Chapter 6

Mandy woke up the next morning trying to remember something.  She was snuggling up against her lover’s back when it hit her.  They had invited Traci over for brunch at ten!  She rolled over and saw that the clock read nine-fifteen.  She roused Greg, and then hit the shower.  She was getting dressed when Greg moved toward the bathroom.  She heard the shower start and she headed down to start breakfast.  She had been eating more since she was past the morning sickness phase and the doctor told her that she shouldn’t gain too much.  But she figured a good breakfast wouldn’t hurt.

By the time Greg made his appearance in the kitchen, she had the bacon almost finished.  He had a few sips of coffee then made the pancake batter.  The first ones hit the griddle when the doorbell rang.  Mandy went to answer it followed by a tired but smiling Traci.

He sat them both at the island and within a few minutes had served up plates of bacon, scrambled eggs and pancakes.  Getting a plate of his own, he sat at the end while they all ate.  When they had finished and their cups had been refilled, Mandy asked the young woman how her date had gone.

“It was fantastic.  Jim picked me up and we went to that new place that serves Middle Eastern food.  I had never had it before so Jim helped me decide.  It was really good, but spicy.  Then we went to see “The dialogue of mankind”, at the Orpheus Theater.  I enjoyed the actors and the material was interesting.  Then we went to a little coffee shop and discussed the play.  He talked intelligently and backed up his points.  Even when we disagreed, we could discuss it and even enlighten each other.  I’ll tell you, that don’t happen to me on dates.

“Then he took me home and when I was going to give him a simple goodnight kiss, it turned into one that curled my toes.  Boy, that man knows how to kiss!  I have never been turned on like that from just a kiss.  After he left, I had to umm... take care of myself.  Anyway, we are going out again on Friday.”

Greg just chuckled at her enthusiasm.  Mandy was telling her how great she thought it was that she had found someone who she enjoyed going out with.

“I really glad Greg suggested that I do the asking.  Jim admitted that he was intimidated by my looks, but he settled down when he met the real me.  It’s just so great to finally get to enjoy a date and not have to fight off some goon’s hands all night, or listen to them brag.”

The two women decided that lounging in the sun was just the thing they needed.  Mandy led their friend to the master bedroom to change while she slipped on her own bikini.  Greg already had on a pair of cut off shorts, but he wasn’t going to come out yet.  There was an old sci-fi movie he wanted to watch.

When Greg’s show was over, he decided to go and see if the ladies wanted anything.  What he saw when he went out almost made him swallow his tongue.  Traci’s bikini was so tiny it was almost non-existent.  The two triangles up top were barely big enough to cover her nipples and the one below clearly showed the sides of her nether lips.  She was on her back and her breasts showed just enough side movement to prove that they were natural.  Her stomach was firm with just a hint of the muscle beneath showing.  Her long legs were shapely with no sign of any excess fat.

Mandy looked good enough to eat, as always.  She had decided to forego her top and left it on the arm of the lounge.  Her firm breasts glistened with the oil she had applied to them and her nipples were standing erect in the light breeze.

Neither one had noticed him, so when he felt like he could speak; he cleared his throat to get their attention.  “Just wondering if you two would like something to drink?”

Both women looked over at him.  Traci’s gaze wandered down to his sizeable erection in his shorts, then caught herself and looked back up into his face.  Mandy had seen where her friend’s gaze had gone and was smiling with merriment.  They both decided tea would be nice about now, so he hastily made a retreat to the kitchen.

By the time he brought their drinks out his cock was at half-mast.  He studiously kept his eyes away from the tiny white bikini and his girlfriend’s bare chest while he handed them their glasses.  Then he sat in a chair opposite him.

After Traci had downed about half her glass, she looked over at Greg.  “Thank you for the compliment.  It’s nice to know I’m attractive to someone without having them try and paw me.”

Greg looked a bit sheepish.  “Well, with two beautiful women very close to being naked, I’d have to be dead not to have a reaction like that.  But you’re right, you are too good a friend for me to have more than a passing thought or two about you.”

“I thought as much about you, but it’s nice to hear you say it.  I haven’t relaxed this much since I left home for college.  No studies, no worries, and nobody pushing for something.  I could get used to this.”

Mandy spoke up at that.  “You know you are welcome anytime you want to come over, Traci.  At least as far as I am concerned.”

Greg seconded the notion.  “It’s fine with me as well.  You can use it as a ‘safe house’ of sorts, to get away if you want.  You are always welcome.”

