
THE MEASURE OF MAN

An Epic by Gil Gamesh

Chapter Fifty


As for you, Gilgamesh, fill your belly with good things; day and night, night and day, dance and be merry, feast and rejoice. Let your clothes be fresh, bathe yourself in water, cherish the little child that holds your hand, and make your wife happy in your embrace; for this too is the measure of man.

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CAST OF CHARACTERS:
Kieran Stuart, 43;  Arial Stuart, 15; Kerry Stuart, 12 1/2

Brad Weaver, 17’; Nicole Whittaker, 15

TELLING THE STORY
Arial Stuart

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(ARIAL)

Brad came by on Friday morning to pick up me and Kerry for school as usual. As soon as we pulled out of the driveway, I told him that Mom had already left to stay with Luke and Rachael while their baby was being born.

“Mom left about daylight to go help Luke and Rachael. She was like a little girl going off by herself in her new BMW. I wish you could have seen her.”

“I didn’t know she was going,” Brad said. “Has the baby come yet?”

“No. Rachael said it was due early in March. Luke called last night. The doctor says the baby is already more than large enough and they may induce labor if nothing happens in the next few days.”

“Today’s what – the eleventh? Is it overdue? Is Rachael having any problems?”

“No, they think it’s a little overdue but the doctor says she’s ready to pop any day now. She’s having some minor problems but Luke says the doctor’s got them under control. That’s why Mom left now. Rachael asked her to come because she doesn’t have a mother of her own. I think she just wants Mom’s support.”

“I’ve heard all of you talk about Luke and Rachael a lot. They seem like part of your family anyway. Didn’t you say they’re going to move back here?”

“Dad says they are. He says he needs Luke now because he’s in over his head in setting up the computer and communications systems. He said he doesn’t know what he’d have done so far if Stuart hadn’t helped him. Luke’s finishing up all his classes for his Masters in Computer Science this month. He’ll have a project to do but they can move before they finish that.”

“You like Luke a lot, don’t you?”

That was unexpected. I turned and looked at him. He was looking straight ahead, watching the road as usual. He was always a careful driver. I wondered what he’d picked up on as I was talking about Luke. I’d never said anything to make him think I’d done anything with Luke.

“Yes, Brad, I do. He’s like an older brother to all of us. Rachael’s like a sister. I love both of them because they need it. Rachael had a horrible childhood and Luke’s was bad too. We all love them a lot.”

Kerry had been sitting in the backseat, quietly for a change, while Brad and I talked.

“Yeah,” he said, “we all feel like they’re part of our family. You’re going to like them a lot. Luke’s a neat guy. He can make a computer do anything. Rachael’s an Italian angel; she can make a guy do anything.”

“He and Rachael are about the same age as Stuart and Joanne, aren’t they?”

“Yeah,” Kerry said. “Stuart wants them to come live with him and Joanne and Ms. Lauren when they move back. He says they’ll have plenty of room and we can all come see little Paul and Kieran Lee and Adrianna and Rachael’s peanut at the same time.”

“Peanut?” Brad asked.

“Yeah,” Kerry said again. “That’s what Luke’s always called the new baby. They already know it’s going to be a boy and they’re trying to decide on a boy name.”

I told Kerry something Luke had told me last night. “That’s what Luke and Rachael have decided to do, Kerry. He said Stuart keeps asking him to move in with them until they can find a house of their own. He told me last night that Rachael said OK so that’s what they’ll do.”

“When do you think they’ll move?” Kerry asked.

“She said if the baby will just get here soon, they might try to do it at the end of this month. Mom’s already volunteered to go down to get Rachael and the babies. Luke can take care of all the moving stuff.”

“Brad, can you run me over to the Andersen’s when we come back from school?” Kerry asked. “I’m staying over there this weekend again. Stuart’s letting me work on some research stuff with him. He said I had to learn some statistics so I’ve been working my way through a stat book for a couple of weeks.”

“Damn, Kerry,” Brad said, “can you really learn stuff that easily?”

“Yeah. It’s just math. I’m halfway through the book and it’s not too hard so far. Stuart told me not to worry about memorizing all the formulas and computational processes. He’s got computer programs that do all the number crunching. He just wants me to understand what things mean and when they can be useful. Did you know your height is over two standard deviations from the mean?”

“Quit showing off, Kerry,” I said.

“You’re learning it with no teacher?” Brad asked.

“Yeah, but Mr. Jackson loaned me the book and he’s helped me with a couple of things. He’s a good teacher. I want to take a course from him in something.”

“We don’t have to cook for tonight,” I said. “Dad wants to take the three of us out somewhere. Kavan and Kathryn won’t be in ‘til late. Don’t you want to wait until after we go out to eat and we can drop you off after that?”

“Where are we going?” Kerry asked.

“He said for us to decide. Brad’s never been to Ippolito’s. I’ll bet he’d like that.”

“Yeah, Brad,” Kerry said one more time. “That’s good Italian stuff. I’ll bet Arial would love for you to kiss her tonight with garlic breath.”

“Sounds good to me,” Brad said. “Arial, is it OK if I spend the weekend with you and your family?”

