and now I sagged, worn out, exhausted.
Her mouth lifted, then her hand, the bed shifted as her weight moved, then the blankets settled back down against my flesh. She was leaving and I didn't know who it was. I tried to hear, hoping to judge who it was by her footsteps, but there was no sound of movement.
I groaned again. Now I really was frustrated. I'd just had the best blowjob ever and I didn't even know who to thank.
Then there was a tiny sound, right near my head. A hand was pressed down on my arm, pining it where it was and I felt someone breathe on my cheek. Lips touched my forehead in a gentle kiss, then my arm was free. Without a sound, whoever it was gone, a phantom of the night.
Although I listened closely, I heard nothing. Just the sound of the wind outside and Lisa-Marie still breathing softly and deeply as she slept at my side.
My body was satiated, replete, utterly exhausted. Even though I had done almost nothing, I was so tired that I was unable to hold my eyes open or even think coherently.
I slept.
I awakened to Lisa-Marie's bright blue eyes staring deep into mine.
"Hi Tom. Wow, were you ever sound asleep." She smiled at me. "And look at me, no pills and although I still hurt, it's nowhere near what I usually feel. Actually I don't hurt that much at all, I'm only a little uncomfortable and all I did was drink some of Fran's tea. I think she's a genius. We have to treat her awfully nice."
Looking at her glowing face I was happy for her and yet . . . in that same instant I remembered the blowjob and I knew I had to tell her about it. I was even certain that I had to tell her as soon as possible, but what would she do? What would she say?
"What's wrong Tom?" She caught some essence of my inner turmoil, some look that passed over my face, something that made her realise that I was worried or upset.
"Unh, we had a ghost in bed with us last night." I managed to mutter.
"A ghost? What do you mean?" She smiled broadly. "What kind of a ghost?"
"I guess it was a succubus." I sighed softly. "You know, a sexual ghost. A predator of sorts. Someone who took what she wanted, then disappeared."
"Oh come on! Pull my other leg." She snorted, on the verge of laughter. "Are you trying to tell me that you got screwed? With me sleeping right here, right next to you?"
"No, but I got a blow job that was damn near out of this world." I said shortly.
"Oh come on, you're kidding, right?" She looked astonished now
"No, I'm not. Someone was here last night and gave me a blowjob, a real humdinger that caught me completely by surprise." I sighed deeply, knowing that I might as well go all the way. "By the time my head realized what was going on, my body was telling my mouth to shut up. So I lay here and let it happen. In fact, I may as well admit it. I lay here and enjoyed it."
There, I'd admitted everything, well everything that counted. Now I waited on tenterhooks to see what she'd do. She sat there and stared at me for long seconds, her eyes literally not blinking for several seconds. Then she astonished me by giggling and lifting the covers.
"Want me to check it out for lip prints?" She snorted, again on the verge of laughter. "Maybe we should wipe it down for DNA?"
"Oh be serious." I growled, suddenly annoyed at her frivolous attitude after I'd been so worried.
"I am being serious Tom." She suddenly sounded different, much more serious. "I know it had to have been either Andy or Fran, and I wouldn't put it past either one of them to do it, they both like you that much. But you know what, I can't see that they've done any damage, and if you hadn't told me, I'd never have known about it. Besides, I like them both and as long as they aren't interfering with my sex life, why should I worry? So just tell me, if I'm not worried, why should you be worried?"
"I don't know? I suppose because it might happen again?"
"I doubt that somehow." She sighed. "I think it was probably a spur of the moment thing that just happened. You aren't going to try to find out who it was are you?"
"Well why not?"
"Because if you do, you'll embarrass the one who did it and make the other one jealous." She grinned. "Trust me, Buddy, both of them would do that, and a lot more, if they thought they could do it without hurting our relationship or their friendship with us."
"Oh come on now. You mean I'm supposed to just let it go?" I stared at her in astonishment.
