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Message-ID: <36421asstr$1021032602@assm.asstr-mirror.org>
From: PJcocoa@aol.com
Subject: {ASSM} First Impressions [7a/7] {Gary Jordan}
Date: Fri, 10 May 2002 08:10:02 -0400
Path: assm.asstr-mirror.org!not-for-mail
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Newsgroups: alt.sex.stories.moderated,alt.sex.stories
Followup-To: alt.sex.stories.d


First Impressions Chapter 7

I closed my eyes and opened my mind to the link with Pat and
Julie, with Elaine and Zander. I charged in as the "White Knight,"
ready to place my greater maturity and experience at dealing with
strong emotions between Elaine and the unknown terror.

Bullshit.

That might have been in the back (maybe even the front) of my mind
-"rescuing" Elaine - and who could blame me?  The woman I loved
was in mortal terror of *something*.  I wanted... I *needed* to
help.

Fear, alarm, consternation, dismay, dread, fright, horror, panic,
terror, trepidation, trepidity...  all mere *words* from some
thesaurus.  Emotions are not words, and the words we create to
represent those emotions... have you ever noticed that we have to
attach qualifiers when we use them?  *Sheer* horror; *depths of*
despair; *blind* panic.  No, I hadn't noticed either.

I fainted.

Elaine wrestled with the living, writhing *feelings* that
threatened her sanity.  She was aware of her mother and B trying
to comfort her, and when her mother said "permission to marry"
that broke through to beat back the demons for a moment.  A flash
of radiant joy that startled her and her oppressor, if only for an
instant.

She turned to B.  His face took on that distracted, "seeing in the
distance" look.  She felt concern, love, even courage... then her
demons washed over him.  Surprise, shock, agony, and his own fear!
More than anything that galvanized her to action, gave her
strength.

Nobody knew what happened.  Nobody told exactly the same story
afterwards.  I was there, at least while I was conscious, and I am
the last person to ask.  I've tried to reconstruct events.  Where
the stories don't conflict, I have a fair picture, but it
certainly isn't all-inclusive.

Take Eleanor's eye-witness account:

"One moment we were holding Elaine's hands, trying to calm her
down. You started to collapse - Elaine shook herself and eased you
to the floor.  She screamed, 'Stop it!' in a voice that rooted me
where I stood.  She was breathing hard, and where a minute ago she
was scared out of her wits, now she was angry and concerned and
totally focused... on you.

"She yelled, 'Here! Now!' and the air was full of fire lizards
screeching and flapping.  She just kept looking at you.  The big
one browbeat the rest into settling down, even hers.

"I pulled my daughter out of the way and checked you myself.  I
was a nurse for a while.  You were showing signs of shock.  You
know, skin pale, cool and clammy; pulse weak and rapid; shallow
rapid breathing, and unconsciousness.  I loosened your shirt,
elevated your feet, got a blanket and covered you.  Elaine talked
softly to you the whole time. Don't ask me to repeat it; a lot was
just reassuring you that you were going to be all right, some was
more personal, and I blush easy.

"I wanted to call 911.  Shock can be nasty, even fatal.  Elaine
wouldn't let me - how would we explain the fire lizards?  And you
started responding to her.  Your pulse slowed and got stronger.
Your breathing, too.

"The big fire lizard, a gold I think, was practically crooning in
time to Elaine's words, and they all seemed to take it up.  Your
color returned, and you seemed warm enough, so I didn't make the
call.

"Then your daughter showed up with Jessica and Brenda.  I kept
them on the porch, except when your daughter called you in sick to
work. Within half an hour, all the girls were gathered.  Jay kept
them supplied with drinks through the back door, and they were all
talking quietly."

She told me all this just before she went home with Elaine.  But
she did allow us a few minutes alone.

"How are you feeling?" Elaine asked.