Traci thanked them both and tried to tell them how much she appreciated the offer.  What they didn’t know is how much she really needed some escape.  This year, her freshman at the college, had been very stressful for her.  She had taken a full load of classes, and the sudden change from her sheltered high school life was drastic.  She had made the change but it was hard.  In addition, her roommate was bi and was constantly bringing home both men and women.  She wasn’t quiet about it either.  It was becoming harder to be able to study specially with finals coming up.  She had been using the library, but with the perverts running around, she never really felt safe.

Besides, she didn’t really have many friends.  The guys just seemed to want to get in her pants, and the other women were fearful of her looks.  All in all, she was a very lonely woman.  She had come to hate college life, so much so that she had considered quitting several times.  There were nights that she would lie in her bed and sob in her loneliness and frustration.

That was why the simple offer from these two was so important to her.  They genuinely liked her for the person she was.  Mandy was not jealous of her or afraid that she would steal her boyfriend.  Greg always treated her like a person and liked her for her personality and mind.  He was aware of the way she looked, but he never made a move on her that way.  Whenever she left from her tutoring sessions with Mandy, she always came away with the feeling of being relaxed and refreshed.  It was like she was safe in being herself without the preconceived notions that always plagued those around her.

Traci had been thinking about all of this during the silence that had followed her acceptance of their offer.  Greg happened to look over as a tear rolled out from under her sunglasses and made a wet trail down her cheek.

He immediately got Mandy’s attention and pointed at Traci.  She in turn got off her lounge and knelt down next to her friend.  “What’s wrong Traci?  Did we do something to upset you?”

Traci sat up and tried to wipe away the tears.  “No you haven’t done anything wrong at all.  I’m sorry for getting emotional.  It’s just that you two offering to let me come over anytime just made me feel so good.”

When Greg said he didn’t understand what she meant, she explained all the things she had been thinking and why it meant so much to her.  By the time she was done talking, Greg had knelt down on the other side of her and was rubbing her arm to assure her they meant what they had said, and that they both considered her a special person and a good friend.

Mandy went further and leaned up and wrapped Traci in a big hug.  That seemed to help as much as anything.  When they finally let go, Traci gave them both a small smile.  “I really didn’t mean to get all emotional.  I usually don’t do things like that.”

“There’s nothing wrong with honest emotions,” said Greg.  Then he opened his arms in invitation and Traci leaned over willingly to accept a hug from him.  When they separated, they moved into the house by unspoken agreement.

Traci ended up staying for dinner as well.  They talked most of the evening and the topics were more personal than they had been before.  Greg explained how he seemed to be living on his own at fourteen and some of the loneliness he had from that upbringing.  Mandy shocked the older woman with the atmosphere she had been raised in.  As Mandy would describe something, they could see the emotions of sympathy, anger, and incredulity pass over Traci’s beautiful face.

For her part, she told of growing up with four brothers and being the middle child in a family that was just above poverty level.  Her mother had seen that her daughter was a pretty child and had entered her in modeling contests.  The money she made from the modeling went into the family budget and would often times pay for the clothes for her and her brothers for school.  She had done well in school academically but felt outcast in the social scene.  She had high hopes when she came to college that she would be able to fit in, but she had found more of the same attitudes.  She had volunteered to tutor for the charter school because she got credit for it, but more for a chance to try and help others.

The heartfelt talk lasted late into the night.  It was approaching midnight when Greg finally looked at the clock.  Mandy suggested that Traci spend the night and she could get a good night’s sleep.  She would have plenty of time to get back to the dorm and change before her first class and be better for the rest.  Traci didn’t want to intrude, but when Greg chimed in that it was no intrusion, she decided to accept.

Mandy found one of her sleep shirts that would fit the taller girl.  It did fit, but barely, just covering her ass cheeks.  Greg appreciated the glimpse of panties he got but didn’t say a word.  They all headed for a quick shower, Greg and Mandy in the master bathroom and Traci using the one in hall bath.  They called out goodnight and were soon snuggled down in their separate beds.

Greg and Mandy didn’t make love that night in deference to their guest.  Since she heard it all the time in the dorm, they wanted her to rest.  Instead, they snuggled and talked for a few minutes before dropping off to sleep wrapped in each other’s arms.