"Unh huh." She nodded her head vigorously, then she giggled. "If you're real lucky, it might even happen again. If it does, I promise that I'll try not to wake up and if I do, I'll try to be quiet."
"Dammit woman, you're making it sound like you want me to screw around."
"No Honey, not really, but I do love you an awful lot and I know you love me just as much." Her face had a tiny frown as she looked at me seriously. "The thing is, you care deeply for people and your care for others spills over onto those who are close to you and simply inundates them. You love them all, just not in the same way that you and I love each other."
She shrugged her shoulders and smiled slightly. "You seem to have a knack of helping others and making them feel better about themselves. So if one of my friends wants to say thank you so badly that she sneaks in a blowjob, how can I be jealous?"
"I don't understand you." I sighed. "I thought you'd be mad. Mad at me and mad at whoever did it."
"No, I'm a bit disappointed, but not in you. As far as you're concerned, I know how you get when my lips touch 'Big Johnny,' so I can discount you not waking me as being natural for a man." She sighed. "I'm disappointed that someone thought they had to sneak around instead of letting me know beforehand, so I could be sure not to disturb things."
"Just like that? You'd have gone along with the idea?"
"Well, maybe? Who knows?" She rolled her eyes. "You know how I get. It would probably depend on how I was approached."
"Yeah." I sighed. "I guess I do know you."
I reached out and wrapped her in my arms, hugging her tightly.
"Just do me a favour would you?" I whispered.
"What's that?" She turned her face until her lips were inches from mine.
"Let me know and leave me a way out if it ever happens?" I murmured softly.
"Spoilsport." She giggled, then her lips met mine.
I quietly wondered exactly why Lisa-Marie acted like this. Whatever it was, she was certainly acting strangely compared to how I was used to her being. I made up my mind to talk to Fran about it later.
Not long later I stared out the bedroom window at the dismal day and hoped the snowplow would soon pass. Lisa-Marie and I went downstairs not long afterward to join Andy and Fran in the kitchen. As we all said 'Good Morning,' I watched both of their faces to see if I could see any clue of who'd been my midnight visitor, but both of them seemed completely normal.
"How are you two this morning?" Fran asked.
"I'm doing okay, better than yesterday. How are you?" Lisa-Marie asked.
"Fine. I like visiting this house again. I've got some great memories of Silas and me. So last night I let them play over in my head until I fell asleep, then had great dreams to go along with them." Fran smiled. " How did you sleep Tom?""
"Not as good as you." I sighed. " The wind was so strong last night that I was woken several times. One time I woke up wide awake, and for a while I thought I was going to get blown away."
"Oh Tom." Lisa-Marie elbowed me in the ribs, then shook her head slowly as if in disgust.
"Well, the wind didn't keep me awake last night, I just snuggled down under the covers and let great memories take over." Fran smiled, seeming to miss the double entendre - or ignoring it - or did she?
"I slept okay, I guess. I did hear the wind howling, but I just pulled the covers over my head and hoped it would blow itself out." Andy shrugged her shoulders with a small smile. "Now what would everyone like for breakfast besides a cup of coffee?"
Okay, so my broad hint hadn't gained me any clues. I had to admit it, I was frustrated, either the woman was better at double entendre than I was or simply bluffed exceptionally well. I had hoped that even without trying hard I'd find out who it was, but I didn't. Almost an hour later, when Lisa-Marie had gone back to lie down in bed and Andy had gone back upstairs for some reason as well, I talked to Fran about Lisa-Marie.
"What was it you said the other doctor was giving her medication for? Was it called bipolar disorder, or something like that?" I asked quietly. "Just what was it you said about mood swings?"
"I don't think that's Lisa-Marie's problem." Fran frowned. "Bipolar disorder involves massive and rapid mood swings, from extreme happiness and energy to extreme depression and lethargy. I haven't seen her really in either phase as far as I can tell, but I'm going to be spending all week with her. I might be able to tell you more by the weekend, but I can't now."
