Chapter 20

The travelers returned home tired but feeling good about their vacation.  They rested on the weekend, trying to overcome the jet lag that had their schedules all messed up.  Even with that rest, they just barely got through their classes.

By the end of the week, they were more in line with their schedules and beginning to enjoy college life once again.  Greg had the worst time of it since he had to make up for the training time he missed in addition to taking extra time in the gym preparing for a tournament the first part of February. 

Traci started to not be as active in their shared bed around this time.  But with everything that was happening, neither Mandy nor Greg had noticed.  It came to their notice one evening after Greg had made love first to Traci then to Mandy.  When Mandy came back to the living from the afterglow of her orgasm, she looked over at Traci who was quietly crying.

Mandy reached over and wiped a tear away from her best friend’s cheek.  “What’s the matter?”

Traci just shook her head.  Mandy sat upright and turned to face the other woman.  “Come on girl, you can talk to me.  You know we both love you.”

Traci sniffled and wiped her nose on the back of her hand.  “It’s just… I really don’t know how to explain it.  You guys know how much I love both of you.  I think what we have is marvelous and I don’t want to see it end, but I also sometimes get so frustrated that I don’t have the same love that you two so obliviously feel for each other.  You have such a bond and I just sometimes wish I could find the same thing; you know someone just for me.”

Her words had come tumbling out, like once she started, she couldn’t stop.  She buried her face into her hands, crying harder now.  Greg had heard what was happening and he went around the bed.  He sat on Traci’s other side, putting his arm around her.  He couldn’t say much, but he felt a lump in his chest that meant he thought he was losing someone he cared very much for.

While Greg continued to comfort Traci, Mandy got up and slipped into the bathroom.  She soon came back with a warm washcloth and a towel, which she handed to Greg.  Then she disappeared again.  When she returned this time it was with a tray laden with their favorite hot teas.

By that time, Traci had calmed down enough to where she could accept the cup that Mandy offered her.  They all sipped the hot liquid in silence, each in their own thoughts.  Finally Mandy opened up the conversation.

“I am just speaking for myself here, but I can understand what you are thinking; at least a little bit.  I don’t want you to think I am jealous, ‘cause I’m not.  But sometimes when you are making love to Greg, I think how I would feel if you were the one he found first.

“But I know that I don’t want to lose you as a friend or lover.  I had never even thought about sharing my boyfriend until we became so close.  And I want to know that I won’t be losing you.”

Traci looked up at her with reddened eyes.  “I don’t want that either.  What we have is something that I know I will never regret.  I just look at Jenni sometimes and wish I could have a child of my own.  A little family that was just mine.  You know, the whole wedding with the man who will love me and then we would settle in our own little house and have kids.  But in those dreams, I still would have you two as very important parts of my life.  You have taken me in and loved me just for me and I don’t ever want to lose that.  That’s why I didn’t want to say anything.  It just hit me hard tonight for some reason.”

Greg was really trying to understand.  He logically understood Traci’s needs, but the emotional lump in his stomach was causing his thinking to be fuzzy.  Was he lacking in some way in being her lover?  Was he neglecting her somehow?  He wasn’t sure about anything right then.  His mind was going in ever-tightening circles and he knew he needed some time to sort his thoughts out.

“You girls stay here for the night.  I really need a little time alone to deal with this.”  He got up and headed to the room that had been Traci’s when she first moved in with them.  Both women watched him leave, wondering just what he was worried about.  But then, they settled into talking about the subject at hand.

Mandy understood much better than Greg did about what Traci was going through.  Traci still had to reassure her friends and lovers that it was nothing that either one had done wrong.  “I never felt like either one of you neglected me in any way,” she told the younger woman.  “It is just that I started to really feel the need of a lover of my own, one who just wants me.”

They talked long into the night and Mandy found herself agreeing with her.  The biggest problem with both of them was going to be the sense of loss they were sure to feel.