"Weak," was what I managed to get out.  I would have liked to have
said physically exhausted, mentally beaten, and emotionally
drained, but I wasn't quite up to the effort.  "Love you." That
part hadn't drained, seemed ready to overflow.

"You need to rest.  Jay said she'd watch you like a hawk."

"Gold?" I hoped she'd understand what I was asking.

"She was here!  I didn't realize it until you were out of danger,
but Mom said she showed up with the rest.  She *isn't* dead!  But
she isn't Impressed, so she's been alone out there, somewhere.  I
can't quite get a lock on her unless she wants me to - I guess
she's learned to guard her feelings, something we all need to do."

I barely nodded.  I was in no condition to guard mine, so Elaine
knew I felt love and gratitude.  She kissed my forehead.  "You
rest now. Pat and Julie will let me know if you don't."

I smiled feebly as she got up to leave.  At the door I was looking
at her well-rounded ass, departing.  She whirled around and said,
"You are much too weak for *that* kind of thought."  She grinned
wickedly, though, when she said it, and winked.  She closed the
door behind her.

I was asleep within moments of closing my eyes.

I got more of it the next day.  But first, I saw my doctor, who
prescribed 72 hours' rest and faxed his report to my boss.  The
boss called shortly after I got home to express his concern but
told me not to worry about work - the new guy was covering my
shift.   As for explaining things to my doctor... he has a
daughter, and his daughter has a rather strange pet.  It was an
interesting examination.  The report cited "job-related stress."
Had Elaine or her mother known, he offered, they could have called
him instead of 911.

Actually, I felt much better, and probably could have returned to
work that night, but I was warned to expect company after school. 
Doctor Orsten thought he might drop by as well.  He had a few more
questions than my "exam" covered. At my request for a blood test,
he allowed as how Virginia doesn't require one for a marriage
license but worked up a blood test anyway.

Eleanor came by around noon.  "Jeff was... less than thrilled with
the idea of our daughter getting married, particularly to a man
old enough to be her father.  How old are you, anyway?"

I smiled.  "Jay and I celebrate our birthdays together on July
14th, but mine's actually the 16th. She was my 'twentieth birthday
present,' her mother always said."

Eleanor did the easy math. "So you're thirty-six going on thirty-
seven?  You're my age?" She shook her head, resignedly. "If you
ever call me 'Mom,' you're a dead man.  I won't be thirty-seven
until October."

I laughed.  "I hope you won't stop me *completely* from teasing my
mother-in-law.  It's a time-honored tradition."

She just snorted.  "You just watch out, or I'll let your future
father-in-law kick your ass." She sighed. "I made a few calls.
The license comes from the clerk-of-court at the circuit court.
Only one parent of a minor needs to give approval, so Jeff
realized it was going to happen either way.  There's also no
waiting period, and our court clerk is a certified justice of the
peace.  There's no requirement for witnesses, either, but if you
two don't invite the other girls, at least, you're both crazy."

"You seem to have it all figured out.  Did you set a date for us?"
I wondered why she was rushing this along.  She didn't seem all
that enthusiastic.

"I'm thinking that the Court House is a mile past the high school,
and school lets out tomorrow at noon.  You pick up the bride and
her maid of honor and I'll bring the van for the bridesmaids.  The
rest can come in someone else's car."  She sighed.  "We'll hold
the... 'reception'... at the Denny's down the road from the
circuit court, my treat."

I had to ask.  "Why all this haste?  I have to tell you, just the
fact that you're willing to let us be together at all is amazing
enough. This breakneck rush to the altar is astounding."

She half-smiled.  "I know.  I'm surprised at myself."  She barked
a small laugh.  "Call me old fashioned.  I'd rather the man that
my daughter is making love to is her husband, not sneaking around
and hiding things.  Besides, it's a small town.  Do you really
think it would be a secret for long?  So, are you in, or do I need
to bring the shotgun?"

My turn to laugh.  "You won't need it.  I'll be there, if Elaine
accepts.  You realize," I pointed out, "that I haven't even asked
her, yet?"