I looked over in the backseat beside Kerry. Brad’s bag was there and it looked like he’d packed enough to spend more than a weekend.

“It looks like you’ve already got your bag packed,” I said. “Do you really think you’ve got to ask me every time?”

He glanced over at me and he wasn’t smiling.

“Yes, I do, Arial. I hope I never start taking you for granted. Anytime you’ve got other plans, just let me know.”

I leaned over and whispered in his ear. “I hope you haven’t got plans. I’ve got my period.”

“I heard that,” Kerry said. “You’ve got your period. Brad can just go back home.”

Brad turned and looked at Kerry and then at me. He looked angry.

“Damn! Do you really think I want you just for sex? Don’t you say anything, Kerry!”

I didn’t know what to say. I didn’t think that at all. I didn’t mean anything bad. I didn’t think Kerry did either; he was just teasing as usual. I just sat there without saying anything the rest of the way to school. Brad didn’t say anything either. Kerry was quiet for once.

When Brad found a parking space and turned off the motor, Kerry leaned forward. He put one hand on my shoulder and one hand on Brad’s.

“Brad, I didn’t mean anything bad. Please don’t be like this with Arial and me. Kavan and Kathryn are bad enough. I know you two love each other. How about a kiss before you get out of the car?”

Brad turned around toward Kerry, said, “OK, kiss me,” and smiled and then puckered up. Kerry hit him on the shoulder and Brad turned to me.

“I’m sorry, Arial. Would you kiss me, please?”

“Yes, Brad, I’d love to kiss you.”

“Yeah! That’s the way.” Kerry said, and Brad put his hand behind my head and pulled my face to his.

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Kerry had his bag packed before Dad came in from work. He took a few minutes to relax and talk to us and then he changed from his suit into casual clothes. We went to Ippolito’s Deli for dinner in Dad’s new Mercedes. The place was mainly a deli take-0ut but they had about a dozen tables inside for people who wanted to eat there. I think Kerry charmed some extra large servings out of Mrs. Ippolito. His plate and Brad’s looked twice as loaded as mine and Dad’s. When we left, Kerry asked Dad if he could drive and Dad said not right now. I didn’t even know Dad had been teaching him to drive.

When we dropped Kerry off at the Andersens, Dad had to hold his namesake. It made me feel good to see how he was with a baby. I wondered if he’d been like that with us. Kieran Lee got a little fussy and Joanne said it was time for his feeding. We all sat and watched while she breast-fed him. I think Brad was embarrassed to see Joanne open her nursing bra and hold him up to her. I thought it was beautiful to see his little face at her breast. He was really noisy when he started to suck. Joanne said he was a little pig when he nursed.

When we got back home, the house was dark and I knew Kavan and Kathryn hadn’t come home yet. Brad hung his coat in our front closet and then hung mine up. Dad just stood there with us. He’d taken his jacket off but, when Brad held out his hand for it, he held on to it.

“I think I’m going to take a walk up to the top of the hill,” he said, and put his jacket back on. “You kids make yourselves comfortable.”

Brad surprised me. “Could I go with you, Kieran?”

I guess he surprised Dad too. He looked at me and then at Brad.

“Sure, if you want to. I’m just going up to the crest of the hill and then back. It’s a nice night for a short walk.”

I didn’t know what to do. Brad was usually comfortable with Dad now but he’d never asked to go anywhere with Dad and leave me alone. I wondered why he wanted to go too.

“Is it OK if I come with you?” I asked, looking at Brad.

“Yeah. I wanted to talk to your Dad but you can come too. I don’t have anything to say that you can’t hear.”

We walked up to the area where all the boulders were, where somebody had put a picnic table, and then stopped and looked at the view out over the valley. There was about a half moon and only a few clouds and it was a beautiful place to look around. Brad hadn’t said anything and I wondered again what he wanted to say to Dad.

“Kieran, do you think I hang around Arial just because I want to have sex with her?” he finally asked.

Dad waited a little before he answered.

“Brad, if that’s what I thought, I wouldn’t let you get anywhere near her. I think there’s a lot more in your relationship with Arial.”

“I’m glad. The sex is great but it’s not the best thing for me. I’ve had a little taste of sex without love. I want to be with her because I love her. If I can’t have her love, I don’t want to have sex with her. Does that make any sense to you?”

“Yes, Brad, it does.” Dad said. “Siobhan and I have always tried to teach our kids that’s what they should want in life. You two should really work at loving each other; then the sex will take care of itself.” 

“Is it really work?” Brad asked.

“Sometimes it is. I just mean you’ve got to be conscious of your relationship and not take it for granted. Sometimes you should do things that make the other person happy, even if you don’t want to. It’s not always easy.”

“It’s not easy for me to be like you all are about sex,” Brad said. “I never dreamed I could have sex with a girl like Arial. I certainly never thought I’d be able to talk to her father about it. I just don’t want you thinking that’s the main thing I want from Arial.”

“I don’t think that, Brad,” Dad said. “You two are just going through the same things Siobhan and I went through. You’re doing it a lot earlier than we did. I think you two are a great young couple. It makes me feel good to see you two so much in love with each other.”