"Okay." I sighed. "I've just been remembering things and I think she's changing. Like, she used to be extremely jealous and now she's anything but. I find that sort of weird."
"Did you ever think that perhaps she's simply realised that you love her as much as she loves you and she knows that she can trust you to be there for her?"
"I suppose that could be it." I shrugged. "It's just that at times she seems to go overboard with her trust, like the other day when she told Andy that she could come stay here. Andy was wound up and frustrated, and I just wasn't prepared for it."
"I don't understand, you seem to have handled it well enough." She looked concerned.
"Maybe, I don't know." I sighed heavily. "It's just that Lisa-Marie seems different somehow. Maybe it's because she has a place of her own and everything now, but she's changing."
She smiled at me and reached out her hand to rest it on my arm.
"Did you stop to think that you're probably changing too? Now you have a farm and responsibilities that you didn't have before." Her arm lifted and she gestured around in a brief arc. "All of this is yours now, but it still carries the feeling to you of your Uncle Silas. You're being reminded of him every hour of every day that you're here, but gradually I think you're going to get comfortable with that. For now though, I'll bet every decision you make, you ask yourself what Silas would have done, don't you?"
"I guess." I nodded. "I don't often listen too hard to the answer though. I am making my own decisions - after I consult with Lisa-Marie. What's worrying me is that I'm wondering about her answers at times."
"Ah. Which decisions are you worried about? Decisions about the house, the farm, money, what?"
"None of those really. It's more the personal decisions. Between us and between friends. I really don't want to say too much." I admitted.
"So, since you're telling me anything at all, I imagine this concerns Andy?"
"Mostly, but it might concern you too." I shrugged. "I have to say that it's darn personal in some ways and I really don't want to go into it at the moment."
"Alright, I'll respect that." She sighed in resignation. "But you do realise that now I'm curious and I'm bound to be looking for things that might give me answers."
I shrugged my shoulders, then jumped as the telephone rang. It was Willy's dad, calling me to let me know that one of his neighbours had called to say that the snowplow was on our road and would be coming past soon. I thanked him before I hung up then I hurried to get ready to head for school for the week. I didn't want to wait too long after the plow had passed to leave because I wanted to drive the road before the wind had a chance to drift it over again.
It didn't take me long to get ready, in fact it took longer to say goodbye to Lisa-Marie, Andy and Fran than it did for me to pack. Then all I had to do was get the pickup out of the shed and get it ready to go and for that, I only had to move a few things from my car to the pickup. While I was at it, I decided to park the car in the old shed, then it would be out of the weather. In the long run, it was almost a half hour before I was able to drive out of the yard and follow the snowplow down the road.
I didn't enjoy that trip. There was too much on my mind and the weather really wasn't all that good so I was on edge the whole distance. On top of that, I was driving a vehicle that I'd never driven before. Before I'd driven far, I had to admit it was a darn good truck and I liked the way it handled, even in the snow.
Once I got near the college, I remembered that I hadn't called that salesman about the car and about deciding not to trade it off. I looked at my watch and decided that I had time to do that and still make it to the college lunchroom in time to eat lunch and then get to my first afternoon class. Instead of stopping at the college, I headed straight for the car lot.
As I drove up and parked, I saw the same salesman pulling on his coat through the showroom window. I got out of the truck and hurried inside to save him from having to go out into the cold.
"Well, hello." He said, recognising me. "With the weather like this, I didn't expect to see you this afternoon, but it looks like you found a truck already."
"Yeah, I'm sorry to have to say that I'm keeping the car after all. I just thought I'd let you know as soon as I could."
"Well, like I said, when the weather socked in, I warned the people that you probably wouldn't be here this afternoon, so cancelling them won't be a problem. Can I ask how much that truck cost?"
"I couldn't say. I inherited it." I answered truthfully. "When I was looking for a pickup, I didn't realise that it was parked in one of the old sheds on some property I'd inherited."