"You have any doubt she'll say yes?"  Eleanor looked at me as
though dementia was already settling in.

"I've tried not to make a habit of taking things for granted,
especially where women are concerned."

Eleanor cocked her head,  "You'll probably make her a good
husband, if for that alone."  She finally showed me a genuine
smile. "She'll say yes.  She's been remarkably changed these past
few weeks, all to the good."  She suddenly looked startled, then
gave me a devilish grin. "She'll eventually want children of her
own, you know.  A step-daughter isn't going to satisfy her
maternal instincts."

I nodded.  I hadn't thought that far ahead but it was fairly
obvious, once she'd said it.

The grin became more evil.  "You share feelings in a way I can't
fathom.  Will you share morning sickness?  What about labor
pains?"

The hair on my neck came to attention.  "You have a sadistic
streak, you know that?"

"Just paying you in advance for the mother-in-law jokes you
threatened me with," she snickered.  We talked a bit longer before
she left, nothing consequential.

As soon as she was gone, I made a dash to the mall.  There were a
few things I figured I'd be needing soon.

I was home before the bus was due, but  Jessica's car was already
in my driveway, so I parked at the curb.

I was welcomed home by Jay, Elaine, Kimberly and Jessica.  Once
again I marvelled that the warble of the fire lizards seemed a
higher pitched echo of the teenagers' chatter.  Jay kissed my
cheek, Kim and Jessica waved.  Elaine went tonsil diving, to
everyone's (especially my) delight.  Pat and Julie vied for the
shoulder Elaine didn't take control of.

Of course, I was royally chewed out for being out, once I had been
welcomed back.  I assured everyone that I was fine. Well, I was a
*little* tired and Pat and Julie ratted me out to Elaine, but she
didn't tell the others.

On the other hand, Jessica and Kimberly became apologetic. "We
didn't know - well, we knew that Elaine could 'read' our fire
lizards, and that made us a little scared..." babbled Jessica.

"*You* were scared; I started off angry!  I didn't get scared
until Papa Smurf started feeding me the fear that she" meaning
Elaine "was getting from you and Brenda and the others," Kimberly
interrupted.

"That's the point!" Jessica said, heatedly. "Individually, most of
us were a *little* scared.  Some of us were angry; some were
jealous; some were worried.  Elaine picked up on *all* the fears,
and leaked it back out.  The little fears got bigger, which Elaine
picked up separately and combined, and leaked out as even bigger
fear."  Elaine nodded. "It was one of those viscous circle
things."

"Vicious circles," interjected Jay.

"I *know* that!" Kimberly said. "We talked about it last night.
I'm just saying..."

I winked at Elaine, and said, "Ohhhhhh," as I slumped into her
arms. Pat and Julie squawked and took wing, mildly annoyed.
Elaine wrapped one arm around me and brushed the back of my head
as I snickered into her shoulder.  Elaine said, with mock
sternness, "Do you two think you could calm down?"

Both girls were immediately contrite and subdued, until I made a
loud smacking noise against Elaine's neck, and sat up grinning.
Much giggling and teasing ensued; an argument was averted.

Donna stopped through on her way to work, just to check on me and
the others.  Brenda was still on her way back from the mountains
with her family, but Keanu popped in and out a few times.  I found
out I might have a hefty collect call charge from a KOA campsite
pay phone.  It was how they (Brenda and Claire) had participated
in the previous evening's aftermath.  The call had run so late
that they'd stayed over another night.

Linda popped in for a time with Elvis.  So did Debby with blue
Skyler and Sara with Fido, another of the blues.  Pat and Julie
were meeting the last three for the first time, and exchanged
excited trills and warbles for a bit before settling down.

Jay was in some sort of hostess zone, distributing drinks and
snacky things, and a huge tray of meat strips, which the flits
enjoyed.  I knew there would be no frenzied, red-eyed feeding
tonight; they were being stuffed to immobility, teens and fire
lizards alike.