“Well, I want your help in keeping us together,” Brad said. “My Mom and Dad never could get it right. It seems like you and Siobhan have. I wish you’d tell me if you see me doing anything that hurts Arial and our relationship. I’m damn proud of the way I feel about her.”

Dad put his hand on Brad’s shoulder. “I think you two are being very sensible about your relationship. If I see either of you do anything that could hurt you, I’ll tell you. If you think I’m interfering, you tell me.”

“Kieran, I do a lot of thinking about Arial and how I feel about her,” Brad said. “It’s like she gives a purpose to my life and makes me want to be the best I can. Is that the way you feel about Siobhan?”

“Yes,” Dad answered. “That’s exactly the way she makes me feel. We’ve got a great marriage. Having three kids, no, four, just makes it better.”

“Four?” Brad asked. “You’ve got another one started already?”

I looked at him. I could see his face clearly in the moonlight. He was grinning and looking at me. I knew he was just teasing Dad. But I knew why Dad had said four. Brad had forgotten the other one.

“Brad, Dad’s counting Stuart,” I said. “Stuart’s his son too.”

“Yeah, Brad,” Dad said. “Give us a little time on another one. It’s only been three weeks since I told you Siobhan wanted to have another baby. We’re working on it.”

“I wish I could work on it with Arial,” Brad said. “I’d love to father a child with her.”

I’d been standing between them, looking out over the valley, while they did all the talking. I’d been worried about what Brad was thinking but, after hearing him talk to Dad, I knew it was going to be all right. I caught Brad’s hand with my right one and Dad’s with my left.

“Come on, you two,” I said. “I know I’ve got two great men who love me. Now, let’s finish our walk.”

We were part way back down the hill when Brad brought up something else to talk to Dad about.

“Kieran, Arial’s going to be sixteen next month. If my Dad offered her a part-time job, would you let her take it?”

I guess I squealed a little too loudly and Brad reached over and put his other hand over my mouth.

“Maybe you’d better tell us about the job, Brad,” Dad said. “It seems like this is news to Arial too.”

“Well, Dad’s got a new research project funded. It’s one that could last for years if he gets good results and the government keeps funding it. It’s about the sex practices of adolescents and the consequences later in life. He’s going to use teams of students to do interviews and then enter the results in a database. I thought Arial and I might do some work part-time as a team.”

“You and Arial, huh?” Dad said. “Would that be OK with your father?”

“He’s the one who suggested it,” Brad said, and he squeezed my hand.

“Well, what do you say, Princess?” Dad asked, and he squeezed my other hand and then turned loose of it.

“I’m glad somebody finally asked me,” I said. “I’d love to do it.”

Brad told us all about the research project while we walked back down the hill. It did sound like something I’d like to do with Brad because we could schedule our own work hours and it paid very well. I’d been trying to think of something to do to earn the money to take care of my car when Dad gave me his old BMW. 

When we got back home, Dad told us he had to do his homework. It was what he did lots of nights now that he was running Andersen Security. He would usually have some documents or reports or books to read. He’s make a pot of de-caf coffee, go in the living room where he could listen to his classical station, and start reading. He was usually there for an hour or two. He surprised me when he asked me and Brad if we wanted a cup of coffee.

We were sitting at the kitchen table drinking a cup of coffee when Brad asked Dad another question.

“Kieran, when was the first time you met my father?”

I was confused. I thought the first time our fathers had met was when we had the problem at school and Brad’s father had come to our house with his lady-lawyer friend. I looked at Dad and he had a half smile on his face. 

“I met him when he was elected to the Opera Board of Directors last spring,” he said.

“And when did you and Dad go to Murphey’s together?” Brad asked.

I didn’t know what was going on. I’d never heard of Murphey’s. Why would our two dads go there together?

“What’s Murphey’s?” I asked.

Dad was still smiling, like he knew something I didn’t. He looked at me.

“Murphey’s is a bar and grill close to University Hospital. It has very good sandwiches and some of the best draft beer I’ve ever had.”

He looked at Brad.

“We went there after the Opera Board meeting the first Tuesday in September. Neither of us had anything to eat before the Board met at six p.m. After the meeting, I asked Dan if he knew a good place to get something. He took me to Murphey’s.”

“Is that when you two talked about me and Arial?” Brad asked.

Dad was still smiling his enigmatic little smile.

“It wasn’t like that, Brad,” he said. “He talked about you and your brother. I told him about my kids. We even ended up pulling out our billfolds and showing each other pictures of our kids.”

“You two didn’t talk about me and Arial and then decide to get us together to see what would happen?” Brad asked.

“No, Brad, we didn’t. Where’d you get that idea?”

“It was just something Dad said the other day, about you going to Murphey’s with him and you two talking about me and Arial,” Brad said. “

“Your father and I didn’t cook up a plan to get you two together,” Dad said.

“Why did Kavan invite me home with him not long after that?” Brad asked, looking at Dad with a serious face.