Greg, on the other hand, was still as confused as ever.  He was sure it was something he had done (or not done) that was causing the breakup of their home.  He tried to think of what the cause could be, blaming himself for whatever it was.  That he was not the cause never entered his mind.  He spent the rest of the evening sitting in the darkened room feeling a great sense of loss and hurt.  The sun was starting to lighten the sky by the time he fell into a very troubled sleep.

It was late in the morning when Traci decided that it was time to talk with Greg.  She quietly entered the room where he lay sleeping.  She moved quietly to the other side of the bed and laid next to him, holding him close.

He stirred a little before opening his eyes.  At first, he felt at ease with Traci snuggled against his side.  But then, a look of fear came to his eyes as he remembered the events of the night before.

Greg turned to where he could look into Traci’s eyes.  “Whatever I did or didn’t do that hurt you so bad that you want to leave, I’m sorry!”  Traci’s eyes were wide as she realized that this was where his thoughts had taken him during the night.

Sitting up, she pulled Greg into the same position facing her.  Her voice was stern enough to make him take notice.  “Greg, listen to me!  You have done nothing at all wrong.  Don’t you even think like that.  It has to do with the feminine part of me that always has dreamed of having a husband and kids and a house with my own little yard.  Ever since I was a little girl, I’ve dreamed about just those things.

“You and Mandy have given me everything I could possibly need.  I am loved and accepted by you both for me, not just my body or looks.  But I really need to start looking for something more.  Something that I want for my future.”

Greg was trying very hard to understand what she was saying, but he was also trying to figure out just what was going to happen in the immediate future.  “I think I understand what you are telling me.  I still feel like I am at fault somehow.  Anyway, what is going to happen?  Are you going to move back into this room, or clear out of the house, or what?”

Traci looked stricken.  “Not unless you want me to.  I’m not wanting to write you guys out of my life or anything like that.  Can’t we still be friends and lovers?  I’m just wanting to start looking.  Maybe date a few guys and see how things go.”  Now she got very serious.  “You were the first man who ever really loved me, just for me.  Not for Traci the redheaded bombshell, but for Traci the human being, the person that is inside.  And that means more to me than you will ever possibly know.”  She lifted her hand.  “This ring is very special to me and I will never take it off.  We three have shared so much that it can never be erased.  We have shared more than our bodies.  We have shared our hearts and minds, and that is even more important.

“Mandy and I talked a lot of the night. She came up with an idea, and we both hope you will agree with us.  Nothing much needs to change right now.  I will just start dating when I am interested.  I don’t want to lose the physical intimacy we have.  We will just take things one step at a time.  And believe me, I will have a very hard time finding any man who could come close to you as a friend and lover.”

Greg suddenly realized how quiet it was in the house right then.  “Where’s Mandy and Jenni?”

Traci got a teasing grin on her face.  “Mandy and Jenni are at the playground in the park.  She thought that we needed the time to talk... and maybe some other things.”

She slipped her shirt over her head showing that she wasn’t wearing a bra.  As she moved up onto her knees to remove the jeans and panties she was wearing, Greg snapped out of his funk.  He slipped off his sweats and they were soon holding each other tightly, their naked skin rubbing together giving a physical element to the spiritual that they felt for each other.

They spent a long time just touching and kissing each other.  Because of their earlier talk,  they felt the need to show each other just how much they loved the other.  By the time Greg slid his aching cock into her willing body, she was on the edge of orgasm.  She started to spasm as he started to slide in and out, her vaginal muscles milking him.

He gave out a long groan as he shot his semen deep into her channel, triggering one last climax for her.  They stayed coupled for several minutes, each reliving the intensity that their love for each other had added to their lovemaking.

When Mandy and Jenni came home, the other two had showered and dressed and were working on dinner.  Mandy looked questioningly at Traci and received a look that said everything was going to be all right.  Mandy gave a sigh of relief that they all had pretty well worked out this crisis.  She loved both of these people and was glad that everything was almost back to normal.