As things calmed down, I decided it was time for a bit of
ceremony. Linda and her dad, Doctor "call me Bill" Orsten were on
the demi-sofa. Debby, Sara, Jessica and Kimberly were squeezed
together on the couch. Elaine sat in the single chair with Eleanor
perched on its overstuffed arm.  I sat on the ottoman, near
Elaine, while Jay fluttered about. Unlike Jay, the fire lizards
were arrayed around the room on shoulders and seat backs, quite
comfortable.

I pushed back the ottoman and told Jay to sit for a minute.  I
asked Jessica to pass me a small throw pillow.  I think, despite
my best efforts, Pat picked up a mental image of what I was about
to do; she scrabbled down my right arm.  I hoped the fair of fire
lizards were enough to distract Elaine from what I intended.

I fished one of my mall purchases from my left pocket, and tossed
the throw pillow at Elaine's feet.  Good; she looked perplexed.
Now I knelt with my right knee on that pillow, and took Elaine's
left hand in my right.  Pat chirruped happily - she'd moved to my
forearm for a ringside seat.  I moved my left hand toward
Elaine's, asking, Elaine, will you..."

"YES!" she shouted before I could finish.  She let me slide the
engagement ring onto the appropriate finger. Pat supervised the
process, trilling happily.  Without more than glancing at it, she
was off the chair and into my arms.  Overbalanced, we tumbled to
the floor, upsetting not only our flits, but the others as well.
We hugged and kissed and laughed.

Of course, we couldn't stay on the floor.  There were more hugs,
and kisses, and the ring was displayed and inspected.  Doctor
Orsten was slightly bemused but congratulated me anyway (probably
glad it wasn't *his* daughter.)  He kissed Elaine's cheek and
congratulated her.  He turned to Eleanor and said, "Look at it
this way, Elle; you're not losing a daughter, you're gain-"

"Don't even *think* about finishing that!" Eleanor cut him off.
"I warned *him* that'd I'd sacrifice his ability to give me
grandchildren if he calls me Mom.  *You* don't even get that much
consideration." He bellowed a laugh.

Jay had held back while the others hugged and kissed Elaine.  She
had a huge grin, and had hugged me, beaming, but was waiting for
the crowd to thin around Elaine.  Jessica noticed, and turned
Elaine to face her.  Jay threw her arms wide, shouting "Step-mom!"

"Step-kid!" Elaine squealed back, and they shared an enormous hug.

"Do we have to wait until after the ceremony before we talk about
raising my allowance?" Jay stage-whispered.

Elaine looked surprised.  "I just realized I lost mine,
permanently," she replied, winking at her mother.  "Does this mean
I can ground you if I don't like the boys you hang out with?"

Jay looked even more surprised.  Without releasing Elaine, she
looked at Eleanor.  "You don't tell her father *everything* you
know about your daughter, do you?"  Eleanor only laughed - so did
Elaine and I. Jay decided it was best to laugh along with us.

 From that amusing note on, the impromptu engagement party
gradually dwindled to just Elaine, her mother, Jay and me.  On his
way out the door, Bill shook my hand again, shaking his head. "I
think I have a lot of questions for Linda.  But they'll wait.
Congratulations, again."

Eleanor turned to Jay.  "C'mon, step-granddaughter.  Let's get all
this stuff to the kitchen and give these two some time alone.
Say, ten minutes or so."

"Ten Minutes!" Jay was indignant. "That's hardly enough time
to..."

"More than enough time *to*, on the night *before* the wedding,
kiddo. Grab those empty cans, too," Eleanor grinned.  "Let's move
it!"

"Okay, step-Granny, whatever you say," Jay grinned back.
Eleanor's mouth dropped open.

It took two trips, with me and Elaine helping for the first one.
Eleanor looked at her watch, then pointedly at us, as she
disappeared into the kitchen. To the background music of running
water and clattering dishes, Elaine melted into my arms.