"I see." He smiled wryly, then sighed softly. "Well, thanks for letting me know."
"Yeah, sorry about costing you a sale." I smiled, then turned and headed back to the truck.
After hurrying back to have lunch at the college, I found that afternoon classes had been cancelled because the instructor was snowed in at home. So instead of going to class, I spent that afternoon getting my parking registration changed over to the truck, then went to my room and spent the rest of the day studying. In the early evening, I did call home to let everyone know I'd made the trip okay and that I liked the truck. Andy took the call because Lisa-Marie was resting again, so we didn't talk long.
Nothing special happened at school over that week. I'd go to class during the day, then study most of the evening. The highlight of each day was calling home at night and finding out what the women had been doing. Of course when we were talking on the phone, I'd get to thinking about the way Lisa-Marie had been acting and I'd start to wonder and worry a bit, but I didn't really want to ask too many questions on the phone. After the call, I'd brew up one of Fran's cups of herbal tea before going to bed. It actually seemed to calm me and I was sleeping well, even if my dreams were a bit vivid. Twice that week I awakened in the middle of the night, imagining that midnight blowjob again.
Those nightly phone calls kept me posted and I actually liked knowing what was going on with the gals at the farm. It seemed that on Monday and Tuesday, Lisa-Marie spent most of the day sleeping and Fran spent most of the day teaching Andy about herbs. Wednesday, they went into town so that both Lisa-Marie and Andy could see the doctor. By Thursday, Lisa-Marie was feeling great, but hadn't heard back from the doctor. As well, she admitted that she was chomping on the bit for me to come home the next night. Friday afternoon I had an extra bit of work to do at school, so I started for home a bit late, but I was still planning on being there for supper.
The roads were a lot better because we were having a chinook and it was melting the snow, so I made great time on that trip. When I pulled into the yard there were two jeeps parked next to Lisa-Marie's car, and seeing the second one, I wasn't surprised to hear men's voices when I opened the door and walked inside.
Lisa-Marie saw me the moment the door opened and made a running leap toward me that meant I had to catch her in midair. The instant her lips met mine I knew she was feeling better. Actually, it was a couple of minutes before she let me come up for air. After she slid to her feet and moved back to make room, I was hugged and kissed more decorously by Andy. Then I even got hugged by Fran who steered me toward the kitchen table.
Two of the largest men I'd ever seen were sitting there. Each of them must have weighed three hundred pounds and I doubt if an ounce of that was fat. As we moved toward them, they both stood up and I looked up at two smiling faces, surrounded by more hair than I thought it was decent for any man to have. Each of them had a huge bushy beard and long hair done up in a pony tail.
"Tom, meet my sons. David, on the left, is the oldest and Samson, on the right, is the younger." Fran introduced them.
"Hi Tom." The giant on the left held out his hand. "Glad to make your acquaintance."
"Hello David." I was astounded that his grip was quite gentle.
"I understand that you're a lot like your uncle and I sure liked him." He said politely in an astoundingly quiet voice. "Mom speaks highly of you too, so if you need a hand, give us a call."
"Thank you."
He released my hand and I turned to take Samson's hand.
"Hello Tom." The second colossus spoke just as quietly. "I notice you don't have a dog around the place. Would you like a pup or two? I just had a bitch litter and if you want any, you can have your pick of that litter."
"I've seen your dogs." I grinned. "They remind me of you two, big and hairy."
Both of the men suddenly developed huge grins and broke into loud laughter at being compared to their dogs. Their laughter reminded me of thunder, deep and rumbling.
"Best burglar alarm you can buy." David guffawed.
"Probably the best anti-theft device, actually." Samson differed. "Knock the thief down and keep him there until you let him up."
"Yep, Mom says it'll be two months before you move here permanently, by then they'll be weaned and house broke." David added
"I'm not sure they'd suit this place, it's not big enough, all we've got is a section of land." I grinned. "Besides I don't think we could afford to feed something that big if it didn't make us a profit."