The next morning, Greg was the first one up and half staggered into the bathroom.  He was brushing his teeth when he heard Traci’s voice as she said good morning to Mandy.  At the same time, he realized his dilemma.  In his half awake state, he had walked into the bathroom naked.  Now with both women in the hall waiting in for their turn, he had to do something.  He grabbed the biggest towel in the shelf and wrapped it around his waist.  That at least would allow him some dignity.  He opened the door and as he went across the hall, shouted “Next!” before closing the door behind him. 

Mandy was almost dressed when he came in.  She saw the towel and since his hair wasn’t wet, she figured out what happened.  She giggled at him as his face turned red, but he was soon sharing in the humor of the incident.  She went on down to the kitchen to start her toast and juice for breakfast.   

Greg was close behind and was spreading peanut butter on a bagel when Traci appeared.  Mandy explained that during school, that breakfast was what ever you wanted to fix, so Traci helped herself to a bagel but instead of peanut butter, she spread cream cheese on it.

Traci commented that she hadn’t slept that well in a long time, even though she usually didn’t do well in strange places.  Then she thanked them again and promised to see them on their scheduled Tuesday night.  She headed out to her car and drove off to her first class of the day.  Greg and Mandy were soon on their way as well, both feeling good about their older friend.

Greg was in the middle of finals for his junior year.  Although he could have passed easily without even taking the finals, he was determined to keep his grades as high as possible.  He had settled into the habit of having lunch with Olivia a couple times a week.  At first, it was just her, but later on one or two of her friends would shyly come over waiting an invitation to sit.  There were four at the table that day and the three girls were complaining about the difficulty of the finals when they all felt the presence of another person at the table.  The girls looked up to see a beautiful young woman standing next to the table.  Greg who was reading his calculus notes had not been paying attention until the conversation suddenly stopped.

He looked up to see Mandy standing there smiling down at him.  He immediately stood up and gave her a quick hug and invited her to sit next to him.  All the girls were staring, so he introduced them.

“Mandy, this is my friend Olivia, and her friends Beth, Cyndi, and Amber.  Olivia is my lunch partner and the others come over once in a while to keep us company.”  The younger girls were blushing as he named them but Mandy was very friendly to them, greeting each in turn.  

“What brings you by here?  I’m glad to see you, but it was unexpected.”

“The school closed because of a water main break.  One of the other girls brought me over here and when I asked if I could stay and get a ride home with you, they said I could wait in the library or the office.”

Lunchtime was coming to a close when Greg stood to walk Mandy to the library.  Before they left, Mandy leaned over to Olivia and whispered loud enough for the other girls to hear, “You keep an eye on Greg.  He’s too good a man for us to share with just anyone, ya know.”  Then she winked at the sophomore, causing her to turn a lovely shade of red.

Greg gave her a mock scowl then returned her grin.  They walked hand in hand to the library and he promised to come and get her as soon as the final test was done.

Finals days were short days at John Adams High.  Each class was one hundred minutes instead of the usual sixty but they only had three finals each day.  Tomorrow would be only one and then they were basically done for the year.  Greg headed off to his calculus test, the last one of the day.

The teacher told the class that they could leave as soon as they were done with the test, so it was seventy minutes later that Greg hand in his papers and after waving at the teacher, walked out the door.  He headed straight to the library.  He paused to look in through the glass in the door and saw that Mandy had her sketchpad out and was drawing something in the room.

He entered quietly so he wouldn’t disturb her and come up behind her to see her work.  She had drawn the interior of the library, and where the desk was she had placed Miss Johnston, the librarian helping a student with a book.  At a couple of the tables, she had students studying and looking through the shelves.  In the time that he had been in the test, she had finished a wonderful sketch.

She finished the last bits of shading and turned to see Greg standing there.  “That is fantastic, sweetheart.  You captured the spirit of what the library should be.  I knew you were good, but this is something else.”

She blushed at his compliment.  “I like to draw and my art instructor encouraged me to practice when I have the time.  Since I knew you would be a while, I decided to try doing the room.”

She packed up her things and with the sketchbook under her arm, they started to leave.  As they passed the desk, Miss Johnson stopped them.  She was a kindly older woman who endeared herself to all the students, so Greg was glad to stop and introduce Mandy to her.

She asked to see what Mandy had been sketching and when she showed her, Miss Johnson was enamored with it..  She had the girl blushing with all the praise she was giving.  Mandy asked if she would like to have it and Miss Johnson was delighted.  Mandy carefully pulled out the page and signed and dated it.  Then she handed it to the older woman who placed it on the back counter.  She wished them a good afternoon and they headed out to his bike and then home.