For all the talk, Traci didn’t have more than a couple of dates.  The men who had asked her out were nice and she ended up keeping them as friends, but there just wasn’t the spark she was expecting.  But with the way the trio had worked it out, she didn’t need to feel in a hurry and was content to take her time.  This was just fine with Greg since he was still unsure of his feelings of jealously that he found he was having.

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Greg did very well in the tournament, as did the rest of his team.  Greg won his weight class with almost no trouble, and defeated the final opponent by three points to one.  The team took all but two weight classes, which their coach thought was very acceptable.  That win brought them into the national championship tournament as the second seed.  They had just over a month until the championships.

The trio went out to dinner to celebrate.  Greg was still sore from where the one point his opponent in the final round scored had connected.  Otherwise, they all had a great time.  Heather and Adrian had made reservations at the local country club and after dinner, they laughed and danced until it was time to pick Jenni up from the sitter.  

Heather and Adrian had news for the trio during the dinner.  Greg’s father, Ted, had recently decided that he would divorce Heather, leaving her free to marry Adrian if they wished.  It was a little upsetting to Greg that his father had not even said anything about it in his very infrequent emails, but Heather reminded him that it was just his father’s way to not think about any one but himself.  She figured that the only reason he was going through with the divorce was that he wanted to be free to marry some woman he had met.  “You know, I was the same way in my thinking until you shocked me out of it,” she told her son.

Congratulations were given all around and the conversation turned to plans for the upcoming ceremony.  Adrian asked Greg, Mandy and Traci to all be witnesses at a simple ceremony at City Hall.  Adrian was prepared to go through with a big wedding, but Heather felt that it really wasn’t necessary.  They were going to honeymoon in the village in Italy where they had spent Christmas Break.

At one point, Heather looked over at the trio sitting across from her.  “A couple of years ago, I would never have considered being in love with someone, much less getting engaged again.  My work was all I thought about.  But being around you three, as well as the way you brought me into your lives, has really made a turn-around in my own life.  It is all for the better and I have you guys to thank.”

Mandy and Traci both had tears in their eyes as they held Heather’s hand across the table.  Then Heather mentioned that it was their fault that she had taken more time off in the last year than she had taken in her entire career.  This lightened the mood and let the evening end on a happy note.

A few days after the happy news, Greg was coming home from practice on his bike when he spotted a ‘For Sale’ sign in front of the house where Mandy’s parents lived.  He mentioned it to Mandy when she came in with Jenni later.  She didn’t let what her parents did interfere with her life any longer, but it upset her that the house where she had grown up was on the market.  She asked Greg to find out what he could as to why they were selling.  He promised to call the realtor the next day during his break between classes.

The realtor was not a whole lot of help as to why the Carsons were selling.  He did say that the house was priced for a quick sale, and that he was instructed to take any reasonable offer.

That weekend Mandy got a strange phone call from her mother.  She asked if Mandy would meet her at a local park the next afternoon.  Mandy was confused when she hung up the phone, as well as fearful of what might happen.  Greg told her that he would hang out just out of sight in case of any trouble.  That helped her fears, but the foreboding that she felt stayed with her the rest of the evening.

That same feeling was with her as she sat in the park watching Jenni play on the grass.  Greg had recently found a puppy on the street and had brought him home.    The pup had taken to Jenni immediately and they were now inseparable.  So Harry the dog was keeping Jenni entertained while Mandy watched and brooded on just why her mother had requested to see them both.

Sarah Carson looked more worn and weary as she walked up to where her daughter sat on a picnic bench.  Mandy and her mother had a quick embrace then Sarah sat down at the opposite side of the table.

“You seem to be doing well Amanda, even living the lifestyle you have chosen.”

“Yes, Mother.  I’m very happy with my life.  I have my daughter and Greg and I are engaged.  I’m also doing very well in college and even have sold some of my artwork, enough to put away a good amount of money.”

“Yes... well.  Your father showed me an article in the paper where you won the local art show.  I, of course, do not approve of your subject matter, but I will admit that you do capture your subjects well.”