"Oh come on, you need a dog. Best insurance policy you ever got for nothing." Samson argued.
"Wait a minute, those are purebreds aren't they?"
"Yep, for anyone else they're at least five hundred bucks. For you, no charge. You can consider a couple of them as part of the payment for that little herb patch we're renting from you." David grinned.
"I'll have to think about it." I smiled, then turned to Lisa-Marie. "The dogs they're talking about are almost as big as small Shetland ponies. Do you think we want one of those around here?"
"I was thinking of a Border Collie." Lisa-Marie smiled. "But if they want to give you a dog as a gift? Look guys, would you mind if I come down to visit one time and see what they're like? I wouldn't want something that would scare me or anything."
"You're welcome to come down to see us and the dogs anytime. Anytime at all." David smiled at her and then glanced at his watch. "Sam, we need to go soon or we'll be late for the game."
"You aren't staying for something to eat?" I asked.
"Oh no, we just stayed long enough to meet you. We've got seasons tickets to see the Flames and they're playing Edmonton tonight. We can't miss that." Samson grinned at me. "You're welcome to come along if you want, that is if these ladies will let you go."
"No way!" Lisa-Marie protested vehemently. "I already told you that, so don't go putting ideas in his head."
"Be good Samson." Fran laughed softly.
"Well, if not tonight, you can make it another night." David laughed and grabbed my hand again. "Now, we really to have to run if we're going to get there in time."
Samson was hugging his mother and then he shook my hand as David moved toward her. I noticed that both of them politely said goodbye to both Lisa-Marie and Andy. I did notice that Samson took Andy aside and spoke to her quietly for a second while David was talking to Lisa-Marie and his Mom. Then with one final wave of their hands, they were gone.
Ten minutes later we were sitting down to eat in a kitchen that felt larger without the two huge men in it. As we sat down Lisa Marie looked at me and grinned.
"So, tell us about your week." She bubbled. "Then we can tell you about ours."
"Well, I really don't have much to tell you." I shrugged. "I told you all of my news on the phone. I don't think talking about my classes would do anything but bore you. Instead why don't you tell me about your week?"
"Well, we've told you most of our news too. Except for today." She grinned. "The doctor called. He doesn't think I have a bipolar disorder, instead he thinks I simply have a chemical imbalance that causes an increase in my libido."
"And increase in your libido? Isn't that like saying that you're a nympho?" I stared at her in surprise.
"No, but at times it feels like it." She blushed as she giggled.
Fran was laughing loudly and even Andy was giggling.
"Poor Tom, his fiancée is too easily aroused." Fran teased me. "Most men can only dream about something like that."
"Oh man." I complained as I felt my face grow more flushed. "Jeez Lisa-Marie. You would bring this up at the table with everyone here."
"Sorry but I think it should be out in the open." She giggled. "The doctor warned me that it would probably affect everyone around me, so I already told Andy and Fran."
"It affects others?" I glanced around the table at each face.
"Umm hmm." Fran laughed softly. "That's why I'm going home tonight. I've been noticing that I feel a lot different since Wednesday and I think I need to get away."
I just stared at her and then at Lisa-Marie for a minute, finally my eyes shifted to Andy. It was her turn to blush and she lowered her eyes as she concentrated on cutting up the meat on her plate.
"The doctor gave me the results of my tests today too. He said the official papers won't be here until next week or maybe later." She said quietly.
"You mean the tests about your pregnancy? I thought you knew that already?"
"Oh, I knew that and he told me on Wednesday that he thought I was doing fine." She lifted her eyes and looked at me. "The results he was talking about were from a week ago. I had him test me for STD's because I found out that Fred was screwing around. He knew I was real worried and he didn't think it was good for me since I was pregnant, so I think he pulled some strings to get the results early."
"And?" I asked when she paused.
"I'm clean." She lifted her head and smiled at me. "I do have to go back and get tested again in a couple of months, just in case, but he thinks I got off lucky."