Once at the house, Greg asked to see more of her sketches.  He was very impressed with what he saw and he encouraged her to draw at any time she felt the desire.  She started to say something a couple of times, and Greg told her to just say what she wanted.

“Well I need the practice of drawing human figures.  Would you mind posing for me?”

Greg was flattered, but really didn’t think he would be that good of a subject.  Mandy thought different, and convinced him that she really did need the practice.  He finally consented to be her model, and she got him posed with his arms crossed and leaning against the doorframe.  She looked at him a moment and then came over and unbuttoned the shirt he had on.  She arranged the front until it showed his stomach and pecs, and then got him back in position.  She sat on a stool and started sketching, looking frequently between her subject and the paper.

When she started to work on his face, she asked for a smile.  What he gave her was a look that showed his lust for her.  She did a double take at his face and felt a surge of sexual energy go through her, but she put it on the back burner until she finished her sketch.  When she called it finished, he came over to look.  His face was burning but he admitted that she had captured him, and what’s more she made the mood come alive.  His gaze looked like he was practically smoking with desire of her.  She laid her pad and pencils down and grabbed his face into a passionate kiss that lit his fuse.

Without breaking the kiss, he leaned down and picked her up, carrying her to the bedroom.  They broke apart long enough to tear their clothes off, then they came together on the bed.  They were both more than ready and she rolled him up on his back and slid herself down on him in one long stroke.  She paused only long enough to look into his eyes before she started to move firmly up and down on him.  This was one of the times she was not interested in taking her time.  She was so hot she needed to be fucked and fucked now!

Greg was of the same mind.  He thrust up in rhythm to her movements and they were soon pounding each other as their need for release heightened.  Mandy went over first, slamming down on his cock and starting to shake in orgasm.  Her climax triggered his and he pushed into her as far as he could, releasing his semen deep inside of her.

It had not lasted long but they were both worn out from the intensity.  They lay in each other’s arms just enjoying the afterglow.

Mandy was the first to move.  She rose up on her arms and looked down at her lover.  “Wow!  That was really intense.”

“You’re not kidding.  I had been thinking about that all afternoon and when you kissed me like that, I just got lost in the passion.”

“When you gave me that look as you were posing, it just shot through me.  I felt myself getting soaked the longer I worked.  I just kept seeing the way you were looking at me.”

“It was a surprise to me, but I think we both enjoyed it.”  Receiving an affirmative reaction from his lover, he grinned.  “But we had better get cleaned up before Traci shows up.  You don’t want to be looking like you just had your brains fucked out.”

Mandy stuck her tongue out at him, but got up to follow him into the master bath for a shower and a little mutual groping.  By the time Traci arrived, they were fully dressed and presentable, but they both had a look of serenity that betrayed the sexual encounter of a few hours before.

Traci saw the look on Mandy’s face but wisely chose to ignore it.  However, she did have some other news.  “The school thinks that you are coming along well with the additional tutoring you have been getting.  They are going to cut your sessions to one a week when school starts next fall.  I’m trying to get it set up to be your tutor, but they haven’t made the decisions yet.  Anyway, tonight will be our last official session for the year.  The college terms are over so they have brought the program to an end for the summer.”

Greg and Mandy both would miss the bi-weekly session with Traci and told her so.  She gave them a look.  “I said officially the program is ended.  That doesn’t mean that I won’t still be around.  I have to go back home for a visit, but I haven’t found any summer job there so I will be back here to look.”

This revelation brightened the mood for the evening.  Instead of studying that night, they sat around just having conversation among friends.  Traci admitted that her grades were not quite what she wanted but she had made the Dean’s List.  There were congratulations on that achievement from the other two.  Greg’s grades would be out on Monday but he felt confident that he had done well.  Mandy’s marks came from a combination of her old school where she had been keeping a good standing plus the progress that she had shown at the charter school.  She came out with a 3.0 average, which was very good considering the turmoil.  She was very proud of making a perfect 4.0 in her art class.

The talk then turned to Mandy’s proficiency as an artist.  Greg got her to pull out her sketchbook and as Traci leafed through the pages, she was impressed as well.  When she got to the last one where Greg was leaning against the doorframe, she actually blushed a little bit.

“The expression that you captured on Greg is really something.  If he was looking at you like that then I can understand why you seemed so ‘relaxed’ when I showed up.”