“Brad, there was never a Machiavellian conspiracy,” Dad said. “I asked Kavan if he and Arial knew you. He said he did and I asked him what sort of kid you were. He said you were a great guy and everybody who knew you liked you. That’s all there was to it. Why do you ask?”

Brad reached over and slapped Dad gently on the cheek. “Because I think you and Dad and Kavan did a little scheming to get me and Arial together. I just wanted to say thank you.” 

Dad was still smiling. “I’m pleased you two have found each other, Brad. We didn’t move you around like pawns on a chessboard.”

I wasn’t convinced that Dad was telling all of the truth. Maybe he hadn’t connived with Brad’s Dad but it seemed to me he’d done some things that had led to Brad being introduced to me. 

“Dad, I don’t think you’re quite as innocent as you’re pretending,” I said. “But it doesn’t matter to me. You couldn’t make me love Brad. But I do, and I thank you too.”

I leaned over and gave him a gentle slap on the other side of the face. He just sat there smiling at us and sipping his coffee. After a minute or so, he got up and took his cup to the dishwasher. He started to leave the kitchen and then turned around and sat back down with us.

“I want to talk to you kids about something important,” he said.

“Un, oh, the birds and bees talk,” Brad said. I looked at him and he was smiling. I knew he was just kidding.

“No, it’s something more important than that,” Dad said. “I want to talk to you about love.”

Brad’s face became serious and I know mine did too. 

“I know you two think you love each other but you’ve still got a lot to learn. I want to tell you some of the things I’ve learned about love and I want you to think about them.” He looked at Brad and then at me.

“Go ahead,” Brad said, “we’re listening.”

“Right now, part of what you two feel is just your hormones singing to each other. Love’s a lot more than just chemistry.”

I reached out and Dad wrapped his right hand around mine. His left hand was toying with a spoon.

“At some point in your relationship, your love is going to stay alive only if you make a conscious decision to nurture it. You can’t base your love just on sex, no matter how good it is. You’ll have to base your love on the things you share, like children and family. Love can’t live on nothing but fun in bed.”

Brad put his right hand over my left and then reached out to Dad. He took the spoon out of Dad’s hand and then wrapped his big hand around Dad’s smaller one and squeezed it. Dad looked at him and smiled.

“My love for Siobhan’s my refuge in life, Brad. And no matter how crazy the world is, when she wraps her love around me, everything’s OK. When she said she wanted to have another baby, I told her she was crazy. She just asked me if I loved the four kids I already have, said she knew my heart was big enough to love another one. I knew she was right.”

“I wish my Mom had been like that,” Brad said.

We sat and talked for a while. Dad did most of the talking, telling about his feelings toward Mom before they married and then afterwards and even after they started having children. He’d always seemed so self-assured to me and it was strange to hear him talk about how he felt for a long time that he wasn’t good enough for Mom and how, when he saw her naked, her body was so beautiful to him he couldn’t believe she would share it with him. He sat there with his eyes looking far away like he was somewhere with Mom. I looked at Brad and he was looking intently at Dad’s face. I squeezed Brad’s hand and he looked at me and smiled.

“Your Dad could be describing the way I feel about you,” he said.

Dad shook his head like he was just waking up and I think his eyes were a little moist.

“Well, anyway, you kids have heard me talk enough tonight. I just want you two to be happy.”

“We are, Dad,” I said.

“And we will be,” Brad added.

Dad looked at Brad for a second and then at me. He smiled and then stood up.

“I’m going do my homework,” he said. “See you kids tomorrow.”

When he was gone, Brad turned to me.

“I like it when he talks to us like that. He always makes a lot of sense. Do you think he’s letting us see into his heart?”

“I think so too, Brad. That’s the sort of little lectures he’s always giving us.”

“About us meeting, what do you think? Did they arrange it?”

“I don’t know. Maybe they did arrange for us to meet each other. Since then, everything’s been up to us, hasn’t it? So it doesn’t matter, does it?”

“No, I guess it doesn’t.”

“Then come, let’s go get comfortable.”

I went down the hall to my bedroom and Brad followed me. I sat down in my chair and took off my sneakers and socks.

Brad went over to his bag and started taking stuff out of it. It seemed like every time he came, he brought more than he took back. His drawer in my chest was full and he had his own space in my closet.

“I’m going to take a shower,” I told him. He looked up and smiled and I said, “Alone.” I saw his brow wrinkle. Men! They can be so dense sometimes.

“Why can’t I shower with you?” he asked.

“Brad, I told you I’ve got my period.”

“I know. I still don’t see why I can’t shower with you.”

I really couldn’t understand how he could be so dense. Didn’t he know how messy menstruating can be sometimes? I suppose not.

“Brad, do you want me to tell you why not? Or do you want to say just because?”

“Arial, I don’t know what all goes on when you’ve got your period but I don’t see how it could be so bad you have to hide it from me. If I’m going to live with you for the rest of my life, I guess I’ll have to learn about it some day.”