The kiss ate up eight of ten minutes, and ended with hands in each
others back pockets, crotches rubbing through cloth.  I murmured
to Elaine, "You should probably get plenty of sleep tonight,
tomorrow's going to be a long day."

She whispered back, "You should probably be in bed pretty soon,
too. I don't want you to stay up too long, either."  A slight
emphasis on the word up told me we were on the same wavelength.

Eleanor's throat-clearing told us our time "in the flesh" was over
for tonight.  We touched lips one last time and exchanged "I love
you's" until her car door closed.  We waved as she went out of
sight.

Jay waved as well.  I put an arm around her shoulder.  "You okay,
kiddo?"

"Yeah.  I think so, she said.  "all day, and epecially after you
proposed, I was thinking how neat it will be to have a step-mom
who's my age, and a good friend." She swallowed. "Her crack about
grounding me... Wham! A totally different perspective I hadn't
thought of.  It kinda threw me."

I smiled.  "I hope you'll stay friends forever, but I don't think
she'll be partying quite the same.  At least I hope you're not out
trying to pick up boys together."

"Elaine was never like that.  She had guy friends, but she was
never serious enough about anyone to, you know, get physical.  Not
that I ever knew about, anyway."  I filed that away. I must have
raised an eyebrow, because Jay continued, "Hey, don't take that as
gospel, I don't know for sure, Dad.  That's between you and her."

I nodded.  "You haven't spilled any big secrets; you're just
speaking your mind.  And don't worry about Elaine spilling all of
*your* secrets, just because she'll be my wife.  She won't tell me
anything I don't need to know, before I need to know it."  Jay
relaxed, visibly. "Of course, I expect I'll be much better
informed about your dates than you were ever willing to share.
Can you deal with that?"

"I guess I'll have to, won't I?"

"In the meantime, I have a favor to ask of you."

Jay was wary of a trap. "What?"

I just laughed.  "Come on, you can show more enthusiasm than that!
I want you to be my 'best man' And I won't even make you throw a
bachelor party."

Now she laughed, too.  "Cool!  Um... what does a best man do?"

"Besides the bachelor party?  Carries the rings, and enough cash
to pay for the license and the minister or justice of the peace.
Stands next to the groom at the ceremony.  Makes a toast at the
reception. Soaps the words, 'Just Married' on the trunk or rear
window of the groom's getaway car, or makes a cardboard sign.
Can't cover the license plate, though.  Can you handle it?

"I think I can handle that," she grinned.  "Are you staying here
or going out of town for the honeymoon?"

"Why?  Are you thinking of inviting some bachelors to a party if
I'm gone?" I asked, making a stern face.

She just laughed again.  "No, nothing like that.  I just think you
better put some distance between you guys and here, unless you
want all the other girls saying, 'I know what you did last
summer'."

"What?" *This* was a piece of the puzzle I hadn't seen!

"You didn't know?  That's what started fright-night!  While you
were unconscious, the rest of us figured out that you and Elaine
were broadcasting.  And it was an x-rated video, from what Jessy
and Linda said." She giggled. "I think they got the clearest, um,
reception, so to speak.  But they all got a bad case of the
hornies.  Even Brenda said she had a wet dream, and she was like
sixty or seventy miles away, at least."

I must have turned pale.  Jay told me, "Sit down," then made me do
it. "Does Elaine know about this?"

She opened her mouth to say yes, I could tell by the beginning of
a nod. Nothing came out while she paused to think. "I don't know,"
she finally answered.  "She was inside with you while we all
talked about it.  But her mother knows.  Wouldn't she have told
her?"

That was a question I couldn't answer.  "Let's get some sleep.
One of us has school, and both of us have a wedding to attend
tomorrow."  We went to bed.