Mandy gave a blush at that comment.  “Yeah, it kinda affected me that way too.  We were both pretty worked up by that time.”

Traci gave a chuckle at her discomfort.  “It great that you two have each other.  Being single is a disadvantage at times.  Frustration is harder to relieve without a partner to help.”  After she realized that she let slip that she had to resort to masturbation for relief, it was Traci’s turn to blush a deep red. 

The evening ended earlier than before.  Traci had to finish packing for her trip home and Greg still had one more exam tomorrow morning.  Monday would be the last day of school for him and Mandy had three days after that.  With a promise to call them when she got back into town, Traci left.  Mandy went in to watch some television while Greg studied for his last final.

The final exam was in English Lit. and Greg was sure he aced it.  With nothing else to do, he cleaned out his locker.  Monday, he would be back in long enough to turn in his books and get his grades.  He wandered into the library to return a book he had borrowed and saw that Miss Johnson had taken Mandy’s drawing and had it framed.  It was hanging on the wall at the end of the desk.  He felt a measure of pride for his girlfriend and her suppressed talent.  He bid the older woman to have a nice summer and left for the day.

Collecting the helmets, he rode around the city a while before finding himself in the area of the Charter school.  Hoping to visit Mandy, he went to the office to find when she would be having lunch and if he could stay for that.  The assistant principal recognized him and said he could stay for lunch, which would be starting in about fifteen minutes.

While he waited, he and the woman talked about Mandy’s progress.  She had been very happy with the progress she had made.  Traci’s reports talked highly of her ability to grasp things and her eye for detail.

“I also spoke to Traci on several occasions and she gives you a lot of credit on helping with Mandy’s progress.  Would you be interested in maybe helping some others as well?”

“I’m not sure what you mean.  Like what Traci was doing?”

“Something that you might want to think about over the summer.  We have a program worked out with the Public school system that allows seniors to assist our teachers in the classrooms.  It usually involves giving those in need extra attention to help them keep up with the class.  Usually we have female volunteers for obvious reasons, but we have had a few males with no problems.  I would encourage you to consider it for next year.”

Greg said that he would think it over.  The idea appealed to him and his helpful nature.  Plus, if he did it on the last class of the day, he would be here already to take Mandy home if she was still here.  That could very well be just what he needed to finish out his schedule.  He could ask his counselor on Monday.

The bell signaling lunch sounded and Greg went to the cafeteria to wait on his girlfriend.  As she got into the serving line, Greg stepped up to her side while she was talking to a few of her classmates.  Melissa spotted him and started grinning.  Mandy looked puzzled, then turned to see him standing there.

She let out a startled squeak, and then gave him a hug.  “What are you doing over here, trying to get even for me showing up at your lunch?”

“Something like that.  I finished the last exam early and decided that it would be nice to come by.  The office was kind enough to let me have lunch with you.”  The other girls were happy to let him cut in line and they started through the line.

Greg was pleasantly surprised to find that the food offered was much better quality than the pre-garbage that his school offered.  This school, while still attached to the public school system, contracted with a catering company.  The meals were a bit more expensive, but the quality was worth it.

Mandy led him to a table that looked almost full, but as she approached, those seated moved closer and made room for them.  He had met a few of the young women there, and the rest of the introductions didn’t take long.  They all seemed quite happy to have a male among them and kept watching him while they ate.  Between bites, they were asking him questions about his favorite subjects, how he met Mandy, and even some of a more personal nature.

He answered them all as best he could, causing a few red faces in the process.  It wasn’t long until lunch was over and they were heading back to class.  The vice principal had told him that he could observe the classes if he wanted, so he followed along with Mandy as she headed into her next three subjects.  What he found was that while the classes were on standard subject matter, but the instruction was a lot more individualized.  If someone was having problems, the teacher would work with them until they got it.

However, the thing that shocked him the most really shouldn’t have.  He knew the concept was that the entire school was female, but the reality of seeing nothing but girls in a classroom still startled him.  They weren’t segregated according to age, but more on ability and knowledge.  

Something else he noticed was that in addition to ages, there was a complete blurring of racial boundaries.  He had to rapidly change his notion that girls of certain races became pregnant more often than others.  There were an almost equal mix of Caucasian, Hispanic and African American, along with more than a few Asian and Native American.  

