“Once More With Feelings”
=========================

A new story by Night Hawk
© 2004 by Night Hawk

Chapter 23: It’s beginning to look a lot like…
______________________________________________


Bob wasn’t about to give up that easily, and he said to Mike,
“We’ll talk about this later, Mike.  I wish my employees were as
loyal.”

“See you at the game?”  I asked Einstein.

“Wouldn’t dream of missing it,” he said, and then drove off
with Mike.

Mr. Denure was going to drive the bus himself tonight.  We had
waited till the panel was put back into place on the fancy coach
and after a quick check of the sound system, he thanked Mike
with a vigorous handshake, expressing his gratitude that the bus
could leave on schedule next Monday.

We were going to be cutting it close time wise, but Annette’s
father had years of experience driving a bus through London,
taking streets that I didn’t realize existed in either lifetime,
and to him, the speed limit seemed to be only a suggestion.

We had gotten about a dozen blocks from the bus depot when a
London City Police cruiser lit up behind us.  At the next
stoplight, Bob opened his window and waved for it to pull
alongside.  “I got half the Saints team on this bus,” he
hollered out the window, “and I have to get the other half or we
forfeit the game!”

The cop gave him a thumbs up and turning on his siren, pulled
ahead of us with a squeal of tires and led us all the way to St.
Ursula’s where the rest of the team stood waiting.  Bob wheeled
the big coach around on the gravel and with a hiss of brakes
stopped in front of the waiting group, the doors open even
before the big vehicle settled on its air springs.  “Good
evening Sisters, Father,” he greeted them as they climbed
aboard.  “Ladies, please take your seats, we have to hustle!”

He turned to his still open window, looking down at the cop car
beside the coach, lights still flashing.  “Wheable!” he shouted
in answer to an unheard question, and I saw the cop raise his
thumb again.  No sooner were the girls in their seats than we
were off again for the run across town, arriving in time for the
four of us to change into the uniforms our teammates had brought
with them. 

The game itself was uneventful.  No bad feelings or animosity. 
I remembered they had a great football team, mainly because I
didn’t make the cut.  Wheable was the high school that Einstein
would have attended but for his insistence on being allowed to
take the placement tests.  I remembered it as a very average
school.  No great intellectuals graduated from Wheable, but no
losers either.  Just a very business oriented school.

Although it was corny, I was starting to enjoy the brass band. 
In my first life, brass had never really appealed to me, but I
was starting to see why it had thrived and survived all these
years and why it was being used in more and more popular tunes. 
Hell, Disco was coming so I might as well enjoy it this time.

As Bob made the turn onto Adelaide, heading north, I looked out
over the Thames.  It was dark and I could sense the chill of the
water.  There was snow in the air.

~~~~~ // ~~~~~

On our first day back in school, it did snow.

We actually arrived on Sunday night after a tearful goodbye
with Mike and Anne.  I reassured them that they weren’t losing
us – we’d be home again in four weeks for Christmas, and they’d
still see us on weekends and game nights.

I guess Mike and Ann had become used to having the two of us
around.  It still didn’t really make sense to me though because
while we were on our two-week semester break, Mike and Ann had
still worked.  I think we saw them more when we were in school!

We spent that Sunday at home and I had a sneaking suspicion we
did that because Mike and Ann wanted us to themselves, although
Ann invited Linda and Julie over for lunch.  I still hadn’t
learned why Mike and Ann were so sympathetic toward them and
understanding of their relationship, but figured	that they’d
tell us when they were ready, so I didn’t ask questions.

Mike was really thrilled that Bob Denure had contracted his
shop for all the radio and sound system repairs for the entire
London Bus Company fleet, telling us that he’d come to the shop
on Friday to discuss it.

“Actually, I think he really came over to get me to help him
persuade Patrick to do those vinyl repairs for him, but first he
asked for my bill.”  Mike smiled.  “He looked at it, then said
‘How would you like to do the lot?’  I said, ‘The lot of what?’
and he said ‘The whole fleet’.  That sat me back on my heels, I
can tell you!”

“And so,” he went on, “we had a talk about it, and now I’m his
preferred supplier for electronic repairs.”  He grinned.  “And
all I have to do now is persuade Patrick to do	vinyl repairs for
him one evening a week!”  His voice took on a slightly awed
tone.  “You would not believe what he spends on seat repairs
each year!”

Mike drove us back to school mid-afternoon after we had washed
up the dishes, taking with us a special ‘back to school’ cake
that Linda had baked to share with the rest of the team.  We
unpacked and settled in, then hooked up with everyone in the big
seniors’ common room, where we talked excitedly about what we
all did on our semester break.  Annette and Mandy were already
there and we greeted them with the special affection we would
share for the rest of our lives.

That night, we sat on our bed and cuddled in what had become
our favorite position, nude with my darling sitting in my lap by
the light of a single candle.