“Brad, I’ve got a tampon in me right now with a little string hanging out. When I pull that little string, that tampon’s going to come out and it’ll be red and ugly. When I shower, I’ll wash down there with my fingers and it’ll probably make the shower water red. When I get out of the shower, I’ll put a pad in my panties and put them on. Couldn’t you just wait until I come back to you all clean with white panties on?”

He looked at me with that silly crooked half-grin of his. “Arial, you can’t gross me out,” he said. “Life’s messy sometimes. I understand that. I’d still like to shower with you.

I gave in. “OK, dummy, you’ll be sorry.”

I let him see everything. I don’t suppose it grossed him out but he didn’t get a hard-0n in the shower like he usually does. He was just as loving in helping me bathe as always, even though he didn’t offer to wash my pussy.

Afterwards, he sat on the commode with a big smile on his face while I put a pad in my clean panties and then put them on. He held out his arms to me and I walked over and pulled his face up to me. He wiggled a little and rubbed his lips and nose on the area between my breasts. I watched his face as he closed his eyes, took in a deep breath and released it, then relaxed against me.

“I love you, Arial,” he whispered.

I didn’t say anything. I didn’t think I needed to. I just held his head to my breasts so he could hear my heart bursting with happiness. After a minute or so, I pulled away from him.

“Come on, let’s get ready for bed,” I said.

In my bedroom, he went to my chest, to the bottom drawer I’d given him for his clothes, and started looking for something. I enjoyed looking at his butt while he was bent over. The view between his legs from the rear was very interesting.

“Where are my pajamas?” he asked, turning around to me.

Just like a man - has to have a woman to find things for him. We’d gone shopping together during the after-holiday sales. I’d helped him find some flannel pajamas and he’d helped me get a flannel nightgown. We’d been wearing them on our weekends together for a couple of months.

“I always put them back in there after I wash them,” I said. “Are you sure they’re not there?”

“Yeah, I’m sure. It’s just my underwear and shirts and socks. They’re not here.”

I thought for a while. I knew I usually put them back in the drawer when I helped with laundry the first of the week. I finally realized I hadn’t helped this week. I’d been busy with schoolwork and Kathryn had said she’d help with it. I couldn’t imagine what she’d done with them. Maybe she didn’t realize they were Brads. I told him what might have happened.

“Well, that’s OK. I guess I’ll just have to sleep naked,” Brad said.

He was grinning and I knew he didn’t mind that I hadn’t put them back in the drawer.

“You’ve got thermal underwear in there,” I said. “Those blue ones I like. Kerry sleeps in his all the time. Why don’t you try it?”

He pulled them out of the drawer and tossed them on the bed. He walked over to me, picked me up under my knees and back, and put me down on the bed.

“Could we be close together for a while before I put them on?”

I looked down at his dick. It wasn’t hard but it wasn’t completely soft either. I could tell it wouldn’t take much to make it stand up.

 “Brad, we can’t do anything. If you get a hard-on, you’re not going to make love with me while I’m menstruating.”

He walked around to the other side of the bed and got in next to me. He pulled me up against him so that my breasts were against his chest and then slid his hands down to my fanny. He moved them around over my buns and then moved them up and slid his fingers down just inside my panties. His face was only inches from mine.

“That’s far enough, little boy,” I said.

“I know,” he sighed. “I’m not going to try to do anything. I really do just want to feel you close to me.”

“You could kiss me.”

He lay there quietly, looking into my eyes.

“No, I can’t. My dick’s just about to raise its head up. I think I’d better just hold you.”

“Silly. Why do you worry about whether you get a hard-on? I know how to take care of one. Remember the first time I did it?”

I saw his crazy cock-eyed grin break out on his face. I loved to see it even if he did think it made him look stupid. I thought it just made him cuter.

“Yeah, but I don’t want you to do it tonight. If you can’t do anything, I don’t want to either.”

“Why?”

“I don’t know. It just doesn’t seem fair. If you can’t enjoy it, I don’t want to either.”

“Brad, don’t be like that. I don’t feel that way. I like playing with you. I like touching your dick and your balls, playing with them, watching your face when I do it. I enjoy doing that. I’m not like a guy who has to come every time he gets a hard-on. Girls aren’t like that.”

“Well, I don’t have to come every time I get a hard-on. Where’d you get that idea?”

“Silly, you know what I mean. If I get you all stirred up, you’ll never be able to go to sleep unless you get some relief. I like to jack you off and watch you squirt. I think it’s cute.”

“Oh, shut up. Don’t get me hot. Put on your nightgown and I’ll put on my thermals. Let’s just cuddle up and go to sleep.”

“No, I want you to do something for me first.”

“What?”

“Rub my tummy.”

“Why?”

“Because I’m a little uncomfortable. When I’ve got my period, I ache down there sometimes and I rub it or put a heating pad on it. That usually makes me feel better.”

“I don’t know how.”

“I’ll show you.”

He took in a deep breath and let it out. “OK, but it’s going to give me a hard-on.”

“That’s OK,” I said.

I rolled over on my back and pushed my panties down so that my pubic hair was just beginning to show. I took his big hand and showed him how to rub me - down until he felt my pelvis, up to my belly button, and on both sides for a few inches. I shut my eyes and let him do it. It always felt good when I did it; it felt better when he did it.