As he sat in the back of the room listening, he was thinking about why these girls were being separated from the rest of teen society.  Part of it was economic; at least that is what he was told by his own counselor.  The public school system could not afford to have daycare in all the schools for teen mothers.  But that didn’t really address the problem.  It was society’s ‘moral’ conclusion that somehow they couldn’t allow a teen who had ‘let herself get pregnant’ be among the general population.  They had to be secluded off by themselves as objects of shame.

He gave a big sigh.  There would have to be a big change in the attitudes of the general population to get past the status quo.  Armed with the prejudices of their parents, the girls would be harassed in regular school mercilessly.  There had been a couple of instances in his own high school where girls who had boyfriends that talked had been labeled as ‘easy’ as well as sluts and whores.  Greg had always felt this was wrong, but he had always been shy about speaking up for them.  That caused him to feel like he was as bad as the ones who were doing the harassing.

Looking around at all the young women in this class, he vowed to himself that he wouldn’t be quiet any longer.  He came up with some ideas and once he got the details worked out, he would talk to Mandy about them.

He was pulled out of his thoughts by the bell signaling the end of class and Mandy pulling his arm.  He smiled at her and followed her lead to the next class.

Since it was Friday, as soon as classes were over, they rode home and changed.  They had decided to go out for a quick bite and then to the mall.  Greg had learned that if there was a chance of shopping that the bike was impractical so they were in their car when the pulled into the parking lot of the local hamburger joint.  There were some of the people from Greg’s school there and he greeted them with a wave.  He got Mandy seated and went up to order for them when Connie and Andy came in.  Greg invited them to share their table as soon as they got their food.

Connie was as bouncy as ever and immediately went over to talk to Mandy.  Andy gave a grin and shrugged his shoulders to say ‘What can you do?’

By the time the boys had returned with their meals, Connie and Mandy had decided to make a trip to the mall together.  Greg rolled his eyes at Andy, which earned him an elbow in the ribs.

The ladies enjoyed their shopping safari.  The guys followed for a while then headed for the music and electronic stores.  While they were together, Greg and Andy got to know each other better.  Andy was one of the few in school that could fit in with any group.  He did well with the jocks since he was on the wrestling team, but carried a high GPA so he could fit in with the intellectual crowd.  Greg found himself liking Andy.  He was funny, bright and they had tastes in music and a love of computer gadgets in common.  This was someone that he would never have thought to talk to before.  Being out with Mandy brought about a change in him, and he decided it was for the better.

The women finally found the guys sitting on a bench in the middle of the mall watching the other people, especially the girls, go by.  Since there were no other shops to be explored, they decided to call it a night.  The couples went their separate ways, Connie and Andy heading for a late movie and Greg taking Mandy home.

Mandy’s next appointment with the doctor went very well.  The baby was growing right on schedule and so was the mother.  Mandy was worrying about stretch marks, and Dr. Simmons recommended using vitamin E.  She told Greg that he could help rub it in and he was more than happy to have an excuse to put his hands on Mandy’s body.

The Dr. also talked to Mandy about talking to the social services for prenatal help.  They would supply the needs for her until the baby is born.  They both added it to the list of things to do, and left the clinic feeling very good about the exam.

The trial of Mandy’s father was soon up on the docket.  Since it was his mother’s house that was broken into, Greg was to testify, as was Mandy.  She was having some trouble dealing with facing him again and was very moody before the trial.  It was the night before that they had to go in and testify when they discussed it one more time.

Greg was holding her when he started the conversation.  “Mandy, you will do fine tomorrow.”

“I don’t know if I can face him again.  I have always been so frightened of him.”

“The DA said that he wouldn’t allow him to hurt you, or even touch you.  He can’t even say anything to you outside the courtroom because the TRO is still in effect.  And I’m sure his lawyer will keep him quiet in the courtroom.”

“But just seeing him again...  Just the thought of having to look at him scares me.”

“Look, when you have to go up there, just remember what he has done to you.  How he treated you like you were less than a whole person.”

“I’ll try.  I just hope I can make it.”

The trial wasn’t too long.  He gave up the right to a jury trial and took his chances with the judge.  When the charges were read, they included Breaking a restraining order, breaking and entering, assault, attempted kidnapping, resisting arrest and assault on a police officer.   The DA tried to plea bargain but Mr. Carson would have none of it.  He honestly felt he had done nothing wrong.

 When Greg was called to the stand, the DA asked him just a few questions.

“Can you identify the man who broke in through your front door, tearing the chain lock off of the door?”