~~~~~ // ~~~~~

Wendy and I still had the same homeroom and religion class with
Sister Mary Francis.  Monday morning we were deep in discussion
on the Trinity versus the One God, when Helen Lompata injected
“Hey, it’s snowing!”

St. Ursula’s had a continuous intake program, with new students
arriving each semester, and Helen was one such, having been
introduced to the class that morning.  I thought I had had an
attitude at her age, but Helen had attitude with a capital ‘A’. 
‘If this was the year 2000,’ I thought, ‘you’d have a nose ring
and black mascara just to get a rise out of your parents.’

While Sister Mary Francis didn’t particularly appreciate having
the discussion interrupted, she skillfully led the remark into a
comparison of the uniqueness of individuals.

“Yeah, just like sheep,” Helen interjected again, “As unique as
white wool.”

“Some of us appreciate just how unique each of us are,” I said
evenly.  “And the miracle of life.”

“Oh, so you think you’re something special?” she sneered.  “You
think God knows you’re alive?”

“Damn right!”  I snapped.

“Miss Johnson, I will not tolerate profanity!” warned Sister
Mary Francis.

“Oh, please!”  Helen laughed.  “She can swear!  God knows who
she is!”

I was out of my chair and standing over her before she finished
her sentence.  “Listen, you little dipshit, you have no idea
just how precious life is!”

“Fuck you!” she said defiantly.  “This isn’t living!”

I leaned in close, my hands clenched and saw her expression get
a little fearful.  “Listen, Puta,” I hissed into her ear, “if
you don’t think life is worth living, you might want to consider
the alternative!”  She shrank away from me as if she thought I
was about to rip her throat out.  I was straightening up when
sudden pain burst from my earlobe!

My eyes tearing, I heard Sister Mary Francis say, “Miss
Johnson, you come with me.”

~~~~~ // ~~~~~

“Patti,” said Sister Elizabeth.  “I’m disappointed in you.  Of
all the girls in the school, you were the last one I thought
would be a discipline problem.”

“I’m sorry, Sister,” I said, and I meant it too!  I had let my
temper take over when I should have just let it go.

“I’m sorry too, Patti, but I can’t just let you off without
some kind of disciplinary action.  It would show favoritism. 
Just because you are on the volleyball team doesn’t give you the
right to use profanity in the classroom or to physically
threaten another student.”

“But, Sister … I wasn’t going to hit her or anything.  I
wouldn’t do that!  I was just so frustrated with her saying life
wasn’t worth living!”

Sister Elizabeth thought on that for a few minutes.  Damn!  I
liked	the nuns, and got along with all of them.  I wasn’t sure
why I reacted the way I had.  Finally, Sister Elizabeth told me
to come back at lunchtime and she would decide what my
punishment would be.

As I turned to leave, I said, “I really am sorry, Sister.  It’s
just that life is worth living, and people who take it for
granted or don’t care if they live or die, they need to take a
serious look at the alternative.”

Sister Elizabeth nodded solemnly and said she would see me at
lunch.   

~~~~~ // ~~~~~

“Are you in deep shit?” asked Wendy when I caught up with her.

“Not as deep as that new girl, Helen.  At least I didn’t say
‘fuck’ in class!”

Wendy giggled.  “You’ll be okay, Pete,” she said.  “God, what a
way to start off a new semester eh!”