Despite the excitement of the engagement, and the expectation of
being "joined" by Elaine, I hovered at the edges of sleep.  The
exhaustion that the doctor had diagnosed was real enough, if not
job related.  I thought I should be planning a honeymoon, since
the wedding was out of my hands, but the concentration required
was beyond my grasp.

For months now, I had pictured myself going to hell for coveting
an underaged woman.  Truthfully, underaged women, plural, now
happily narrowed to a single woman whose age would be rendered
irrelevant by a simple ceremony.  I had pictured fiery pits, and
demons with pitchforks.

I now knew the inadequacy of my imagination.  I had visited hell.
Worse, I had recognized the landscape; I had been there before,
the memories suppressed.  Feeling Pat and Julie stir uneasily
against me, I suppressed them now.  Elaine had seen the abyss as
well, and triumphed.  She knew that hell was a bottomless well of
fear and hopelessness - I would not willingly visit those memories
on her again.

Even so, I felt a welling of concern and comfort, and the
trembling bodies on my pillow eased to restful slumber.  I should
have known that Elaine would be "listening."  I would never be
alone again.

I did my best to send those feelings of warmth and security back
to Elaine, to let her know she had affected me and to reassure
her, as well.  She was taking the same giant step tomorrow.

For all the pent-up lust with which we had said goodnight, the
mutual admonitions to hurry to bed, the next thirty or forty
minutes were spent just mentally cuddling one another.  Whatever
your mental image of gender-roles, believe me when I say that men
appreciate a good snuggle every bit as much as women.  True, the
physical and visual cues might trigger arousal, but that works in
both directions.

I don't know which of us "made the first move." I know that I was
perfectly happy basking in Elaine's comforting thoughts and I'm
certain I was projecting the same warmth and all-around good
feeling back.  Whichever of us had the first stray image of
physical contact, it quickly evoked shared memories of our only
time together physically.  That led to tactile sensation, and
mounting arousal for both of us

I stroked; she plumbed; we soared.  Afterwards, we luxuriated.
Sleepily, we let contact abate.  We slept.

The morning went by in a blur.  Showered.  Shaved.  Dressed in my
good suit.  Jay went to school in a *dress*. A *dress!*  If you
knew Jay, you'd know this alone was a major event. The last (only)
time I saw her in an honest-to-goodness dress was for her Junior
High School Prom.

I ran into Eleanor at the local florist and she ran me right out
again, claiming that flowers were *her* responsibility.  She
*also* suggested I make reservations somewhere out-of-town for a
few days, and offered to look in on Jay.  I accepted the offer and
the suggestion.

I remembered to ask if she had mentioned the exhibitionist/voyeur
aspects of the preceding day's discussions to Elaine.  When she
grinned and said, "Oops," I groaned.

A high-rise hotel on the beach in Virginia Beach accepted my
booking, despite the short notice.  It was a weekday, but more
importantly, I didn't quibble about the cost.  I could easily
afford a few days without dipping into the long-term savings from
my late wife's insurance.

Something reminded me to check in with my boss, so I was
pleasantly surprised to find that my new schedule was Sunday
through Wednesday, ten-hour day shifts, effective this Sunday.

Finally, it was time to go.  Driving toward the high school, my
mind whirled with the breakneck speed of events.  I was about to
marry a woman half my age.  We hadn't discussed any of the typical
couple topics.  Did she want kids?  How many?  Would she take a
job?  What about college?  Hell, she had a year of high school
left, never mind college!  Would she finish? (I'd vote yea, and
urge college, too.) What side of the bed did she prefer? What was
her favorite color, for crying out loud?

All good questions, which I now hoped we would spend a lifetime
answering.  I had a truckload of uncertainties, but I had one
certainty.  I wanted this; it felt *right*.  I no longer felt like
I was going to hell.  I know it's silly.  A marriage certificate
is just paper.  It wouldn't miraculously age Elaine.  And that
paper isn't what made it feel so right.

We'd be together.  Everything else was just detail.

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