“Yes sir.  It was the defendant, Mr. Carson.”

“What did you do after he broke in?”

“I told him to leave and that he was defying a court order to stay away from Mandy - Amanda Carson.  I placed myself between him and Amanda.  He tried to shove me and I defended her and myself.  He tried again and I stopped him again.  That is when the police came in and tried to arrest him.”

“Thank you Mr. Tolkin.”

I had a bit more trouble from the defense attorney.

“Now you say that Amanda’s father broke into you house.  Why didn’t you just let him in?”

“Because there is a restraining order against him, and he wasn’t invited in.”

“You were keeping a loving father away from his daughter then?”

“The same loving father that had thrown her out of his house after her manhandled her?”

His lawyer called for an objection, saying Greg was stating facts not in evidence.  The DA countered that the TRO was in evidence and that the statements referred to the reason that it had been granted.  The judge overruled the objection.

“You assaulted Mr. Carson after he got into the house, is that correct?”

“No sir.  I was defending myself and Amanda.”

“How do you know for sure she needed defending?  How do you know that he didn’t want to talk to his daughter?”

“You don’t break someone’s door in if you were just going to talk.”

Seeing he wasn’t getting anywhere with this witness, he sat down and Greg was excused.  The officer was next and testified that Richard Carson had been trying to get past Greg when they showed up; he fought arrest, and even kicked his partner.

Then it was Mandy’s turn.  She described how he had slapped her and thrown her out of the house, how her mother had slapped her, how her father came crashing into the house demanding that she come with him.  She held up very well under the questioning.

The defense attorney was really rough on her.  He tried to insinuate that she was just a spoiled, pig-headed brat that refused to obey any authority and that she had made up the whole thing when her parents tried to discipline her.  Mandy started to break, but when she looked over at Greg, she thought of what he had said, and she got back on track.

The defense had tried to portray Mr. Carson as a loving, God fearing father who was just trying to bring a disobedient child back to his family.  Fortunately the judge didn’t buy that at all.  He was found guilty on all charges, and sentenced to six hundred hours community service and three years probation.  The restraining order was made permanent since he had shown no remorse in ignoring it.  The couple walked out of the courtroom satisfied and a little shook.

The DA had told them they both did well, and wished them good luck in the future.  Greg offered to buy an early dinner, but Mandy was still upset and they just went home.  Once there they shared some time in the hot tub together and Greg had her lie down for a massage.  He started on her bare shoulders, kneading the knots out of her muscles that controlled her neck and shoulders.  Then he moved down between her shoulder blades before he continued down her back.  He reversed course when he got to her buttocks working on every muscle he could feel tension in.  By the time he got back down, he heard her give a soft snore.  She was sound asleep.  He gently moved her enough that he could get in beside her and pulling the covers up on them both, he followed her into slumber. 

The routine they had was comfortable for them both.  They were enjoying the summer together, going on day trips into the local parks and taking in the sights.  Mandy took along her sketch pad and would often practice her art, filling page after page with what she saw through her mind’s eye.  Among the pages were children playing in the park, a robin caring for her chicks, and even a fox that she had spotted in the underbrush.  She would catch as much as she could then fill in the details from memory.

Traci called one evening about half way through her vacation home.  When Mandy answered the phone, she heard a weary voice on the other end.  Seemed that Traci was going to cut her visit short.  One of her little brothers had got in with a bad crowd and had been implicated in a drive-by shooting.  Her parents were having a rough time handling it emotionally along with trying to come up with the money for his defense.  The trial was over and he got off with a light sentence.  He wasn’t with the group that did the shooting, but was implicated by association.  Still, it was enough that her parents were now fighting most of the time blaming each other for what had happened.

The coed told them she was coming back and would try and find a place to stay until the dorms would be open for the fall semester.  Mandy told her to hold on just a minute and called Greg over to tell him what was happening.  His response was that she could use the spare bedroom for a while.  He would clear it with his mother, but he was pretty sure she wouldn’t mind.  When Mandy told Traci what was offered, she tried to refuse, saying she couldn’t put them out like that.

Greg then asked for the phone.  “Traci?  You wouldn’t be putting anyone out and you wouldn’t be in the way.  There is an extra room and it won’t be any more cost if you are here.”

Traci tried to argue, but it was just a token resistance.  She always was comfortable around the young couple.  They didn’t put any pressure on her, and were really some of the only friends she had in town.  She relented, saying she would be there in a few days.