I laughed too, gave her butt a squeeze, and told her that I had
to go back at lunchtime, but I would catch up with her
afterwards.

~~~~~ // ~~~~~

There were butterflies in my stomach as I approached Sister
Elizabeth’s office, not knowing what to expect.  The secretary
greeted me with a “Hello, Patti, go on in, you’re expected.” 
The look she gave me was strange, and I knocked on the door,
thinking ‘Was that pity on her face?’

“Enter,” came Sister Elizabeth’s voice, and I opened the door
to see Father Ed, Sister Mary Francis along with Mike and Ann! 
I froze, feeling the blood drain from my face, knowing Sister
had taken this very seriously indeed!

“Come in, Patti, and close the door.”  I complied, and then
stood stiffly under their combined gaze.  “Sit down, Patti,”
Sister Elizabeth directed me, and I saw Mike wink at me as I
made my way to sit nervously on the edge of the only unoccupied
chair.  On her desk was the good tea set and plates of
sandwiches - it seemed they’d been here a while!

“We have been trying to decide what to do with you, Patti,”
Sister Elizabeth Ann said as she poured.  “Sandwich?” she asked,
passing me the tea.

“No, thank you, Sister,” I replied, carefully taking the cup
and saucer.

“You are an honor student,” she went on, “and so far without a
blemish on your record.  Sister Mary Francis said you didn’t
physically threaten Helen as much as you just got too close,
which we can probably all understand as coming from the intense
way you girls play volleyball.”

I took a sip of tea, my hand slightly trembling.  I was waiting
for the other shoe to drop.

“And though we all slip once in a while with our language,
Sister Mary Francis isn’t even sure what the second remark you
made was, she has explained she believes you were
unintentionally aggravated by the other girl’s comments.”

I was keeping my mouth shut.  Sister Elizabeth was doing a much
better job of talking me out of my predicament than I could have
done!

“And Patti is very outspoken and adamant in her beliefs about
Our Lord,” said Sister Mary Francis.  “She has on a number of
occasions expressed deep felt emotional statements that are
truly inspiring.”

Father Ed was trying not to smile.

“Well, Sister,” said Mike.  “I may be to blame for the language
Patti used.  I’m a church going Catholic, but I work in the real
world, and sometimes it just clings to you and I forget to shake
it off before I get home.  I’m afraid that Patti might have
overheard me on a few occasions using words that I wouldn’t
normally use in mixed company.”

“Be that as it may, Mr. Johnson,” said Sister Elizabeth, “it
was still Patti who uttered them.  Provoked or not.”

Bless him.  Mike was trying to take the blame for me cussing. 
I wondered how he would feel if he heard how I talked when it
was just Wendy and me or when we were around Linda and Julie!

Mom spoke up as well.  “It’s possible that Patti responded the
way she did because she had been so close to death.”

“Actually, Mom,” I said, having decided I better say something,
“I did die.  I know you decided it was best not to tell me, but
I‘ve known since the day I woke up in the hospital.”

Ann’s eyes started to mist.

“Don’t cry, Mom, please?”  I pleaded.  “I’m okay now.  That’s
why I get so excited about living.  And probably why I get so
upset when people say life isn’t precious.”

“Oh, Honey,” said Ann.  “I don’t know how you found out, but
you’re right.  You did die on the operating table.  The doctors
said it was a miracle that you came back.”

“It was a miracle, Mom,” I said.  I didn’t say just how big a
miracle it was!  “That’s why I know there is a God and he does
watch over us, each and every one of us.”

I turned to Sister Mary Francis.  “I’m sorry that I allowed my
feelings to disrupt your class, Sister.  I promise I’ll try and
be more careful in the future.”

“How about never using such language again?” asked Sister
Elizabeth.

“I’m sorry, Sister, but I can’t promise you that.  I can try,
but I would never make a promise knowing that there’s a chance I
might break it.”

“Besides, Sister,” said Father Ed.  “I get promises from a lot
of girls and every week they come back confessing to the very
same things they promised not to do the week before.  All any of
us can do is try.  We are after all only human, and I seem to
recall an incident not too long ago when a great many people
spoke words that did not fit with their position.”  He gave
Sister Elizabeth a knowing look.

“Very well,” said Sister Elizabeth blushing slightly.  “I do
appreciate your honesty, Patti.  But now I’m in an awkward
position.  I can’t confine you to your room for the next week
because then I would have Sister Gabriella to deal with.  I also
can’t very well take away your TV privileges, because I know you
don’t watch it.”

“I have an idea,” said Sister Mary Francis.  “Patti has been
taking advanced classes in public speaking as one of her English
electives.”  She had everybody’s attention now.  “How about a
speech, to the student body, about the joys of being alive?”  

And that’s how I ended up at Centennial Hall facing 10 judges
and an audience of 300 in April 1975.

~~~~~ // ~~~~~

Yes.  I had taken public speaking as an English elective.

Yes, I did believe that the ability to speak well would serve
me in the future, but I had not expected to start until later in
life.  When Sister Mary Francis had suggested as “punishment”
that I address the school on the joys of being alive, I was a
bit stunned. 

Father Ed thought it was a great idea, and Dad, after verifying
that my record would remain untarnished, quickly added his vote
of support.  Mom was nodding as well.  Damn but I was outflanked
and outgunned!

I tried to smile, and in retrospect, it was a fit reprimand for
speaking out of turn in class, but…  Was I ready to talk to a
crowd?

It turns out that I was more than ready.  Wendy sat by my side
that night as I attempted to draft my ten-minute speech.  I had
no clue as to where to start.

Wendy grabbed a pad and a pen.  “Okay, Pete.  How about just
telling me what’s so great about being a teen?  This is your
second time at it.  Tell me why you enjoy life so much.”

I could have kissed her.  I guess that’s one of the things that
I enjoyed so much in this life!

We worked until nearly midnight, Wendy taking notes as I talked.

Sister Elizabeth had given me the week to prepare, and that
Friday, I was to do my first public speech at an open assembly.

Helen, the girl who had started this ruckus, had refused to
apologize to Sister Mary Francis or to the class and spent the
next month confined to the school.  She didn’t come back after
the Christmas break.

By the time I had written out my ten-minute speech based on the
notes that Wendy had taken, I felt more alive than ever.  It was
like I was seeing for the first time all the reasons I was so
happy all the time.  Aside from a few minor run-ins with jerks
and religious fanatics, I had a good life.  I couldn’t
understand why kids were so unhappy in high school.

I’m still not sure if it was my speech that got all the
applause Friday morning at the general assembly or the fact that
the night before we had hosted Tecumseh High on our court and
righteously whipped their ass!  It was the only game we would
play in our own school for the entire season. 

Either way, the speech was well received and I got a standing
ovation for it.  It was not until after Christmas that I found
out that my name had been submitted to the London Public
Speaking Contest.  When I asked Sister Elizabeth about it, she
just smiled at me and said my English teachers were so impressed
they felt I should represent St. Ursula’s at the contest. 

Christmas came first though, and what a Christmas it was. 
Wendy’s first real Christmas.

~~~~~ // ~~~~~

School ended on Friday the 20th.  We had 12 days off.  Kind of
fitting when you think of the twelve days of Christmas.  There
was no game during the week we had off.

Mike slipped Wendy and me some money so we could buy gifts for
each other and for our friends.  We protested, but he said that
we had earned it.  Then Ann slipped us more money.  All we could
do was thank her.

After confession on Saturday, Wendy and I met up with Annette
and Mandy, and we took off for the mall.  Mandy was staying in
London again with Annette.  The weather was beautiful.  Snow on
the ground and just a light chill in the air with the sun
causing everything to shine.

Annette and I took off so we could shop in private for our
lovers.  Wendy and Mandy did the same.  We arranged to stay to
one side of the mall for one hour and then we would swap sides. 
It was hard since what I wanted to buy Wendy, I simply couldn’t
afford.  Other things that I had in mind, I couldn’t give to her
in mixed company.  Annette was in a similar quandary.  Money
wasn’t her problem, but appearances were.

“Damn!” said Annette.  “This is harder than anything else.”

“Too true!”  I said, and then I spotted the Coles bookstore. 
Thank God, I had a memory from the future!  Annette couldn’t
figure out why I was buying a book about Aviatophobia, but I
quickly explained to her that the author was not really talking
about a fear of flying but of taking chances.  What I couldn’t
tell Annette was that the book was also about our alternate
lifestyles. 

After the book, I picked Wendy up a few small trinkets.  A
little engraved heart box for her to keep her earrings in, and
other such things that she wouldn’t buy for herself.

We swapped sides of the mall at the appointed time, and then
after another hour we had lunch.  Annette paid for all of us.

Over the years that followed, Annette was a large contributor
to many worthy causes, but I’m proud to say that I first saw her
generous nature when she was still in high school.

We shopped as a foursome to pick up gifts for our teachers and
Sister Gabe, pooling our money to buy Sister Elizabeth a desk
set.  A rich burgundy pen set with a beautifully carved oak
holder with a matching desk pad with real leather edges.  We had
it wrapped at the store, and we all signed our names on the card.

For Sister Gabriella, we bought a gleaming silver plated
whistle from a sports store and a towel that said, “Winners, no
Whiners.”  For our regular teachers, we found a series of nice
calendars for 1975.  Then with regrets, Wendy and I said we had
to split.  Mike and Tom were planning on taking all of the toys
they had made for the kids stuck in the local hospitals up
tonight, and we still had to pick up and wrap the dolls and the
clothes that Ann and Rita had made for them as well as the
clothes the nuns had made.

“How are you guys going to pack that all in one car?” asked
Annette.

“We’ll probably make a few trips,” I said.  Mike and Tom and
Einstein had managed to make a lot of really neat wooden cars
and trains and trucks.

Annette asked us to wait a minute while she called her dad.

~~~~~ // ~~~~~

Since that day Mike fixed the bus’s sound system, he and Robert
Denure had become pretty friendly.  Mike convinced Einstein to
do the repairs on the bus seats, and the two of them went every
week to do ten seats together.  They were still repairing them.

Well, Robert called Mike who called Tom and then Robert called
the school and the next thing we knew, arrangements had been
made to load everything into the Saints bus, along with six of
the nuns who sang in the church choir.  That part was especially
cool because one of the nuns played guitar just like the Singing
Nun had in the movie.

Somebody must have moved really fast, because by the time the
bus pulled up at our house that evening, the back was loaded
with other toys as well.  Annette and Mandy were on board and
Robert was driving.  All the stuff that Tom had made before
Einstein and I swapped lives, and all the stuff he and Mike
helped make was at the O’Donnell house, along with the dolls and
clothes.  We made short work of loading it all up and then we
took off for the school.  Ann and Rita were excited, while
Einstein just smiled a lot.  Tom and Mike were trying to just be
cool, but were sitting up at the front chatting with Robert as
he drove.

At the school the rest of the doll clothes were loaded and the
six nuns, one carrying a guitar climbed on board, and then from
the school walked Santa Claus!

It was Father Ed, all padded up and complete with the beard. 
We started our journey at 6 o’clock and though there were five
hospitals in London, Robert insisted on taking a ten-mile spin
south to the St. Thomas hospital as well.  It impressed me, it
impressed Einstein, but the one with eyes the size of saucers
was Wendy.  Though she had heard kids talk about Christmas and
Santa Claus before, this was her first experience with the whole
ritual.  By the time we pulled back into the school parking lot
it was close to 11.

It was a happy group of travelers that got off the bus to enjoy
the snack prepared for us by Sister Elizabeth and her
secretary.  The irony was not lost on any of us – we were having
hot chocolate and biscuits in the same room where we fought for
and won Wendy’s freedom.

Annette’s dad drove us all back home again, but would not let
any of us off until he had a promise that we would all get
together at his house over the holidays for a Christmas meal. 
Ann was the one who said we would if Linda and Julie were
invited as well.

“Of course they’re invited!” boomed Robert.  “I haven’t
forgotten how they took care of my baby that night at Beal.”

We agreed to join in celebration on Boxing Day.

~~~~~ // ~~~~~

We were pretty exhausted on Sunday when we attended mass, but
it was a good feeling.  Even Tom and Rita attended.

Monday, Wendy and I met Einstein downtown.  We still had to buy
gifts for the parents, but more importantly, we had to buy
something for Linda and Julie.

Einstein had suggested matching ankle chains, but I wasn’t sure
how practical they would be with them having to wear nylons
everyday.  We were having lunch at Eaton’s.  Wendy joked that
our waists couldn’t afford too many days off, but Einstein said
that with as much walking as we did each day, we could all
afford to splurge.  So we did. 

Even though I knew it wasn’t the best for me, I had a thick
chocolate shake, same as Wendy and Einstein.  We had hot beef
sandwiches and followed that up with hot apple dumplings with
ice cream.  I was so full that I just wanted to find the bedroom
furniture department and lie down, but Wendy and Einstein kept
dragging me away from the escalators.

We staggered out of the mall and headed for Simpson’s, crossing
King Street at the four way pedestrian crosswalk.  As we passed
Novak’s Army Surplus, Einstein told me he was buying old war
medals, a few at a time from this store and their sister store
on the uptown side of Dundas Street.  On one of our many talks
at Linda and Julie’s, I had suggested to him that he start
looking at collectibles.  In 1974, it wasn’t a fad yet, but in
another 15 years, it would be a rage and the prices would surely
reflect it.  I had also told him to start to buy every new comic
book that he could spot.  First issues only.  I remembered how
pissed I was at having thrown away my X-Men comics when I had
moved out on my own the first time then discovered how much they
had gained in value over such a short period of time.  Since
Einstein was working, he could afford a little careful spending,
and I told him how to protect them from finger oil and not to
split any spines.

Because of his own semester finals, and the time he was
spending with Mike working, we hadn’t had much opportunity to
get together with Linda and Julie.  A fact that bothered Wendy a
bit since she wanted to explore Einstein’s cock a bit more.  I
reassured her and said we would have plenty of time after
Christmas, and then as we headed up Richmond Street, looking in
store windows as we walked, I spied the identical ring the lady
from the CAS had been wearing.  Something was clicking in the
back of my mind.  Ankle chains might not be practical, but I
instantly recognized the name of the store as the place they had
thought of Wendy and me with the necklaces.  I think I might
have accidentally discovered London’s first gay oriented jewelry
store!

Dragging Einstein in, we were instantly aware that this shop
was not your average gift store.  Everything was designed in
pairs.

It didn’t take much convincing for Wendy and Einstein to agree
that we should buy Linda and Julie matching rings, for their
right hand ring fingers!  Wendy and I didn’t have a lot of
money, but Einstein came to the rescue, again.

It felt weird, to me, who had always been self sufficient, to
need others to help me out, but damn it…  I was a girl who just
didn’t have a way of earning money yet.  I couldn’t even baby-
sit since I stayed at the school 42 weeks out of the year!

The rings were 10 karat gold in a beautiful scrolled pattern
that reflected the light.  We had them gift wrapped, and then
went out to buy a card for the three of us to sign.

Wendy and I had already bought Einstein’s Christmas present
when we were at the White Oaks Mall.  We still had to keep up
appearances for the sake of the parents, so I bought him Eric
Clapton’s latest album, “461 Ocean Boulevard” which contained
the Bob Marley tune, “I Shot the Sheriff.”  Wendy opted for
something she had gotten addicted to herself listening late at
night on our radio, “Barry White and the Love Unlimited
Orchestra.”  Hey!  If Einstein and I were going to have to
relive the Disco Era, it might as well start off with style, and
Barry White had style and a voice that made Wendy wet!  That was
something I would have to tell Einstein about!  

Since we were done early, and Einstein had told Mike he was
taking the whole day off for Christmas shopping, we bought a big
tub of buttered popcorn, three sodas and sat through a special
holiday matinee of “The Towering Inferno.”

Special effects were way different in the 70’s compared to what
was to come, but even though we knew the building was obviously
a miniature, we still enjoyed it and each other’s company. 
Einstein of course had the seat of honor between us and I could
swear he was feeling Wendy up during the movie.  Of course I
couldn’t see Wendy’s hand either, and I was NOT going to reach
under the tub of popcorn perched on Einstein’s lap!

~~~~~ // ~~~~~

Tuesday night at 10, we headed off to St. Ursula’s for midnight
mass.  It was quite something to see.  Tom and Rita came with
Einstein, and sat next to Mike and Ann and Wendy and me.  Julie
and Linda had come right over after their shift had finished and
they had showered and changed, and rode with us.  Wendy and I
rode up front with Mike while Ann managed to get herself between
Linda and Julie.  I didn’t understand what was going on, but Ann
held both their hands for the drive over.

Annette and Mandy and Mr. Denure were waiting out front for
us.  Annette said her older sisters were arriving in the morning
with their families, but could only stay the day.  She said she
was glad that we were all coming for Boxing Day, as Christmas
was one of the worst times of the year for her dad feeling
lonely and I made a mental note to pass that on to Mike and
Einstein.

Mass started at 10:30 and between the Nun’s choir and the
School’s choir we had quite a concert going.  Father Ed looked
great.  Hell, the church looked great all decked out in
garlands, and lit up with hundreds of candles.  At midnight we
all took communion and then the chapel bells started ringing in
a glorious carillon.

After Mass, we exchanged greetings with our schoolmates and
their families and of course with all the nuns and our
teachers.  We were pleasantly greeted by falling snow when we
stepped outside.  It was the perfect beginning to a perfect
Christmas.  I cried all the way home.

~~~~~ // ~~~~~

When we woke up Wednesday morning, the ground was covered in
snow.  At least four inches had fallen through the night!  Wendy
was still going through that “Gee Whiz” stage, as this was her
first real Christmas.  I had heard enough stories of her past
experiences to empathize.

We ate a very light breakfast around the Christmas tree that
Mike and Ann had decorated with us the day before.  No
artificial trees for this household!  Mike had cut this one down
himself!

It was just the four of us this Christmas morning.  Linda and
Julie had to work though thankfully they would join up with us
later at the O’Donnell house.  Father Ed had his own tasks to
perform Christmas day and would not be able to join us at all. 
I had ribbed him about joining a union so that he wouldn’t have
to work all those Sundays and holidays.  He laughed with us,
enjoying the joke.  Wendy and I had bought him a box of Dutch
Masters cigars.  He thought we didn’t know about his affection
for them, but during his many visits to our room after classes,
we had grown very fond and close to this man.

Mike opened the gift Wendy and I had got him.  Okay, it wasn’t
unusual or even imaginative, a shirt with matching tie and
handkerchief, but the way he carried on over it.  Sheesh!  What
the hell did I know about gift buying anyway?  Ann had been much
easier to buy for.  We got her a pearl brooch.  We did have one
surprise left for the two of them, but that we would save for
last.  Mike was the only one dressed, you see.  Ann was still in
her nightgown, and Wendy and I had thrown on flannel pajamas
when we got up.

Wendy and I were spoiled rotten.  Satin baby dolls, sweaters,
blouses and perfume and make up!

We had picked the best cards for them, and I saw a tear in
Mike’s eye as he read not just the printed verse about being a
father in good times and bad, but the hand written note Wendy
and I had composed about what it meant to have a father who
really cared and showed how much he loved you in everything he
did.

Ann’s card was also a carefully chosen one.  It talked about
mothers who were also friends, who you could confide in and
count on when your back was against the wall or someone to lean
on when you needed a shoulder.  Our handwritten part told her
how much we enjoyed spending time with her on our special days,
and thanked her for being so understanding.

“We wanted to give you guys so much more,” I said, “but my
great plans for getting a job seem to have vanished.”

“Oh, Patti-cake,” said Mike.  “Both of you make us so proud. 
I’d much rather have daughters that I can be proud of than to
have all the tea in China.”

“Well,” I said.  “There is one other gift, but it’s for Mom,
but really Daddy, we think you’ll enjoy it more than her.”

Ann’s eyes grew wide with curiosity, and I ran to our bedroom
and pulled the single box out from under the bed.  Mike’s brow
wrinkled as he gazed at the fancy wrapped box, obviously as
curious as Ann was.  It was something Wendy and I had picked out
from the new lingerie shop at the White Oaks when Annette and
Mandy were with us.  They couldn’t believe we would or could
give something like this to Mom.

Ann carefully opened the package and her eyes lit up brighter
than the lights on the tree!  It had taken a lot of our money,
but there she was, standing up and holding it in front of her. 
A black widow negligee!

“Why don’t you try it on, dear?”  Mike asked nonchalantly, and
she quickly slipped into their bedroom, appearing a few minutes
later draped in sheer black folds that exposed nearly as much as
it hid.  The only color on it was the red rose that hooked the
two sides of the top together.  Wendy and I grinned at each
other as we both noticed Mike hide the swelling in his pants. 
Mom was nearly as nude as she was dressed.  Her own excitement
showing by the obvious dents her nipples made in the top.  Mike
got up with a bit of discomfort and with a growl, picked Ann up
and closed the bedroom door behind him.  Wendy and I stifled our
laughter and picked up the paper and ribbons and just generally
cleaned up the room. 

We tried on our Baby Dolls, and commented on how we could tease
our friends at school with them.  They weren’t sheer, but clung
to the skin a lot closer than I think Ann had expected.  We
packed them away before anybody had second thoughts.

Even though Mike had Christmas carols playing on the stereo, we
could hear the bed from their room groaning in a familiar
rhythm.  We discreetly turned up the music and made ourselves a
cup of tea in the kitchen where Mike and Ann found us an hour
later.

“You were absolutely right, girls,” said Ann.  “It definitely
was more a gift for your father,” but the dreamy glaze in her
eyes told us that she had enjoyed the results as much as he
had.  Mike just blushed.

Wendy’s gifts to me were of a more personal nature. 
Camisoles.  In both cotton and satin with matching boxer style
panties.  I suspect that Wendy liked seeing me in these as much
as I liked wearing them.  But Wendy was overwhelmed with the
gifts she had received.  She loved the Erica Jong book, and I
knew that soon I would be enjoying the results of her reading
it.  The other trinkets she adored as well as everything Mike
and Ann had given her.  This was a long way from the Christmases
where at the best she could expect a piece of fruit, some nuts,
and maybe some candy.

~~~~~ // ~~~~~

After a light lunch, we packed up our gifts for the O’Donnells
and Mike just drove through the snow.  The big station wagon
with its V8 engine easily purred a pathway. 

The O’Donnell house was all decorated and more Christmas carols
were playing.  We shook off our coats and took off our boots and
placed our gifts to them under the tree.  Actually it was the
gifts for Einstein and Julie and Linda.  Mike and Ann had given
Tom and Rita a gift pack containing a good bottle of wine and
two glasses.

It must have been a good idea, as Linda and Julie had brought
the same for Mike and Ann as well as for Tom and Rita!  For us
“kids” though, they had brought wrapped presents.

Strange as it seems, I was actually looking forward to opening
more presents!  I was curious as to what Einstein had gotten for
me.  But first we had to drink some eggnog.  Mike and Tom spiked
theirs with rum, then we gathered around the O’Donnell tree to
hand out our gifts to each other.

Mike had bought a Starrett tool kit for Einstein, which was a
surprise to everyone.  “Can’t have a future electronics engineer
using junk,” said Mike.  I saw Einstein go misty in the eyes for
a second and then he brushed his arm over his face trying to
regain his composure.  It had to be hard on him to be so
accepted by Mike in this lifetime as a boy, a virtual stranger
who happened by one day while Mike was trimming the tree.  In
the course of barely four months, Mike’s former daughter had
established a new relationship with him based on trust,
friendship, and admiration.

Ann had bought him a sweater, and he gave her a big hug.

Wendy and I gave him his albums, and he grinned at me, and
winked at Wendy.

Tom had made Wendy and me each a small jewelry box in his
workshop, and Rita had used her sewing skills to make us both a
white three quarter length terrycloth housecoat.  We would
certainly put these to good use for the rest of the winter!  We
gave them both a big hug.

From Einstein, Wendy and I got matching Tennis bracelets.  In
gold of course!  He really shouldn’t have spent that much money,
but we were too happy to argue with him.  Julie and Linda bought
us matching watches.  We had hugged everybody we could,
including Einstein.  Then he brought out the rings we had bought
for Linda and Julie.

They read the card first, one that we had clearly written our
feelings in for them.  They nearly cried over the card, and came
closer when they saw the rings.  They didn’t have to be told
which hand or which finger they belonged on.  Einstein said we
would go with them to have them sized properly after Boxing Day.

Then came the big surprises!  Mike and Ann pulled out matching
necklaces for Linda and Julie, and Mike put one on Linda’s neck
while Ann put the other on Julie’s.  “We can’t thank you enough
for watching out for our girls,” said Ann.  Julie finally broke
down and cried.  It was Ann who hugged her, stroking her hair as
Julie sobbed into her shoulder.  With her other hand she reached
out for Linda and the three of them just hugged.  It wasn’t
until Linda turned that I saw the thin gold necklace now around
her neck.  Swinging from the bottom were two entwined hearts.

We certainly were an emotional bunch!

~~~~~ // ~~~~~

After a great turkey dinner with all the trimmings, and a small
glass of wine for us ‘youngsters,’ Wendy and I shooed everybody
out of the kitchen while she and I washed the dishes.  Einstein
insisted on helping.  Helping himself to free feels is what I
think he meant.  With the adults in the living room, mostly out
of sight, he had no hesitation grabbing my ass!

“What do you think you’re doing?”  I asked him.

“Feeling your bum,” he said with a smile.  Then he grabbed
Wendy’s!  “Mmm,” he murmured.  “Very nice.  Both of you!”

Wendy blushed, but didn’t make any moves to get out of his reach.

Okay, so I didn’t move either.  It did feel good, and different
from the gentle way that Wendy touched me.  Wendy and I moved
closer together to sandwich him in between us.  “When we get
together,” I whispered, “we’ll get closer yet, and naked!”

“God, don’t tease me, Peppermint,” he said.  “You two have each
other.  I get so horny all the time now.  And of course I
haven’t had a chance for any more lessons from Julie.  And I
wake up in the middle of the night dreaming about what you two
did to me that afternoon at their place!”

“You liked that?  Wait till next time, Einstein,” I said. 

“We’re going to swallow your cock!” added Wendy

Beads of sweat were breaking out on his forehead.  I felt bad
for him, knowing he was right.  Your own hand just doesn’t match
the feelings of having someone else touch you or kiss you where
you most want to be pleasured, by someone who wants to.  I
didn’t know how soon we would get a chance to be alone with him,
but he told us as we were finishing the dishes that Linda had
given him a key to their place in the event that an opportunity
came up for the three of us to get together while they were at
work.  But fate had other plans in store for us.

When we returned to the living room, Mike announced that he and
Ann were going to a New Year’s party at the Moose lodge with Tom
and Rita.  He said that Linda and Julie had offered to take us
‘kids’ for the evening since they didn’t have plans of their own.

Hmmm…  New Year’s Eve.  Maybe Wendy and I could bring 1975 in
with a bang!  I looked at Einstein and watched him cross his
legs to hide the swelling in his groin.

~~~~~ // ~~~~~

Rita put a couple of home made pies into the oven, and said
they would be ready in time for when we got back.  Got back???

“Time to walk off some of that turkey,” Tom said.

Rita had a nice stove with an auto timer, and she set the
temperature to 325F and to start at 6 o’clock.  “That should
give us two hours,” she said.

We all got our boots and coats on and walked through the fresh
snow to Victoria Park.  Every year, the park was lit up with
thousands of Christmas lights.  All the trees were decorated and
there were Nativity scenes and Christmas scenes and winter
scenes all through the park.  Wendy and I were certainly
grateful that Ann had bought us winter boots on one of our
shopping trips!

We crunched through the snow, made some snow angels and laughed
like a big happy family.  Which I guess we were.

To be continued…





  
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