“Why did you want to see us?  Last time we spoke you watched Father beat me up and throw me out of the house.”

“Amanda, I didn’t come here to go over the past.  We are moving soon and I wanted to see you and your child before we go.”

Mandy called to Jenni and the toddler came running over to her with Harry in hot pursuit.  Mandy picked her daughter up and sat her on her lap.  “Honey, this is your grandmother Sarah.”

“Gamma?” was the confused child’s reply.

“Not Grandma Heather sweety, she is your other Grandma.”  The child took this in stride, her belief in everything her mama and daddy told her being enough.

Sarah looked at her grandchild, and remembered when the woman holding her was the same age.  The resemblance was incredible.  Jennifer looked like her mother’s double when she had been that age.

“She seems to be a happy child.  Is she a good baby?  You were always easy to take care of when you were that age.”

“Jenni has always been a joy to have.  She only gets cranky when something is wrong and the women at the daycare spoil her constantly.”  Mandy decided to get to the point.  “Mother, why did you decide to come here today?”

“The truth is Amanda, I wanted to see for myself just how you and the child were doing.  Your father is of the mind that you are not caring for the child.  Also, we are soon moving with the rest of the church to Idaho.  Reverend Campol has convinced the congregation that the end times are coming and we need to get away from all the devilry that surrounds us here.  The profits from the sale of our home will go toward paying for the land that the Reverend has found for us.”

“Mother, you don’t seem very enthused about this move.”

“It is not for me to say.  Your father is the head of the household and I must obey him like the church must obey Christ.  I do worry about all of this, but your father has spoken on the matter, so I have no choice.”

Mandy tried to convince her mother that she didn’t have to make the move, but soon gave it up as a lost cause.  Sarah stood up after a few more minutes.

“I must be going before your father wants to know where I am.  I shouldn’t say anything at all, but I want you to know that your father is determined to show you as a poor parent.  I know otherwise now, but I can’t go against him.”

With that, Sarah turned and started walking back toward her house.  Mandy was very upset by what her mother had said at the end of their conversation.  Her father would have no reason to try and cause problems other than just to try and prove she was wrong to leave.

Greg had been close enough to hear most of the conversation, and had come over to comfort Mandy.

“I’m sure you don’t have anything to worry about at all.  Everyone who knows you knows that you are the best mother in the world.  Don’t worry, even if he does try something, we will prove him wrong.  Come on; let’s take the munchkin and the furball over to the Creamery for a cone.  I hope you brought enough wipes for the mess she is going to make.”

They went and got a cone for Jenni and a small dish for Harry.  They had to buy a separate dish for the dog to keep Jenni from sneaking him bites of her cone.  Then they cleaned her up the best they could and headed home.

Mandy kept the thought of her father causing her problems in the back of her mind.  During her schoolwork, it would pop up and cloud her thinking.  She could see it was affecting her schoolwork and even her art class was suffering.  Her art professor noticed the change and encouraged her to get her feelings out through her art.  It was during this time that she did some sculptures that were stark in their despair, and, while they were far from her normal work, were very emotional.

The day finally came when a process server brought over papers stating that Richard and Sarah Carson were suing for the custody of Jenni.  Even though they had been expecting this to happen for a couple of weeks, it brought Mandy to tears.  Traci comforted her friend while Greg got on the phone with Marina Sultas, the lawyer who had helped Mandy in the past.  They had forewarned her that this might happen, so she was ready with all the paperwork to file the objections.

They didn’t even have to go to the first hearing.  All that had happened was that the judge appointed a Guardian ad Lidem for Jenni to look out for her best interests.  This lawyer made arrangements to come over and survey the conditions that Jenni was living in.

Mr. Agustus took a look around the house and saw that Jenni had her own room as well as plenty of play space.  He then talked to each of the other three residents of the house separately, then all together.  At the same time he was observing how Jenni was attended to by whoever happened to be around her at the time.  He noticed the way that Jenni interacted with each of the adults.