"I'm glad you don't have any problems with that." I nodded.
Then for a few minutes, I concentrated on eating. I was wondering just what was going on, but I didn't want to broach the idea that had intruded into my mind. I really didn't think that Lisa-Marie and Andy had reached some sort of agreement about sharing, yet that seemed to be what I felt they were suggesting.
I didn't know just what I thought of that and I was going over it in my mind as I ate. I was certain in a way that all of this stuff going on because Andy and Fran were in the house. Both of them were there because we'd made friends with Andy through Willy and then because Fred had been such an asshole toward Andy. If that hadn't happened, then I didn't think we'd have been sitting here like this and I wouldn't be wondering just what was going on.
My thoughts were interrupted when Fran reached over and touched my arm.
"Tom, wake up. Lisa-Marie asked you a question."
"Oh! I'm sorry" I apologised, then I fibbed a bit. "When Andy was talking about getting those tests, I was thinking of all the implications of the crap that Fred caused. I'm afraid my mind was a thousand miles away and I wasn't really listening."
"Oh, screw Fred!" Lisa-Marie waved as if to brush thoughts of him away. "He is a thousand miles away. I was telling you about what my instructor said when I called him on Monday and I was wondering what you thought I should do?"
"I am sorry. I missed that altogether." I apologised again. "I guess my mind just took off on a tangent."
"Because of that idiot, Fred?" Andy growled. "You should have talked to Samson about that. You don't have to worry in any way about him ever coming back to bother any of us. Did you know that he was so scared when they took him to the airport that they had to stop at a store and buy him a new pair of gaunches and jeans because he was so scared that he crapped himself?"
"I don't think the boys want that story spread around too much." Fran smiled quietly. "They already have a reputation for being a touch on the rough side and it's really not true."
"Fran, I don't think anyone who'd met them would believe those tales." Lisa-Marie waved her hand again. "What do you think Tom?"
"They sure seemed polite and friendly to me." I shrugged. "Now back to this phone call with your instructor, what was that all about?"
"Well, he wasn't happy about my missing any more classes and he got a bit uptight about it. Then when I asked him what was so important in the next few days, he told me that he felt we were just getting into the really important part of the whole course. He explained that from now until the end of the course, we're going into the commercial aspects of running a small business. You know advertising, marketing, finding a place to set up a business, taking advantage of foot traffic, things like that." She grinned and waved her arm around her. "I really don't think much of it is going to apply to you and me."
"So just what are you suggesting?" I asked.
"I'm suggesting that it's a waste of time and since he's being snarly about my missing class time because of health problems, I was thinking of just packing the whole thing in."
"It seems rather silly not to stick it out and get your certificate since you've spent a year and a half at the course already." I offered.
"Actually the way he was talking, I don't know if he'd grant me the certificate anyway. I think he feels that I've missed too much time now."
"With the grades you've been getting? You have to be kidding? I'd see the bugger in court if he did that." I growled.
"So you think I should go back?"
"Hey, I agree with Tom. You paid for that course. You're entitled to take the classes and sit through the exams unless you did something that would get you expelled, and if he expels you because of health problems, I know a dozen watch dog societies and a few dozen newspapers that would have him screaming for mercy in short order." Fran smiled vindictively. "I'd gladly throw my weight behind you and I think Dr. Timmins would too. Your instructor would be backing up so fast he'd be running over his shadow."
"But I'm not sure I want to go back. I think it would be even more boring than ever and the course was boring enough before. I just don't think I'll ever need the stuff that they're going to be teaching."
"Maybe not, but maybe we will. Just think in the future, we might have to sell the farm and start a business. Wouldn't it make sense to have the knowledge already at that time?" I asked quietly. "Or what if Fran wants an opinion about advertising to sell her herbs, wouldn't it be nice to be able to help her out for a change?"
"Hmmph." She grunted. "Why do you have to be so darn logical?"
"Because he's himself." Fran laughed. "Now, since we're done eating and before I go back down to the river, I'd like to borrow Tom for a bit to show him the herbs that the boys brought."
"Herbs? Did I miss something else?" I asked.
"No Tom." She laughed. "We didn't mention it before, but Lisa-Marie thought you wouldn't mind if I stored a few herbs here in your equipment shed. So I had the boys bring a few of them along on their way."
"Um, I don't mind as long as they don't need special care, but is there a reason for keeping them here?"
"All they need is a cool dark storage space." She smiled. "And the reason for it is that some people can't get down to our storage at times, so this is a temporary thing at the most. Anything that I'm asking you to keep here is just dried plant material and it's all legal. There's no drugs or anything so you don't have to worry about that."
"But . . ."
"I've got a list of who can have what and I'm going to look after that end of the deal." Andy grinned at me. "I promise, it won't be any trouble for you at all."
"Okay, okay." I gave in. "I don't understand at all though."
"Come on, I'll explain on the walk to the shed." Fran said as she stood up from the table.
Once we were dressed for the cold and outside, Fran turned to me and smiled.
"The herbs are all boxed and we have two small trucks coming by to pick them up. They should be around on Monday or Tuesday of next week, so I've explained to Andy exactly which boxes go to which person and it really shouldn't be a worry for you. The people that are picking them up need them soon and since I and the boys aren't going to be around for the next week, Andy volunteered to help. Lisa-Marie was sure you wouldn't mind having them kept here for a few days. This is a one time thing, I don't plan on doing this often or anything like that." She explained. "I'm really using the idea of showing you what we've stored here as an excuse to get you away from Lisa-Marie and Andrea for a few moments."
"I thought perhaps there was something like that going on." I nodded. "So just what's up?"
"Oh, if you mean that bit about Lisa-Marie making all of us wound up, I think they're both teasing you. I just played along with it." She laughed. "Actually, I spoke to Dr. Timmins myself and while he does blame Lisa-Marie's moods on a chemical imbalance, he told me that she has a healthy libido, not an overactive one. There's quite a difference."
"So she's not a nymphomaniac?"
"No, and neither is Andy." She laughed softly. "You are a lucky s-o-b though, I think a lot of men would give their left nut to be in a house with two gorgeous women that care for you as much as those two do."
I just sighed softly making her laugh aloud.
"About this chemical imbalance thing, does the doctor have any idea what might be bringing it on?"
"I'm not sure, but I have an idea that he feels it has something to do with her eating habits. Personally, I think she eats poorly when she's in town taking her classes and puts too much pressure on herself. Then when she comes out to the farm, the combination of good food and the pure exhilaration she's feeling from being in her own house, as well as having you there with her, brings on a state of bliss. She's on a high and enjoying herself."
"That's it? She's just feeling good?"
"In one word, yes." Fran chuckled softly. "If she doesn't settle down in a few weeks time, then we'll worry. By the way, she seems to think the herbs are working well and so far, the only withdrawal symptoms she's been showing is an increased appetite and along with it an increase in her energy level."
"That's all that she's having for problems?"
"For now it seems to be, but I'm going to be calling her every night for the next few weeks, even when I'm away. One of the things I expect will change will be her sleep patterns. For a while she might have trouble sleeping or she might want to sleep a lot, it depends on her metabolism."
"Okay, is there anything I should do?"
"Be supportive." Fran snorted. "But I don't have to tell you that, do I?"
"Not really." I smiled, feeling much better.
I noticed a strange trailer parked near the equipment shed and inside there was a large stack of boxes and another smaller stack beside it. They were off to one side and well back out of my way, so having them there was no problem at all. After a few minutes we went back to the house and Fran said goodbye to Lisa-Marie and Andy, then we all waved goodbye as she got into her jeep and drove away.
"Well, now what?" I said as I closed the door.
"Let's go have a coffee. We need to talk." Lisa-Marie said quietly.