He was right. It did give him a hard-on. I felt it touch me on my hip. I eased my hand down between us and wrapped my fingers around it while he kept rubbing me gently. It felt so good to have his fingertips pressing down and rubbing me. He pulled my hand up and away from his dick and then moved up a little closer to me. I felt the hot hard length of it pressed against my hip. When he started rubbing me again, I realized he was touching me lower and lower each time.

“You’re going to get a red finger if you go any lower,” I whispered.

He moved a little closer so that his mouth was just beside my ear.

“A guy I know at school was bragging about playing stink-finger with his girl. Would you like to play red-finger?”

“Brad, that’s nasty,” I said. “You’ve got no idea what you’d be getting into.”

“Yeah, I do. I’ve been in there before. Fingers and tongue and dick.”

“Well, you’ve never had them in there when I was menstruating.”

“Yeah, but I want to play nasty,” he whispered. “Let me make you come first and then you can jack me off. I don’t care if I do get a red finger.”

“Brad, I’m a good little girl. I don’t play nasty.”

“Yeah, and I’m a bad little boy. Boys like to play nasty. Let me push your button and I’ll ring your chimes.”

I’d done it to myself sometimes when I had my period. I knew it could be as good then as any other time. I just put a little baby oil on my fingertips and rubbed my clitoris and it worked fine.

“OK, but go in the bathroom and get the baby oil,” I said.

“Why? I didn’t think you liked me to use it on you.”

“I don’t want it inside me, Silly. Just put a little on your fingertips and rub me on my clit. Then you won’t get a red finger.

“Uh, uh, that’s not nasty. I like red fingers. Don’t you want to play nasty?”

His fingertips slid down between me and the sanitary napkin and cupped over my vulva. He pushed gently with one finger and I felt it slide between the lips of my pussy. He let it rest there.

“Brad, you’re bad.”

He moved his finger from side to side and pushed it down and around and slightly into me.

“Yeah, but you like it, don’t you?”

“I like the way it feels when you do that with your finger.”

“I feel something hot and juicy in there. What do you think it is?”

He took his finger out of me and held it up in the light. It was slightly pink.

“Boy, that’s nasty,” he whispered. “I like nasty.”

He slid his hand back inside my panties and his finger found its place again.

“Brad, you’re not just nasty. You’re bad.”

“Where is it?”

“What?”

“Your nubbin, you know, that little thing you like me to rub.”

He found it. I didn’t have to tell him. He was watching my face. When he found it, I shut my eyes. He played with me - sticking his finger in deep and then rubbing it in the right place, leaning over me and kissing me until I couldn’t breathe, licking my breast and sucking on my nipple – all the while keeping his one finger moving around and around and in and out. When I came, I put both hands behind his head and pulled his mouth against mine so hard it hurt my lips.

When I started thinking again, he was close against me with one hand on my breast and his leg thrown over my stomach. It felt warm and nice to feel his thigh there. His dick was pressed against the side of my hip and that felt good too. I opened my eyes and looked at him. He was propped up on his left arm and he was smiling at me.

I realized the hand on my breast was the one he’d had between my legs. I looked and I could see a little color on his finger and on my breast.

“Don’t worry,” he said. “I’ll get a washcloth and clean you up.”

“You were bad, Brad.” I whispered “And you were nasty. Are you satisfied?”

“No, but I will be when you jack me off. I’m going to be nasty and come all over your hand.”

He went to the bathroom and came back with a warm washcloth, the baby oil, and a damp towel. He gently wiped my face first, then my breasts, and then pulled my panties down and wiped up between my legs. I watched as he used his fingers to pull my pussy lips apart. He looked like a little boy discovering something new. He even pulled my panties back up and I lifted my butt off the bed until he had then back where they belonged.

After I rested for a while, I used the baby oil and two hands on him. When he squirted, it didn’t get on my hands. It sprayed all over his chest and stomach. I kept slowly stroking his dick after he came and he just lay there and watched me. Finally I milked it down and squeezed out another glob of semen. I caught it on one finger and held it up toward my mouth. I stuck my finger in my mouth and sucked it clean and he just watched. I milked his dick down and got another big drop. I held it out toward his mouth and he opened wide. I stuck it in his mouth and he sucked my finger clean.

“Boy, that’s nasty,” he said.

“Yeah, it is,” I said, “but I like to be nasty too.”’

After I wiped him clean, I put on my nightgown and he put on his thermal underwear. We kept looking at each other and grinning like little kids. It was fun being nasty together. 

I looked at the clock and saw it was almost ten o’clock. Dad kept the thermostat set to drop the heat at ten. I turned over with my back to him and he moved up close behind me. Like an old married couple, we both reached down at the same time and pulled the blanket and quilt up and over us.

We lay there for a while talking about loving each other and what we wanted in our lives and stuff like that. After a while, Brad pulled the bottoms of his thermal underwear off and kicked them somewhere under the cover. He tugged on the bottom of my flannel nightgown and I lifted up off the bed until he pulled it up to my waist in the back. He scooted up close to me and put his right leg over my left one. I felt his dick against my thigh. I knew what he’d do next. He curled his long arm around me and tried to get it in my nightgown. I unbuttoned the top for him as usual and he put his hand in and found my breast. He took a couple of deep breaths and then relaxed against me.