He spent less than an hour in the house and before he left, he gave them a heads-up.  “I am not supposed to let anyone in on what I have found until the report is released to the judge, but from what I have observed, Jennifer seems to be in an ideal environment.  I know the daycare that she is in since my wife teaches at the college.  They are very loving to all of their charges.  Off the record, I can’t see anything that would go wrong in this case.”

He shook hands all around and left them to finish making dinner. He was headed next to the Carson’s.  Greg felt that everything would be fine, but Mandy was still worried.

The date with the mediator was coming up quickly.  It was apparent that Richard Carson was pushing for custody before they moved.  There had been an emergency custody motion to remove Jenni immediately from Mandy’s care until the trial, but that had been quashed since it was clear she was in no danger.  Ms. Sultas reassured them all that there would be no problem and they were to just stick to the facts as she had presented them.

They all arrived at the courthouse early and were waiting when Richard and Sarah came in.  Richard had a look of confidence that shook Mandy, but Greg leaned over and let her know that she need not worry.

The mediator came in and introduced himself as David C. Haskins.  They were seated at a large table with him in the middle opposite both parties.  The only other person in the room was a court reporter.

Mr. Haskins called the mediation to order and read off the names of all present.  Then he began.

“I have reviewed the complaint and response as well as the report of the Guardian ad Litem, a Mr. Felix Agustus.  Before I make a recommendation in this matter, you each will be allowed to enter into the record any information that you feel is pertiant to the matter at hand.  Mr. Carson, as the claimant, you may go first.”

Richard Carson stood up.  “I believe that I should get custody of this child because her mother is obliviously not fit to raise her.  She had the child out of wedlock, is cohabitating with another woman and a man.  This is not a proper environment in which to raise a child.  A child needs a strong influence and the power of Christ in their lives, not raised in a den of depravity where two harlots perform all kinds of sinful acts in her presence.  Also, the mother does not have a permanent job or any other income.  How does she expect to raise a child with no husband to support and lead her?  Give us this child and we will raise her in a proper Christian home.”

Next was Mandy’s turn.  Her father’s words had upset her enough that she was unable to speak without breaking down.  Greg stood up and asked if he could speak on her behalf.  Mr. Haskins nodded his assent.

Greg was angry.  Actually he was beyond angry.  The way he was painting Mandy, as an unfit mother was not only vicious, but also completely untrue.

“Putting aside the facts that Amanda was raped and that the Carson’s refused to do anything other than blame her for it, as well as the fact they tossed her out of the house, literally when they found out she was pregnant, she has become a mother that would be the model for anyone.  Jennifer is doted on and lacks nothing.  According to her pediatrician, she is in the upper percentile for her age in weight and height, and progressing well in all the ways a baby should.

“As for income, Mandy makes a very good income from the sale of her artwork.  You have the figures, but I imagine she is making as much if not more than Mr. Carson does on a yearly basis.  As for his other charges, they are a load of garbage in addition to having no bearing in this case.  Mandy and I are engaged and we will be married within the next few years.  Besides, the Carson’s have never made any attempt to see Jenni and probably are only using this whole thing as a way to hurt their daughter because she went and got raped.”

Mr. Haskins cleared his throat.  “I will render my decision in writing in a few days.  However, I will say that in spite of what the GAL and social services say about Miss Carson, I believe it is wrong to allow a child to be brought up in a sinful environment.  And you are living in sin, young woman.  You are not going to church, and you are not exposing the child to the Lord.  The bible says you are wrong in the way you are raising the child as well as not honoring your father.  And my decision will reflect those things.”

The Carsons looked very smug, but Mandy and Greg were in a state of shock.  They could not believe that this man would place his religious convictions ahead of what the laws and common sense dictated.

As they left Mandy was so shocked that she couldn’t even cry.  Greg was on the phone to Marina Sultas before they had left the building.  They were going to fight this.  He felt like Jenni was his and he wasn’t going to allow anyone to separate them.