“I do love you, Arial,” he whispered. “I hope we can always love each other.”

“Me too, Brad.” I whispered.

“The first weekend the forecast is for good weather on Saturday, would you go somewhere with me?”

“Yes.”

“Aren’t you going to ask me where?”

“No. I know you’ll tell me so I’ll know what to wear. I’ll go anywhere you want me to, Brad.”

“Anywhere?”

“Yes.”

“It’s up in the mountains, in the state park, about an hour from here. It’s just a place in Cold Creek Canyon where I like to go. I’d like to share something with you.”

“What is it?”

“Let’s let it be a surprise. I hope you’ll understand when you see it. A hiking buddy and I found it. We asked the ranger about it and he said they don’t put it on any park maps because it’s so fragile. I don’t think many people know about it. I’ve been back a few times by myself.”

“By yourself? What did you do?”

“Nothing. That’s the whole point. You’ll see.”

“Some of that country is a little wild. Will we be safe?”

“I think so. Your folks know where the park is. We’ll register with the rangers just like we did last fall and I’ll take my cell phone. The place I want to take you is off a service road about a quarter of a mile. Except for the last part, it’s easy to get to.”

“What about the last part?”

“We may have to wade the creek and it’ll be cold as always. It won’t take but a few minutes.”

“Just let me know when you want to go. I’ll be ready.”

We lay there quietly, still talking about everything and nothing and it felt like I was where I belonged, and Brad was where he belonged. The small lamp on my desk was still shining and I wanted to turn it off but I didn’t want to move away from Brad. 

The knock on the door startled both of us. Brad pulled his hand out of my nightgown and moved away from me slightly. He propped up his head on his left hand. I reached around to his hip and pulled him back closer.

“Come in.” I thought it would be Dad since Kavan and Kathryn were supposed to be in around eleven o’clock. It was.

He walked in and stood in the middle of the room for a few seconds, just looking at us. A smile started on his face and got wider and wider.

“Brad, where was your hand before I knocked on the door?” he asked.

I looked down at my nightgown. It was unbuttoned and gaping open and I could see most of my breast. I knew Dad could too.

“Well, I wasn’t scratching my head,” Brad said.

“Well, put it back where you had it,” Dad said. “If I were in bed with Siobhan like that, I know where mine would be.”

Brad put his arm back around me and slid his hand in my nightgown. I put my hand on his and pressed it against my breast. Dad still stood watching us.

“That’s better,” Dad said.

“Yeah, I agree,” Brad said. “It’s just hard to get used to being like this with Arial when you and Siobhan are around.”

“Brad, let me ask you a serious question,” Dad said. “How do you feel when you’re close to her like that, holding her, being quiet together, talking?

“As happy as I’ve ever been in my life. There’s nothing I’d rather be doing.”

“You two aren’t married yet but maybe you will be someday. Being close like that is one of the things that makes a good marriage. When I’m that way with Siobhan, I feel the same way you do. Don’t ever be ashamed of it. You didn’t have to move your hand just because I’m here.”

“Remember, Brad,” I said, “Dad didn’t kill us the morning he found us sleeping together on the couch when he went for a run. I think he put a blanket over us, didn’t he?”

“Yeah, I guess he did,” Brad said.

“That’s what I came in here for,” Dad said. “I’m going for a run tomorrow morning. Would you like to go with me, Brad?”

That surprised me a little. I knew Dad invited Kavan and Kerry sometimes and had even invited Stuart when they were staying with us. He’d never asked Brad. I wondered if it was because he was already feeling like Brad was like a son or maybe would be a son-in-law someday.

“Yeah, I would,” Brad said. “The sneakers I wear are good for running. Where are you going?”

“Down the hill to the trail along the creek,” Dad answered. “There’s a bunch of us who run down there. We’ve got it cleared so there’s about two miles of it that make a good running track.”

“What do I need to wear?”

“Just some sweats. It’ll be cold when we start but you’ll work up a sweat before we get back.”

“OK. What time?”

“A little after six. I’ll knock on your door when I go past. I’ll be in the kitchen. Since Siobhan’s not here, I’ll put on a pot of coffee before we go.”

He turned out the light on my desk, started out the door, and then turned back. I couldn’t see his face in the darkness.

“I mean it, Son. You two should be proud to love each other. Don’t ever be ashamed of anything you do. My kids know I still make love with my wife. What you’re doing and feeling with Arial is the same thing I’m doing and feeling with Siobhan. I’ve been doing it with her for almost twenty years and it’s still fresh and loving and wonderful.”

When he was gone, Brad put his head down and nuzzled up in my hair. He squeezed my breast, pulled me closer against him, and kissed me on the back of my neck.

“Wow,” he said.

“What?”

“Your Dad. He’s really something.”

“Yeah, I agree. Now hold me and let’s go to sleep.”

“Did you hear what he called me?”

“Yes.”

<><><>

On Monday of the following week, Brad came by to pick up me and Kerry for school as usual. He was early so we weren’t outside waiting for him. He rang the bell and I peeked out my window and saw his red Jeep Cherokee. When I let him in the front door, he hugged me and then gave me a quick kiss.

“Any coffee left?” he asked.

I knew when he asked for coffee that meant he hadn’t eaten. I’d already eaten so I scrambled him two eggs and made him some toast. I found one last Danish pastry so I put that on his plate. He sat watching me while he sipped on his coffee.

When he finished, he licked the remains of the pastry off his fingers, took a sip of coffee, pulled an envelope out of his pocket, and handed it to me. He didn’t say anything and I looked at it and saw Brad’s name written on it.

“What is it?” I asked.

“Something for us, for somebody else too if they want to go. Open it.”

It wasn’t sealed so I opened it and pulled out the two pieces of paper inside. The first one was a gift certificate for $100 at one of the nicest restaurants in town. The other one was a certificate for $200 to the same restaurant. I looked at them closer and saw that they were made out to Dr. Dan Weaver, Brad’s Dad.

“They’re for your Dad,” I said, “not for us.”

“Look on the back.”

I did and saw that there was a note addressed to somebody asking that Brad be permitted to use the certificate. I looked at him again and I guess he knew I had more questions.

“They were both given to Dad about a year ago. They expire after one year and the big one’s good through this month. The other one’s got a couple of more months. Dad said he’s not going to have time to use them. He thought we might get somebody to go with us.”

“Who?”

“Well, I thought Kavan and Kathryn might like to go and I want Kerry to go too. Maybe he can ask somebody to go.”

“Well, it won’t be Leigh. He says they’ve agreed just to be friends and you know what that means. I don’t think he knows anybody else to invite.”

“Maybe we could help him find somebody,” Brad said. “You’ve told me lots of the girls at school think he’s the cutest boy they’ve ever seen. Do you know any of them who might be interested? Let’s fix him up.”

I guess Brad saw the grin pop out on my face. I knew just the girl. I’d known her for almost two years, since I started high school, and she was one of Kerry’s admirers. She’d said something to me more than once about getting Kerry into the drama group which put on the big play every year.

“Nicole Whittaker,” I said.

Brad looked at me and smiled. “The one you say looks like a French gamin? Boy, she’s perfect.” 

“Not gamin, Brad,” I said. “It’s gamine. I think gamin is masculine. Gamine is feminine.”

“Well, I’m glad you’re taking French and not me. She’s about your age, isn’t she? Do you think she’d date Kerry?”

“From what I’ve heard her say about him, I think she would. I’ll see what I can do.”

“I’ll leave it in your hands.”

Nicole was tall and slim like Kerry and she certainly marched to her own drum, just like Kerry. She always dressed for herself and was always beautiful. She didn’t care what anybody else wore and never wore jeans. She was always in everything involving dance and drama. Best of all, I knew she didn’t have a boyfriend. I liked the idea.

“Don’t say anything to Kerry. Let me set it up with her. Then I’ll talk him into asking her. When she says yes, you make the reservations for Saturday night.” I said.

Brad looked at me with a conspiratorial grin. “You mean, don’t let him know you’ve arranged it, huh? You do love to play chess with people, don’t you?”

“I’ve never done that with you, Brad.”

“Yeah, I know. I’m just your little pawn.”

<><><>

I caught Nicole between classes and told her all the details. She liked my idea too. She knew Kerry was the youngest boy in school but she didn’t care how old he was; all she asked was how tall he was. When I told her he was already five feet, eight inches tall, she said she was five, seven, and she’d love to go out to dinner with him. I told her to act surprised when Kerry asked her and she gave me another conspiratorial grin.

On Tuesday, she just happened to walk past the table in the cafeteria at school while Brad and Kerry and I were eating. When I called her over, I nudged Kerry under the table with my foot. He didn’t make too big a mess out of inviting her to go out with us. She acted surprised when he told her where we were going and then she asked me what to wear.

That night, I was in my nightgown and about to crawl in bed to read when I heard Kerry in the bathroom. I heard him go through his nightly pee and flush and brush routine. I was in bed with my book when he tapped on my door.

When I told him to come in, he walked over to my bed, took my book out of my hand, and sat down beside me. He sat for a minute without saying anything, just looking at my face and in my eyes. Finally he leaned over so that his head was beside mine, slid his arms around me, and kissed me on the cheek.

“I love you, Arial,” he whispered.

I couldn’t say anything. I loved him too, so much that I felt like crying. I wrapped my arms around his back, put my hands behind his head, and held him tight against me. He seemed almost to melt into me and I listened to the sound of his breathing. Finally he pushed away from me, looked at me again, and a grin crept over his face.

“Thanks for fixing me up with Nicole,” he said, then leaned over and kissed me on the lips. He was at the door before I could say anything. He turned and gave me a little smirk so I stuck my tongue out at him.

“Do that again and I’ll bite it,” he said.


TO BE CONTINUED:
