Author: Pescador del Valle
Title: Afterlife
Part: Chapter 5 of 6
Universe: Vixen Circle
Summary: A traffic accident gives a man a chance to put 
matters to right.
Keywords: mf, ff, rom, exhib
Language: English
Copyright: 2010

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*                 WARNING!                  *
* This text file contains sexually explicit *
* material. If you do not wish to read this *
* type of literature, or you are under age, *
*      PLEASE DELETE THIS FILE NOW!!!!      *
*********************************************

Comments appreciated : 
  see Pescador del Valle on www.asstr.org/authors.html
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Having sent Hannah and Tracey off with Rosemary to review 
out latest induction into our sexually-orientated Vixen 
Circle, Sue, Carole and I planned our own review in Sue's 
otherwise empty house.

"Want to freshen up?"  She had more than that in mind and 
didn't object to Carole's presence.

It wasn't a case of "the more, the merrier" since after a 
certain number any interaction became social rather than 
personal.  Two was special, three was fun, four was 
borderline and five needed to be really close friends.  
Anything more - like today - meant too much circulation 
unless you broke you into pairs or threesomes anyway.

We gathered up our clothes and took them to the bathroom.  
Sue had dressed enough to say goodbye at the door but 
that had been mere window dressing.  We didn't expect 
anyone home soon but getting caught in the shower wasn't 
going to be as serious as having the scenes of an orgy 
precede that discovery.

Sue soon stripped to match us and I had the water at a 
reasonable temperature by the time she was ready.

"Towels?" I prompted and she grabbed two more.

It had been too many years since I had shared a shower 
and then the experience had not had the eroticism I'd 
found in my (still to be reached) younger years.  Never 
had I shared one with two lovely ladies - giggling and 
youthful with high spirits and, while it *WAS* just the 
three of us, no inhibitions.

Suds flowing, I gave them a treat of Mr Miyagi's "Wax on, 
wax off" as I buffed their headlights and rear bumpers.  
I got as good as I was given though and the kisses flowed 
between the three of us like the water over our bodies.  
I taught them one thing more whole we were there - the 
temptation of a squeaky clean ass.

In the shower I eased a soapy digit into each girl's butt 
hole while we kissed and they stroked me to a watery 
orgasm.  (The bandaid so lovingly applied earlier didn't 
last the shower but by then I didn't need it.)  Once we 
finished rinsing both cum and suds away and had at least 
partly dried off I tried something I had never been game 
enough to do.

Sue first - since Carole wasn't likely to balk even 
knowing what was coming.  I had her kneel on the plush 
but damp mat and began to lick her pussy from behind.

She joked as I tickled her ass hole with my nose and then 
I surprised her by replacing it with my tongue.  I kept 
telling myself she *WAS* squeaky clean as I pressed 
harder and pushed her sphincter apart.  I imagined all 
sorts of nastiness but really the most I could say was 
that it lacked the sweetness of even her shower-diluted 
pussy.

For Sue though it was a capital-"N" Nasty that was 
incredibly arousing.  My finger had tickled, had teased, 
had tempted; my tongue twisted instead.  Effectively 
self-lubricating it caused a ripple to begin in her belly 
that she wasn't ready for.  Maybe rimming wasn't so bad 
after all.

And of course Carole *HAD* to try it too - both receiving 
first and then letting me find out what it was like.

---

Minutes later, dried, dressed and relaxing after Carole 
had had to leave, Sue suddenly thumped my arm in mock 
outrage before leaning back against me.  "I can not 
believe you did that!"

"It's something I've heard of but never tried before.  It 
seemed a perfect time I guess."

"You'd never tried it before!  You're FIFTEEN!"  Where 
the hell have you ever had a chance to try *ANY* of the 
things you do with us or have us do?  You have lived here 
all your life; most of us have known you since you 
started school.  Who taught you?"

"You really wouldn't believe me."

"Albert, I don't think there is anything that explains 
what we've been doing that I wouldn't believe at this 
moment."

"Well let's see.  I might have been abducted by aliens, 
or I could be a changeling left here by the fairies, or - 
hmm - I was subjected to a secret government project on 
advanced learning, or I died after a long but 
unproductive life and am forced to relive it so I can get 
it right this time, or I'm a midget - no, that won't work 
- how about I'm just young for my age?  I can probably 
come up with some more if you give me time."

"You can't be serious instead and just tell me?"

"What if I said I had?  Which of those would you pick?"

"Can you repeat them please?  Hah!  You can't!"

"Um, well we had pixies and little green men - have you 
heard about the anal probes yet?  Then there was Area 51 
- same thing, so perhaps Area 69 is where the government 
use their brain ray.  What else did I say?  Oh, young for 
my age; I guess that's the same as dying in my fifties.  
Did I miss any?"

"They don't sound the same but I guess not.  I don't 
believe in fairies *OR* little green men so they are out.  
I still don't know when you could have been taken away 
for your government experiments unless they were really, 
really quick.  You certainly didn't seem any different 
until recently."

"Maybe the effects don't hit until puberty?"

"Young for your age?  What's that supposed to mean?  And 
if you died what year was it and how old were you?"

"Let's see 57 and it was 2013."

"When were you born?"

"1955."

"That works out to - 2012. Huh!"

"I hadn't had my fifty-eighth birthday yet."

Smooth!  Oh I don't know.  I'd guess the government had 
something to do with it but I can't understand why they'd 
choose Judo and Sex to teach you.  You do alright in 
class but not that well."

"It's part of my nefarious plan - or perhaps I was a 
failure and only the things I was interested in took."

"*THAT* I can believe.  What the hell is nef-, naf-, 
whatever though?"

"My evil schemes to take over the world.  I can decide 
whether to turn all the women into my sex slaves, or ask 
for - - - a *MILLION* dollars!"

"Huh?  Sex slaves it is then.  See I knew you'd tell me 
the truth sooner or later.  What do you want me to do 
master?"

"Actually, holding you like this is pretty nice."

"It is isn't it.  You're an easy master for a girl to 
have.  I'm not sure you need any other slave girls.  I 
can do anything for you.  I *WOULD* do anything for you, 
Love."

I hugged her, aware of what she had said and had left 
unsaid.  I didn't want to hurt her feelings but I thought 
it too soon to express serious commitment to anyone and 
if I told her I loved her and then proved unable to keep 
to that I might hurt her more than not saying anything.

Instead, after allowing a safe pause, I led us back to a 
discussion of who we could talk to next and whether there 
were better ways to go about increasing the membership of 
the Vixen Circle.

"So one slave isn't going to be enough?"

"Think of it as more slaves for the queen."

Sue giggled.  "But you haven't said I would be queen."

"A-ha!  You've caught me out."

Accepting the situation for the moment, Sue thought we 
might do better trying to convince a single girl with 
just the two of us - there would be less fear of what the 
others present would think.  Then, when they had found 
out they could have fun we could get them together with a 
few more who knew what to expect.

"You'd be sucking and eating and rubbing all by 
yourself."  We had been talking as if it was just the two 
of us involved.

"You'd be as well but you'd only have to deal with two 
girls instead of five like today."

"Which would leave me more rested to attend to your 
needs?"

"Fancy.  I never thought of that."

We tried it that way but, although Sue did the selling, 
it was Samantha and I who convinced Prue and then Daisy 
that it was not only fun to fool around with boys in a 
safe fashion but that there were things they could do 
with girls that boys couldn't match.

Of course there was *ONE* thing that boys and girls 
*COULD* do that girls could only imitate by themselves 
and we hadn't gone into detail on either of those - yet.

Sam enjoyed her time as incubus - I'd neglected succubus 
as an option with Sue but I thought the former was a 
useful description of my assistant.  We too spent some 
quiet time together after we said goodbye to Prue and to 
Daisy as well as when Sam just turned up looking to spend 
time with me.

When I was prepared to cuddle her in front of the TV 
while my parents were home she finally relaxed when she 
saw they weren't taking any notice even if I kissed her.  
Well they noticed, they just didn't say anything in front 
of Sam.

Alone she asked me whether I realised Sue was in love 
with me.

"Yes, and I think a couple of others might be too."

"I've loved you for ages but it's alright.  I don't mind 
if you love them instead."

"Sam, it's not a matter of loving people instead but 
rather how many people I can love without it being 
meaningless.  I haven't told anyone that they are the 
special one for me because I don't know if I can have 
just one or rather if I can commit to just one.  That 
doesn't mean I', looking to screw every girl I meet.  In 
fact I'm very carefully avoiding screwing anyone until 
I'm older.  I love you too and have for a while.  I know 
Gavin loves me too and I love him but I don't think that 
will be enough without a physical commitment as well.  I 
love Sue and I think she would like it to be exclusive.  
Some of the other girls are going to change their minds 
when we introduce them to Colin and Doug as you are well 
aware, and though they might still be fond of me I don't 
think I'll rate 'love' as such."

"And then there is Carole!"

I laughed.  "Carole is so sweet and intense it is 
impossible *NOT* to love her.  She in turn loves anyone 
who is willing to love her - which only goes to show how 
mistaken the idiot she beat up was.  If he'd taken the 
time to get to know her properly he would have had the 
sort of girlfriend he could only dream of."

"Unlike me - who no guy wants as a girlfriend."

"Sam, you put yourself down.  Maybe you haven't met the 
guy who wants you for his own or maybe you have and he's 
too thick to realise it yet but you're very loveable.  
I'm not exactly pushing you away, am I?"

"You're a special case.  A nutcase in fact.  At least 
you're my friend and willing to have fun with me too."

"Not the only one either I think."

Yeah well, as you say, Carole loves whoever loves her."

"And...?"

"Well Mary Kate."

"And...?"

"Okay, okay!  And Gail and Rosemary.  I can't believe 
you.  I thought you were the one who said no kiss and 
tell!"

"I haven't have I?  *YOU'RE* the one blabbing, not that 
you've actually giving out juicy details.  I'm just happy 
you're happy."

"And getting Happies?"

"If that is what is happening, then yes.  Do you find 
you're more comfortable with the girls than with boys?"

"Well I'm comfortable with you and Gavin, though I guess 
he's a special case.  How long have you known he is in 
love with you?"

I repeated the comment I'd made to Sue.  "You wouldn't 
believe me.  Before him in some ways."

"You didn't mind?"

"Once I might have but I learned I was wrong and I want 
to be a better friend even if I can't be the lover he 
wants."

"You still have fun with him.  I find that amazing.  I 
doubt any of the other boys around here would behave that 
way."

"That is one secret objective of the Vixen Circle - to 
persuade more boys that they don't have to fear Gavin."

"Then you need to initiate more boys."

"For the girls to play with as well but they have to be 
the right boys, or rather boys with the right mindset to 
accept what we offer without trying to turn it into their 
own personal orgy.  That could be harder than inducing 
girls from outside the Dojo to join in.  And without more 
boys I think the girls might decide they've learned 
enough and the circle will just collapse."

"Maybe it will have served its purpose by then - whatever 
that really is.  You've told one secret but that can't be 
all."

"I just wanted those I cared for to be able to find a 
partner without being condemned by those around them."

"Those you cared for - Albert that really was just Gavin 
and me.  What, is this all just a big scheme to get me a 
boyfriend or just more friends than you and Gavin?  Is it 
that hard for people to like me that you have to get them 
to want to come first?"

"Sam.  Sam, please.  You've got it wrong.  Please let me 
explain properly."

Sam was angry but she did love me and that made her 
willing to stop and listen while it had at the same time 
lifted the anger higher with the hurt of apparent 
betrayal.

"Once upon a time there was a boy and he had a good 
friend."

"You are *NOT* serious!"

"Trust me, I am.  Please be patient.  These two boys grew 
up together and one fell in love with the other but the 
second boy couldn't deal with that so he never really 
knew.  Then there was a girl who sometimes felt like she 
was a boy in a girl's body.  She was a bit of a tomboy 
and drove the boys away with her behaviour but the girls 
wouldn't have much to do with her either."

Sam sat in stunned silence.  She had felt that way but 
no-one had actually said it to her before.

"One day she met a new girl and that girl became her 
friend.  They grew close and even fooled around a bit 
secretly, exchanging Happies and learning more about 
their bodies than even the Vixen Circle.

"Eventually the first girl wanted to let everyone know 
how much in love they were but the second girl was afraid 
at that because girls did *NOT* fall in love with other 
girls.

"Girl number two even went as far to find herself the 
most macho boyfriend she could and got him to fuck her to 
prove she couldn't possibly be a lesbian.  Girl one was 
heartbroken but decided to make a stand, a last ditch 
effort to get her lover back.  She told everyone that she 
was a lesbian and accused girl two of being one as well.

"Girl two came back that, yes, they had been close 
friends until such time as girl one had come on to her 
and then girl two had dropped her, keeping quiet about 
her perverse interests out of their former friendship.

"Girl one stood alone.  Those around her were spiteful 
and hateful - and we return to boys one and two."

"I don't really understand how this..."

"Please bear with me.  Boy two was as unsympathetic as 
anyone.  He called girl one names and did nasty acts to 
make her life miserable.  He wasn't really any worse than 
those around and better than some but he had no excuse 
for his prejudice and hate.  Boy one could understand 
what girl one was facing and tried to get boy two to 
realise she was a person like anyone else - a wonderful 
person if he would only take the trouble to get to know 
her.

"But boy two was pig-headed and refused to even just 
ignore her presence around the school.  In desperation 
boy one said, 'What if it was someone who you were 
friends with who had to put up with all that shit?  Would 
you stand up for him or would you join those hurting him?  
If I told you I loved you would you reject me?"

I paused.

"And boy two turned his face away and never looked boy 
one in the eyes again.  Girl one thought she had trouble 
but the spite she faced didn't turn personally violent no 
matter the spit that struck her, the books and homework 
that was damaged, the classrooms that developed a seat 
shortage.  Boy one was met before school and physically 
encouraged to report in sick.  He was caught whenever he 
had to use the toilets and lost a tooth, cracked some 
ribs and eventually, after a losing football game was 
somehow attributed to him, a kidney.

"Boy number two, once again, was never violent but he 
never did anything to stop it and never gave any comfort 
to boy one.  He did eventually learn how wrong he'd been 
however.  There was no sudden light globe above his head 
but over time he had the benefit of wiser opinions who 
broke through the bloody idiotic mindset he had wrapped 
himself in.  Gradually he developed some humanity.

"It was too late for boy one though; too late even for an 
apology.  It was impossible to even consider an apology 
for girl one - he'd never been close to her, knew nothing 
about her, even if she was alive.  But it wasn't too late 
for boy two to be more civilized to all other people he 
met in future.  Boy two became man two and met a number 
of women.  He wasn't interested in men personally but he 
could befriend those who were.

"One day man two was hurrying to meet with a couple, 
friends of his celebrating their wedding anniversary.  
Twenty five years, a quarter century of happiness.  He 
was glad for them, for the joy they had shared that had 
seemed to otherwise pass him by.  A problem at work made 
him late.  He tried to get across the street before the 
light changed and someone coming from the other direction 
saw it go green and decided to plow straight through.  
I'm a little hazy about how the next part of the story 
goes but it is something like this;

"Once upon a time there was a boy and he had a good 
friend.  He knew how good a friend he was and wanted to 
make sure that he got the sort of friend he deserved.  
Later on they met a girl and she turned out to be every 
bit as nice as his friend had later suggested she might 
be.

"The boy had felt guilty about his behaviour to the girl 
previously but, while guilt can't last, friendship can 
and can turn into a mutual love.  Do you want me to keep 
going?"

"You want me to believe this is some Twilight Zone 
episode where you are being nice to me instead of being 
nasty?"

"I didn't hear any dee-dee-dee-dee music but yeah I 
guess, except I'd say 'a real bastard' instead of just 
'nasty' and it simplifies my feelings towards you too 
much.  If you think back to Harry Powell, it wasn't *ME* 
here that did that, it was the me from now.  *I* just 
came along in time to stop Harry whomping my ass.  But 
whereas you said thank you to me the first time as well, 
I was too interested in avoiding talking to anyone who'd 
seen me beaten up.  I much preferred getting to know you 
and being your friend."

"You talk as though this is all real.  Are you just 
trying to distract me so I don't remember why I'm mad at 
you?"

"It is the sort of story that no-one would believe.  
You're the first one I've told the whole story to.  My 
parents only know it happened, not my background."

"Your parents!"

"Why do you think I get way with what I can.  How would 
you tell someone old enough to be your father that he 
can't have a girl in his room?"

"But you're only fifteen."

"Fifteen going on fifty seven, or maybe even older.  I'm 
not sure if I'm supposed to count the years from this end 
on top of them."

"I still think you're talking rubbish."

"You want to ask my parents?"

"What!?  What do I say?  Has Albert come back from the 
dead?  They'll think I'm loony."

"Imagine the fun I had convincing them.  I know.  Come 
with me, but first..."

I took her in my arms.

"Samantha, regardless of what you think of me after this 
I am glad that I had the chance to meet you and to learn 
to love you as a friend and more.  I didn't deserve it 
and I'll always treasure the time we have had together 
and whatever time we have in the future."

I hugged her and kissed her on the cheek but she insisted 
on making it a proper one.

"I still think it is a load of bullshit but you seem to 
spread bullshit better than anyone I know."

I took her out to my parents.

"Mom, Dad.  You know I've been close to Sam for a while 
and I have a little announcement."

They looked quite worried and I could see not-so-stealthy 
glances at her waistline."

"Don't worry, Sam's not pregnant.  We haven't gone that 
far yet."

Sam was horrified that I'd admit we'd gone anywhere.

"No.  I had some things to discuss with Sam and I decided 
it was important she know the truth about me.  Needless 
to say, I'm the world's biggest liar and while it might 
be nice to avoid her actually believing me I don't think 
that will work.  Perhaps if I ask you to tell her a 
couple of things to start the ball rolling and Sam can 
ask whatever she needs to."

"You're quite sure son?"

"I have more reason to trust Same than she does to trust 
me at the moment Dad.  Perhaps you can tell her how old I 
am."

"You're almost sixteen but that's not what you are asking 
I'm sure.  Based on what you've told us, and you seem to 
be telling the truth, you lived to be fifty seven then 
came back to live your life over."

"Thank you.  Why would you believe such a ridiculous 
tale?"

"Firstly your speech was suddenly well in advance of your 
age and you could debate matters you shouldn't even have 
had an interest in yet.  Then there was the Judo.  You've 
never had any lessons."

"His uncle..."

"Sorry Sam, he doesn't exist.  I do have uncles but none 
have ever been in the Army.  A necessary fiction if I was 
to keep people from getting curious.  What else Dad?"

"The knowledge of events like the water main bursting and 
the department store fire.  Usually only remembered when 
something similar happened elsewhere.  And finally your 
financial advice - and the odd gambling tip."

"You know what horse is going to win?"

"Oh *THAT* you'll believe!  No, horse races usually are a 
bust for me unless it was a very famous race.  Sometimes 
though..."

"You could just be looking into the future - or what the 
future could be.  You needn't have died."

"Except then I wouldn't have the understanding of a 
fifty-seven year old man looking out through an infant's 
eyes.  I'd be an infant looking out at a future he 
couldn't comprehend.  I saw the day I was born."

"Your birth!?  You never said!"

"Not exactly Mom.  A bit later.  Nan and Pop were there.  
I must have only been there a couple of hours at the most 
before I skipped forward to when I was sick in hospital 
when I met Gavin.  I had a few days there and then I 
jumped to the day I stood up to Harry and became your 
friend.  I've been here ever since."

"The days you met your best friends," noted my father.

"Driven by guilt?" Sam asked.

"Guilt?" echoed Dad.

"Part of an old history that has been avoided - I hope.  
I've always wondered *WHY* I came back.  Perhaps the 
Buddhists are only partly right and you're not 
reincarnated as a new life but rather given another 
chance to fix this one.  Doesn't explain why I remember 
though.  Maybe the others are better at keeping secrets."

"Have you told anyone else?" Mom asked.

"Sue asked where I'd learned everything I was passing on 
when we were having a cuddle and I included the truth 
with a number of other options because I told her that 
she wouldn't believe it.  I think she favours the 
'Government Fried His Brain!' conspiracy."

"You told her?  Why??"

"As you said, she loves me.  When I'm asked a direct 
question I don't like to lie, not directly at least.  Not 
to those I love."  I took Samantha's hand.  My parents 
must have been confused about my talk of love for one 
girl while I was with another.

"I don't know whether to believe you or to believe you've 
brain washed your parents.  I think I should go and sleep 
on it."

"Okay."

"You're not going to tell me not to say anything?"

"As I said before, I have more reason to trust you."  I 
kissed her in front of my parents.

"That is probably a better argument than any your father 
gave," said Mom.  "I don't recall any boy treating the 
girls they knew with a tenderness like that.  It was only 
later, and with maturity and self-assuredness, that they 
behaved so well."

Mom looked at Dad.  "I hope you come looking for me when 
I was younger if you get a chance."

"Of course," I butted in while still holding Sam, "If he 
does that Mom, you might get together a lot sooner and 
then have a different child.  What would that do to the 
future I wonder?"

---

We settled things, Sam believing *I* thought I'd come 
back but unsure whether I was just perceptive about the 
possibility of Gavin and her being gay and painting a 
possible outcome for me to feel better about averting or 
whether they both had their feelings crushed in a 
previous existence - with my help.

She liked me too much to remain cross with any ulterior 
motive I might have had when creating the Vixen Circle 
and had too much fun with the other members to want to 
see it stop.  She did think, as did the others, that it 
shouldn't grow much more than the twenty odd members of 
the Kitsune Dojo though they would have liked other 
males.  I spoke with Colin, Doug and Gavin over the 
quality of the other guys we knew and between us came up 
with three more names that a survey of the female members 
approved with those dissenting doing so for personal 
taste rather than any concerns about their likely 
behaviour and discretion.

"But that is why they should join - to get them over 
those rougher qualities and teach them how to behave 
properly."

We had another ceremony.  It was easier with four boys 
present to induct three new guys.  I could still MC and 
the others could meet the initiates at the same time, 
giving them less time to react.  They were accepted so 
well by the female acolytes present that we were 
encouraged by them to consider yet a couple more.

Shortly afterwards, and before we tried again, my  
parents allowed me to give a party for the Dojo but 
really allowing all the members of the Vixen Circle to 
openly meet for the first time.

Mom and Dad had indicated a willingness to "stay out from 
underfoot" - I think unspoken permission for teenagers to 
be teenagers without parental oversight, unless it was 
really necessary.  Considering what they knew of the 
casualness in my relations with at least some of the 
girls I think that was rather brave of them.

I took a leaf out of a later rule book of mine when 
holding a party and that was to invite the neighbours, in 
this case the older couple who had the only unobstructed 
view across our fences into the area we would be using.  
Inviting them to the party wasn't going to work so 
instead I bribed them to go away from the noise so it 
wouldn't bother them.  Tickets to the theatre or a movie 
or a sizeable contribution towards dinner as they wished.  
I'm sure they saw it as less hassle for my family than 
having the police called and graciously took advantage of 
the offer.

We didn't have the party catered as such but with a 
substantial bank account from my investment advice there 
was no need for Mom to make everything personally.  I did 
offer to help but going with dad to carry supplies seemed 
to be how boys fitted into her world view - or kitchen 
view perhaps.

People began turning up mid-afternoon as specified with 
Sue and Sam arriving with Sue's mother and Gavin, Colin, 
and Doug escorting Carole - much to her pleasure.  With 
the numbers approximately twenty two girls to seven boys 
she thought she had done exceptionally well, especially 
since Gavin had sat up front as his father had required 
and she'd sat in the middle of the back seat.

Sam and Sue greeted me with a simultaneous kiss on the 
cheek at the front door even before Sue's mother was 
waved away then we each exchanged a better one before I 
ushered them inside and through to the back.

I saw Mr Edwards pulling up and left the two lovelies to 
find their own way while getting a seriously wrenched 
neck as Carole decided four to one was even better odds.

"Sweetheart, it is good you love to have fun but people 
will talk nastily about you if you aren't a little more 
discrete."

"Oh, I'll try to be good but it is hard."  She felt me 
and, disappointed, worked her way around the other three 
currently blocking the view from the street.  "Well this 
one and this one are hard!  What's up with you two?"

Again I ushered them inside before Dad came to see what 
the hold up was and ended up having his package checked 
as well.  I wouldn't put it past Carole!
 
Sue and Sam were socialising with my mother and both gave 
me another kiss on the cheek before standing either side 
of me with their arms around me.  I got a funny look from 
Mom and some funnier ones from Colin and Doug for being 
so extreme in front of my parents.

The weather was warm so we wore light cotton or linen - 
almost see through at times.  Florals, paisleys, purples, 
reds, greens, bright colours or pastels; there was no 
wrong style and even fashion faux pas were ignored.  Sue 
and Sam both had bare midriffs with Sue in a shirt that 
tied across the bottom and Sam in what I would have 
called a boob tube - elasticised top and bottom without 
the need for shoulders.  Neither saw a need for a bra 
beneath their tops.

In line with her wrap around top, Sue's skirt had a long 
belt that fed through a slit so that they could be tied 
together.  Sam wore shorts that were closer to the cargo 
pants I remembered from later years than to the hip-
hugging, butt showing scraps of material I had always 
enjoyed watching.  She still looked delicious.

And then there was Carole!

Carole wore a t-shirt, sans bra, but had at least worn a 
jacket to keep that a secret until she got inside.  Did I 
say I was worried that Carole might make a play for Dad?  
I wondered if we'd be able to stop him drooling instead.

I made sure people knew where the amenities were and 
herded them outside.  "Remember to breathe Dad."

"Indeed!"

(How *DO* you show icicles in written text?)

"Don't worry Mom.  I've told the guys you are off limits 
to them.  I can see about letting the girls know we've 
told Dad that they are off limits to him if you want."

She grinned, both at the idea she might be worth a second 
thought to boys my age and secondly at Dad's being 
taunted.  The term MILF wasn't around though Mrs Robinson 
had come out only a couple of years earlier.

"I was just thinking she was a little forward, that was 
all."  Dad should have left well enough alone.

"About out to here I'd say," cupping my hands in front of 
my chest.  "Good thing the weather isn't cold or they'd 
be out further."

"Albert!"

"Sorry Mom.  You raised a dirty old man but it's not your 
fault - I had a lot to do with it myself."

---

The rest of my guests heard the music playing around the 
back and came down the driveway instead of knocking at 
the door.  Dress was about the same for the girls though 
with far more variety than we boys seemed to manage.  
Food and drink was set up so I didn't have to spend all 
my time as host, though circulating meant I got plenty of 
kisses and not much else for quite a while.

I didn't really need an awful lot and the party didn't 
have to degenerate into an orgy but I made sure the other 
guys circulate and that we were all gentlemen, seeing to 
our ladies pleasure before our own should the lady wish 
matters to go that way.

They didn't before the outside lights became a necessity.  
There had been a couple of games of spin the bottle 
before then but they had involved no more than a kiss and 
a casual grope.  One circle involved boys and girls about 
equally mixed (never quite getting over the gender 
imbalance though) and the spinner was obliged to kiss 
whoever they span up so boys kissed boys and, more 
frequently, girls kissed girls.  The other circle was run 
differently with new member Paul the lone male doing 
service for whoever was spun up by the previous winner.  
Kissing wasn't all that was going on there after a few 
rounds but they were away from the kitchen window.

After dusk the circles grew more populated and more 
interesting.  Blouses and shirts hung open and knickers 
might have ended up in purses or pockets.

Paul found the rules changed on him so that a winner was 
able to name the next task he had to perform before she 
span.  The only condition imposed was that he couldn't be 
asked to do something he'd done with one of the three 
previous girls.  They got quite creative and there was 
some drift from the mixed circle to that one.

With the chance of participation low or skewed a third 
circle started up, this time only of girls.  They 
welcomed the boys but had decided they didn't necessarily 
need them.  I still got my kisses and now a more frequent 
fondle as I went around seeing how people were going.  I 
think I got more than enough action that way to make up 
for the earlier drought and missing out on the games.

Going inside I was however confronted by my parents.  
"The party is getting a little racy wouldn't you say 
son?"

"About right," I replied confidently.  "You've got twenty 
to thirty people, all non-smokers, enjoying themselves 
and each other without the benefit of alcohol and without 
any complaints.  Well I did hear a couple of people 
asking Gavin to come back because they hadn't finished 
but I don't think that counts."

"It's an orgy.  What if they all end up pregnant!?"

"Not quite an orgy and the girls are not as likely to get 
pregnant as you think.  I've spoken to them, and to the 
boys, and they are well versed in both sex education - as 
in reproduction - and in sexuality education - as in how 
to enjoy your body and how to see that your partner 
enjoys his or hers.

"These kids know more about conception and contraception 
than any of their peers without any of the myths and 
deliberate misconceptions that will continue to plague 
the kids that will follow them.  They understand 
masturbation and mutual stimulation.  They aren't afraid 
to let someone touch them, to watch others touching each 
other and, more importantly, they aren't afraid to say no 
and to back that up if needed."

"It can't be right though son.  I've seen the girls doing 
things to each other and the boys going from one girl to 
another."

"They are enjoying their freedom, some will be a little 
extreme but they aren't hurting themselves or the others 
and those around will temper any real excesses.  Do you 
know how many people here tonight have actually had 
intercourse?  The three of us - and for me it's been 
quite a while.  They have all seen girls sent away to 
stay with relatives for six months or a year and know how 
it has affected their lives.  The don't want that to 
happen.

"If the girls get horny and know another girl will help 
them out they aren't tempted to climb into the back seat 
of a car out at Lover's Lane.  If they are willing to 
attend to a boy's need while he attends to theirs without 
him trying to f... Sorry, have intercourse then they both 
get through their teens without trauma.  This group is 
focussed on their school work because they don't have to 
machinate over getting a date and a boyfriend.  They have 
a social life that isn't dependant on 'him and her'.  
They are prepared to wait because they have had a better 
option put before them.  They don't have as many of the 
prejudices that they had, and that I shared with them the 
last time around.  People are happier and all it took was 
for them to learn to give each other orgasms."

"We'll never hear the end of it if people find out."  
Resistance weakening

"Come with me, I want you to see something."

I took them by the hands and led them out into the yard.  
We weren't noticed at first and then I saw a sudden jerk 
of a head and a nudge and another head come up.  It was 
like watching a Mexican Wave at a sports arena but in two 
directions with the adjustment of clothing following the 
first ripples.

Not everyone could cover up, some girls were sitting 
there bare breasted.  It was interesting to see those who 
crossed their arms and who waved.  Carole was a waver.

Excuse me for a second."  I approached the group.

"What's up Bert?"

"Nothing.  You can go on playing."

Carole beckoned me closed.  "Are they going to join in?"

I leaned over and kissed her while gently tweaking her 
nipple - in full view of my parents."

"No, Sunshine.  They just wanted to see your lovely tits 
that I've been telling them so much about."

She laughed and cupped them before waving to my Dad and 
then laughing again when Mom elbowed him in the side.

If they had been on a hippie commune they couldn't have 
been more relaxed but then they'd have been stoned most 
of the time and screwed silly by whichever of the males 
stayed sober and clear-headed enough to plow their way 
through a field of flower children.

"See how relaxed they are but they still appreciate they 
might fall foul of other people's opinions.  It might 
help them to know that you are aware of what is happening 
even if you can't support it.  Oh shit!"

"Albert!"

"Sorry Mom.  Look, just get them to all cover up and 
behave.  We have some unfriendlies at the end of the 
drive and I think they plan on coming in.  Dad, can you 
call the Police about some gatecrashers and I'll try to 
head them off."

I thought it might be Harry Powell but he either had 
learned his lesson or wasn't part of this group.  Ah, no!  
His older brother was there instead.

"Sorry guys.  Private party tonight."

"That's not very friendly, is it guys?  Especially when 
we hear you've gathered up quite a bit of talent.  
Stealing all the girls!  Now *THAT'S* not friendly at 
all."

I was focussed on Powell Major but not to such an extent 
that I wasn't aware of those flanking me.  I took two 
steps back but they were just as happy with my retreat.  
I eased sideways closing on one of the pack and leaving 
more room away from the other.  I heard a stirring behind 
me as people reacted to being told they needed to cover 
up to protect *ALL* our reputations.  If I could stall a 
little longer I was confident I would have so many 
reserves backing me up that I wouldn't actually need to 
do any fighting.

"The thing is..." Powell stepped forward, I stepped back.  
"...I understand you think you're a hot shot.  Got a fast 
fist and girls are dripping off you.  Maybe we don't like 
thugs or pimps."

"Your parents must be terribly disappointed you feel that 
way about them then."

I immediately knew I shouldn't have said it but at times 
you can't resist a snappy comeback even if it seemed 
funnier in my head.  Harry's brother turned red.  He 
reached behind and brought out a bicycle chain which he 
wrapped around his hand as a combination cosh and brass 
knuckles.

"If you plan on using that on me then I should warn you 
I'll be kicking your balls up your asshole and then 
breaking that arm, so back off."

Again that only served to inflame him rather than giving 
me a couple of extra seconds.  His eyes drifted from one 
side to the other and I charged the nearer of the two as 
Powell's chin was lifting for the nod to go.

A punch in the solar plexus and I started to turn towards 
the other guy.  I had no intention of doing what I'd said 
and was pleased to note in passing that Harry's brother 
was covering his crotch instead of trying to flail at me.  
The four guys behind him were starting to respond but I 
had to deal with the other flanking attacker first.

I swung my foot around and kicked him painfully in the 
thigh causing him to yell far louder than Windy had - for 
obvious reasons.  Unfortunately he snagged my foot by 
accident and was quick enough to see the advantage.  I 
had little time and did the only thing I could think of, 
I used his head to keep me upright while I aimed my other 
foot at *HIS* balls.  I might have only managed to sink 
one of them in the hole but both would be black and blue 
in the morning.

He let go but I fell backwards and had no freedom to ease 
the thump of my shoulders against the concrete.  I 
protected my head and then caught one of the feet aimed 
as viciously my way as I had just done to the stranger.

[Use the force Luke!]

Actually, apply force to redirect momentum.  It was 
easier than trying to absorb it.  The leg I swept 
sideways ended up colliding with another's ankle so it 
missed my cheek but then my luck ran out and I was kicked 
three times from the other side.

The scream I heard wasn't pain, it was rage and not 
directed my way.  The cavalry had arrived.

---

I was in a blur of pain and confusion.  There were lights 
and people and noise.  There was peace.  Again, the pain 
and lucidity for a second; Sam close by.

"He's awake.  Don't you dare die again - you here!?"

Sue turned abruptly to Sam.  "What di..."

I lost it.

---

"Albert!  Are you okay?"

"Hurts."

"Don't move.  You might have a broken neck.  We're 
getting an ambulance to take you to the hospital.  It 
will be here soon.  You were unconscious for a while and 
I want you to stay with us if you can son.  You have to 
try to stay awake."

Son!?  That wasn't Dad though.  A neighbour?  He sounded 
familiar but my eyes couldn't focus, couldn't combine the 
paired images.  It was certainly brighter than the 
driveway.  Had they moved me inside?  Not with a 
suspected broken neck surely!

"Here they are.  Just lie still."

"Okay.  What's the situation?"

I got beaten up, I thought.  Oh well, you can't win them 
all but I suspected I wasn't the only loser tonight.

"Some idiot started as a janitor today and waxed the 
floor  Albert here was carrying a punching bag out the 
way so we could get the mats out and ended up 
cartwheeling backwards with the bag ending up on top of 
him.  There was an almighty thud and what sounded like a 
crack.  He was unconscious for a while but we've kept him 
still."

"Good.  Let's see what is going on down here then.  
Albert?  I've got some questions and a few tests to see 
how worried we need to be.  I guess how are you feeling 
of probably first.  Any pain?"

I could see now.  The man who'd called me son was my 
college Sensei, Phillip Mitchell.

"A bit better than I imagined I might.  Let's see.  
Thumping headache mainly across the back of my neck and 
my eyes appear to be working properly again - I had 
double vision when I opened them.  My left arm is also 
sore up near my shoulder."

"Don't try to move it yet."

"I guess I shouldn't have wriggled my toes either then 
but they are working and, very carefully I assure you, I 
can bend my wrist and fingers."

"That is all well and good but you aren't out of the 
woods yet.  You could have cracked a vertebra - the bones 
in your neck."

"I know and understand.  Wrap me in bubble wrap and put 
me under an x-ray machine and let's see how careless 
Bertie was."

"Bubble wrap?"

"Foam," I lied.  It was far easier.  "I know this is a 
stupid question but I don't have to ask 'Where am I?'  
Can you humour me please and tell me what year it is?"

"1976.  You feeling okay?"

"Well the year is right so I must be."

---

I'd sprained some muscles when twisting my head but there 
was no actual bone damage and, though I'd been knocked 
unconscious I didn't appear to have turned my brain into 
oatmeal either.

I tried calling my parents but the phone rang out without 
an answer.  Oh well, they wouldn't likely be hearing from 
anyone else so they wouldn't be worrying.  I was kept for 
observation and discharged the following afternoon clad 
only in my gi.  At least I now had a brown belt.

Phillip had left a message that he was glad I was okay 
and that he would be in but I didn't know when that would 
be.  The hospital wasn't that far from the Fighting 
Mongoose Dojo so I decided to walk.  I signed my release 
documents and they gave me back my health cover card - 
cardboard rather than plastic.  Phillip had obviously 
passed it on to the Ambos for me.  I was sure that I'd 
had student cover while I was studying but this was top 
scale.  I'd only wished the Ambulance driver had 
collected my whole wallet and my clothes.  Phillip must 
have them.

I wasn't permitted to walk the fifty metres to the front 
entrance though and a young nurse was appointed as my 
chauffeur.  She looked familiar and I studied her as we 
waited by the elevator.

"Your name wouldn't be Beth would it?"  I knew the answer 
but then, If *I* could be resurrected over and over..."

"No.  I've got an Aunt Beth though.  She was a nurse."

"Over at Riverside?  Around - '63?"

"Yes, it would have been about then that she would have 
been there."

"You have her look.  The way you have your hair cut and 
the little cleft in your chin.  Very pretty."

She looked at  me.  She knew I'd had a knock on the head 
but to recognise the resemblance with her aunt from so 
long ago was impossible.  She decided I was aware of the 
relationship somehow and was stirring her up.  I didn't 
disagree.

--- 

Phillip was in the Dojo.  "What the hell are you doing 
here?  They were supposed to have called me when they 
were thinking of letting you go."

"Oh well, no harm done.  I enjoyed the walk; it took some 
of the stiffness out."

"How are you feeling, really??"

"Like I've been hit by a truck - and trust me I know what 
that is like.  They gave me some painkillers for the 
headache and my neck is a bit stiff if I turn too far to 
the right.  So long as I don't press on the duck egg at 
the back I'll live."

"You should take a couple of days off school and go home.  
You're professors aren't going to complain - you're doing 
better than the rest of your class.  I can get by here as 
well."

"I guess I will but I feel a bit strange roaming the 
streets like this."

"Right.  Sorry - I was going to bring them with me when I 
came to get you."  Phillip pulled out a cardboard box.  
"And your wallet and keys..."  He opened a small safe.  
"I don't like to say I wouldn't trust an Ambo but 
sometimes the temptation can be too great."

I looked at my wallet; there seemed an inordinately large 
number of notes in it.

"Do you really need to carry that much cash around all 
the time?"

"I guess not.  Thanks for keeping it safe."

I looked at my keys.  There was one for an apartment door 
and another for a car plus a couple of others I was sure 
would become meaningful in a few days.

"Er.  Is my car still here?"

"You didn't see it coming in?  You must be blind.  You're 
just lucky the care park is behind the fence or your 
valuable wheels might have disappeared."

"I guess I'll get going then."  I'd looked at my student 
ID.  It gave my address - a street I was familiar with - 
so I wasn't going to have to ask for directions.  I took 
my clothes and changed.

---

I hadn't driven between home and college during *MY* 
second spell in High School so my most recent memories 
came from perhaps twenty years earlier.  I couldn't tell 
any real difference from the landscape - cityscape really 
- now and how it was then (or rather how it was in the 
then of the future.)

Intellectually I knew it had got denser, that the suburbs 
had spread to join and had thickened away from the main 
highway which remained wall to wall commercial 
establishments and advertising.  With no real surprises 
as I drove I could consider the time that had elapsed.  I 
had skipped about five years.  I should have asked for 
the date - anyone at the hospital could have given it to 
me without a second thought.  Well it shouldn't be hard 
to get.

What had happened to my friends?  What had happened to 
the Kitsune Dojo we had started at High School?  What had 
happened to the Vixen Circle?

What had happened to Sam and Gavin?  Without my help 
(*HAD* I helped?) had things returned to "normal"?

And, as I drove down their street, I began wondering how 
my injury had affected my parents.  How hard *HAD* it 
been?  I certainly hadn't been hurt enough to make a long 
term difference if I was healthy now and doing well in my 
studies.

There was a light on and someone moved between it and the 
curtain leaving a shadow.  At the sound of my car 
stopping the curtain was pulled to one side.

My car!  Now *THAT* had been a surprise.  In a time when 
bigger was better (and from my wallet I could certainly 
afford either) I had chosen a Mini.  A blocky English car 
that was as economical of gas as it lacked luxuries.  You 
eased into it but there was more room than it seemed.

I stretched after I manoeuvred my way out of it and the 
car was not totally to blame.  Noticing little 
differences in the garden that I had seen just over a day 
- or five years - earlier I strolled to the front door.  
I didn't know what had changed around the side and wasn't 
about to trip over a garden hose and end up under 
observation for another night!

Dong, Dong, Dong.  Well that was different.  The door 
opened.

"Yes?"

The chain that kept the door closed was different but 
nowhere near as much as the woman behind it.

"Sorry to disturb you.  I'm looking for Mr and Mrs 
Lamont."

"Oh sorry dear, I don't know them."

"How long have you been here, please?"

"Almost a year.  They weren't the people I bought the 
house from though.  It was a Mr Sheehy."

"Oh.  Okay then.  Thank you very much."

I returned to my car.  The neighbouring house was dark 
and, looking over the other side, I decided that my 
parents weren't likely to have left any forwarding 
details with *THEM*.

Samantha was closest - I hoped.  At least her mother was 
the same.

"Albert how nice to see you.  What have you been doing 
with yourself?  Come in, come in."

I sat across from her in the lounge and explained how I 
had given myself a rather bad bump and spent most of the 
previous 24 hours in hospital.

"I'm trying to contact my parents but I must be a bit 
confused because they no longer live at my old home and 
I'm not sure where they could be."

"Well that's easy!  They will be in Vermont for the 
summer - same as last year.'

"Of course.  What's Sam doing nowadays?"

"You should know better than me.  I thought she phoned 
you weekly, if not twice a week.  Don't tell me you've 
fought or anything?"

"No.  As I said, I'm really confused."

"Look Albert, if you're feeling poorly I can make up a 
bed here and try to get hold of your parents but you 
might want to go and see Sue."

"Sue?"

"If you're confused, she's probably the best one to 
help."

I was assured she still lived at the same address and 
only hoped she would be home and happy to see me.

---

"Bert!"  Arms around neck, tongue down throat.  God she 
looked good; she *FELT* good.

"What are you doing here?"

She pulled me inside and her parents greeted me warmly.  
Well that was reassuring at least.

"I had a bit of an accident at the Dojo.  You know about 
the Dojo?"

"I should.  What sort of accident?"

"I fell onto my head and shoulders.  Enough to get a 
hefty bump and forget one or two things."

"Oh you poor dear.  Hell, what a lump - you're not 
joking.  Are you okay?  Has anyone checked you out?"

"Yes and Yes.  I spent the night in hospital after x-rays 
showed I hadn't crippled myself."

"You're going to have to stop doing this to yourself.  
Why didn't you call me?  If it was at the Dojo why didn't 
Phillip call?"

I was a little surprised but could think of one reason.

"I suspect Phillip expected I *WOULD* call.  But that is 
one of the things that are a bit hazy.  All I could 
remember was Mom and Dad's number from Paige Street and 
of course they are in Vermont.  Yours still is a blank."

"Well you remember where they are at least."

"No.  I went from home to Sam's house and spoke with her 
mom."

"The bitch!  Oh Samantha, not her mother."

I was a little surprised that Sue and Sam had fallen out 
but five years were five years.

"Bitch?"

"She was supposed to phone me the last two times we 
talked because it was *HER* turn but, no, she was 
indisposed and then busy!  I note she can manage to call 
you regularly though!"

"Susan!  You should be more tolerant of your friends.  
When you are expecting you won't always have the time 
you'd like to have and once you have a baby it gets 
worse."

Sue's father added his chuckle to his wife's.

"Yeah well don't expect that too soon.  *I'M* still 
waiting to be asked for permission."

Sue looked my way but I didn't respond.

"What's the matter honey?"

"Sam's having a baby?  Is she married?"

"You're serious!?  You don't remember?"

"You know the party where Harry Powell's brother turned 
up?"

"Jordan Powell?  Did he do this to you?  I didn't think 
he had been paroled after last time."

"Jordan?  Is that his name?  And he got sent to prison 
for bashing me?"

"Well Juvie then but that was the first time.  He's been 
back twice since.  That is why I'm surprised they've let 
him out so early."

"No, sorry.  You've misunderstood.  The night Jordan 
Powell and friends sunk the boot into me is like 
yesterday to me.  I've got a little catching up to do."

"And the hospital let you out like this?  Dad can you 
drive us back to *OUR* hospital and we'll see if there 
are any doctors who aren't quacks."

"No.  Please.  No.  It's not quite what you think.  I'm 
sorry but do you mind if I just explain to Sue.  Some of 
it might sound crazy to you but less so to her."

"Of course, if you feel you don't need a doctor."

"Thank you."

Sue pulled me into her room and pushed me onto her bed.  
"You really don't remember ravishing me here when we were 
seventeen?"

"No."

"Oh well, looks like we'll have to do it all over again 
then."

"Sue!"

"Before I do anything I'm likely to regret later even 
though I'd even more likely to enjoy it now - please, am 
I seeing anyone?  You know.  Do I have a girlfriend?"

Sue sat back and looked at me.  "Yeah.  You've got one 
but she's not good enough for you.  She's a bit of a 
bitch?"

"What?  Sam?"

"You want it to be Sam?"

"I don't *NOT* want it to be.  I'm just very surprised.  
Does that mean I'm the father of her baby.  You didn't 
say if she was married."

Sue gave me a thump on the chest then remembered my 
"delicate" state.

"Sorry.  No, you're not the father - Gavin is!  And yes 
she is married - to Gavin - and you were his best man!  
You don't have *ANY* clue?"

"Nope.  Well if I'm not going with Sam who is my 
girlfriend?"

"Who do you think it could be?  You've got the Vixen 
circle to work through and there might be some others."

I had an inkling but wanted to see Sue's reaction to a 
name.

"Julieanne Gregory?"

Again she sat back.  "You said you can't remember 
anything.  Why did you pick that name?"

"Let's see she turned up in 1972 I think.  Got friendly 
with Sam?"  Sue nodded.  "They had a fight and Julieanne 
shagged - oh, what's his name?  The line backer?"

"Nope."

"She didn't become lovers with Sam?  Oh good."

"No, she did.  She's Sam's partner."

"You said Sam was married to Gavin."

"Yes and Gavin's partner Jack is married to Julieanne and 
they all live on the ranch out in Arizona."

"They have a ranch?"

Sue sat quietly for a second.  "Albert, *YOU* own the 
ranch.  You and your parents.  The others manage it and 
share the bedrooms; boy-boy and girl-girl.  *YOU* 
suggested it!"

"Sorry, gone for now though I expect if you give me a 
week I'll be able to describe every feature there."

"Then how do you know about Julieanne and why did you say 
it was good she didn't become Sam's lover?"

I beckoned Sue over and sat back against the headboard 
with her in my arms.  "Remember, oh maybe not, it was far 
longer for you.  Anyway, we were sitting out on the 
lounge - the previous one - and you asked me a question.  
I gave you a few answers and you decided the government 
had been playing with my brain."

"I never decided.  I just disliked that answer the least.  
I should have picked you being a fifty-something year old 
man shouldn't I."

"Why do you say that?"

"Because Same told you not to die again.  You told her 
didn't you?"

"Yes but I'm not sure she was ready to believe."

"She was when you were hurt.  She was so much in love 
with you I think she would have married you like a shot.  
And then you were hurt and when you were better you had 
changed."

"Did I forget all we had done?"

"Oh no.  We still had fun and even expanded the Vixen 
Circle until it sort of imploded.  After that there were 
some Vixen mini-circles and people who still got together 
occasionally to spread the word.  You were still a tender 
lover but you didn't have the drive in you the same.

    "It was similar with the Kitsune Dojo.  When it came 
to the moves we had practised you were as good as ever 
but others you had spoken of... well you weren't as good 
when it came to teaching them.  Your father helped get an 
outside coach in for us and we all improved but I don't 
think it was the Kitsune Dojo when you weren't the Sensei 
any more.

    "We didn't learn to fight dirty any more but 
fortunately you'd grounded us well and we could adlib 
ourselves - not that we needed to do more than say boo 
after the party."

"What happened?"

"Let's see.  You'd left one guy puking between sobbing 
for his mommy and another with balls swollen like 
oranges.  They were bleeding internally and the ambulance 
driver had to cut away his underwear while he was in the 
driveway - and we weren't goin' *NOWHERE*!"

"So far so good."

"Sam was so proud of you.  She insisted she had taught 
you to do that.  That left five of them including Jordan.  
Five of them and nearly thirty angry people - mostly 
female.

    "Mary Kate took a swipe across the bridge of her nose 
and forehead from the bicycle chain - Jordan got extra 
time for that and she considers it more like a Prussian 
duelling scar and it makes her look even sexier in a 
positively evil way.  That was the most serious injury 
other than your own.

    "I broke a nail myself - but my guy couldn't open his 
eyes without the lid causing him pain.  If he hadn't 
fallen backwards I think I would have had his eyeball 
skewered on the end."

"Nasty!"

"We didn't have time to think nice.  One of us was down.  
You know, the Three Musketeers?"

"I understand.  It's how I hoped we might grow as a 
group, initially to support Sam and Gavin rather than 
destroy them."

"I don't really understand.  Sam said something once 
about being glad she got the nice Julieanne.  It made up 
for missing out on the nice Albert."

"Why was Julieanne nice?"

"I don't know why she wouldn't be considered that.  She 
became a Vixen and always seemed pleasant enough to all 
of us."

"That's good.  A relief.  When Sam first met Julieanne 
there were no Vixens.  Instead the girls around her were 
bitches."

"Me too?"

"I don't recall you as a bitch, neutral perhaps.  
Actually the girls in the Vixens were all more supportive 
by their lack of opposition if my memory is correct."

"You can recall forty two years earlier but not one 
week?"

"You sound like you believe me."

"You tell an interesting story.  Go on."

"Sam was in love.  Julieanne was until it was likely to 
become public.  Then she turned about face and denied 
everything except for Sam trying to seduce her.  Sam was 
ostracised and I was as big a bastard as any of them.

    "Gavin stood up for her to me, explained his own love 
for me and I saw him taken down in much the same way.  I 
guess that's the nasty Albert and the nasty Julieanne.  
So the question becomes, do you still want this Albert 
now you know he wasn't always as nice?"

"You've got tickets on yourself haven't you?  Nice 
Albert, pah!"

"Well I didn't think you'd be my girlfriend if you didn't 
think I was nice - I just wanted to give you a chance to 
reconsider."

"Why do you think I am your girlfriend?"

"Well you mentioned the Vixens.  While there are a good 
number of girls there who I would be quite happy to have 
as a girlfriend there was really only one who *I* 
wanted."

"Boy I am really embarrassed now.  Albert, it's 
Rosemary."

"Rosemary?  Did something happen between us - you and me?  
I really don't recall.  If I hurt you I'm sorry.  Sue, I 
wouldn't want to have."

"Stop!  I told you your girlfriend was a bitch and not 
good enough for you.  It isn't Rosemary.  We've been 
going out almost since you came home from the hospital.  
We didn't straight away because you had so many people 
wanting to nurse you that I had to queue.  Mom and Dad, 
your Mom and Dad, looked favourably on me - I think they 
listened to Sam on that score but I'm not sure why she 
would put me ahead of her and why they would take so much 
notice."

"Because I told them I could trust her more than she 
could trust me.  Sam was my friend from the first time I 
extended the hand of friendship to her.  She loved me, 
yes, and I loved her and we shared our bodies as well but 
we weren't lovers as such.  I think I continued to feel 
guilty when I found out how wonderful she was and how I'd 
hurt her in the past."

"Did we get together?"

"I'm sorry.  I have no recollection of what you did or 
who you were with.  I can only hope you will accept that 
that was the bad Albert and it appears that, regardless 
of whether it is the sixteen or the twenty or the fifty-
seven year old me, we all love you."

"Thank you sweets, but what about you?  Your original 
life?  Did you get married and who to?  A family?  The 
white picket fence in the suburbs?"

"A successful career.  A few women friends who usually 
remained serious for a couple of years then moved on.  
Never anyone permanent, certainly none like you."

"And you died at fifty seven?"

"Carelessly run over.  Careless on my part, and the 
driver's."

"And now?"

"I suppose I head back to my apartment and crash for a 
couple of days."

"That would be okay except for three things."

"Which are?"

"You are not fit to drive another two to three hours."

"Granted."

"Mom and Dad are quite used to you sleeping over here."

"Offer accepted - and the third?"

Sue pulled a key ring out of her handbag.  "It's *OUR* 
apartment Darling!"

---

It was a month before I'd picked up enough of my memories 
to feel I was well on the way to recovery.  That didn't 
mean there weren't still large holes but there were also 
advantages to my return.

Repeating the course work from thirty odd years prior 
didn't mean I could coast but some of it was second 
nature and some was influenced by matters learned long 
after so that my essays were considered particularly 
insightful and one professor even suggested I might be 
the new "enfant terrible" of the subject.  Fat chance!

I did well enough that the period of study review before 
I had to sit a couple of exams wasn't quite as stressful 
as it might have been if I had had to worry about 
material I *SHOULD* have covered much more recently than 
I could recall.

I was satisfied when we finally broke up for the summer 
and Sue and I could fly up to see my parents.  Finding 
Sue actually lived with me (or we lived together or I 
lived with her - all semantics!) was wonderful.  I 
listened as she reamed me out for not noticing her 
clothes in the wardrobe, her photos in the study and both 
her phone number and my parents - both in Vermont and the 
ranch - in the index *NEXT* to the phone and then pointed 
out that I hadn't actually called in before driving to 
see my parents.

*THEN* I had to listen to my love tell me off for being 
so hasty - a taunt that I couldn't very well disagree 
with.  My only response was that, since she lived at home 
with her parents during the week because of where she was 
studying, and it was neither a weekend or a holiday when 
I was injured, I actually got in touch with her sooner 
than I would have if I *HAD* gone to our apartment.

I'd heard that Sam regularly spoke with me but Sue called 
first and had a cryptic conversation that she wouldn't 
discuss with me "until you are better".  My assurances 
that I was went unheard and I wasn't permitted to speak 
to Sam or any other of my high school friends.  Sue 
promised if I was patient she would ensure it was worth 
my while.

My intervening memories of Sue may not have come back any 
quicker than the others but they certainly registered 
with me much more vividly, probably because she was there 
to act as a catalyst.  She refused to hunt down any of 
the yearbooks or to discuss our former companions other 
than to say they were all healthy and happy as far as she 
was aware.  She wouldn't even indicate which of them she 
had kept in touch with.

Things I remembered about Sue;

 - Sue didn't find out about my wealth until quite a
   while after she became my official girlfriend.  (Sam
   actually knew more about my finances and she gave me
   up - not a gold digger among them!)

 - Sue didn't stop the Vixen's from attending to my needs
   just because she was my official girlfriend.  Of
   course, she expected - and got - a similar right
   herself.

 - Sue really loved me.

 - She was prepared to stand up for the things she felt
   were right, even when I was her oppressor - and she
   still really, really loved me even then.

 - Sue had been willing to debate the rights and wrongs
   of prejudice against lesbians even though the two
   girls involved had not been part of the Vixen Circle
   nor had ever been likely to be asked to join.  Just
   because they were an oppressed minority didn't
   automatically mean we *HAD* to be friends while we
   still supported their rights to their own love, lives
   and happiness.

 - Sue had been right about our first time on her bed.
   We had actually beaten my first attempt in an earlier
   life by a couple of months so she could quite
   legitimately claim to have ended my virgin status
   under a number of arguments.

 - She liked my parents and they liked her.  Very handy
   when we were heading up to explain that their son, who
   periodically was possessed, was going to be talking
   crazy again.  I'd spoken to them but had resisted
   passing on that myself until we were face to face.

---

I don't know when my parents decided they liked mountain 
cabins - neither had shown much interest in scenic 
hideaways before I was attacked or in my previous life.

It proved a peaceful place to go and two weeks there 
produced improvements that made me feel ready to face the 
world despite considerable missing earlier memories.

Mom and Dad knew I'd been injured but the fact I wasn't 
in a wheelchair was accepted as a good sign.  Dad was 
thankful when I gave him some fresh investment tips but 
then realised I'd brought them from the future rather 
than from any of my contacts.  *I* hadn't realised my 
local "I" had contacts until he mentioned them, and then 
that part of my life came flooding back.

Mom and Dad were obviously doing well; well enough to 
live off their share of the investments they had made for 
all of us.  The idea of them retiring at forty sounded 
attractive and finding that I might be able to do so even 
earlier was amazing - if I only knew what I might then do 
with my life.

My greatest delight was finding that Mom had not 
forgotten to have regular health checks that meant the 
cancer she had experienced was treated early enough that 
she didn't need the mastectomy that had proven to be too 
little, too late anyway.

I spent my days spent getting to know my parents all over 
again while relaxing with Sue, and my nights doing 
everything *BUT* relax with Sue.  Life had been good at 
fifteen; it was infinitely better at twenty.

We also discussed the way I moved from event to event.  
Trauma of some sort seemed involved at one end or other 
of each journey; injury or illness.  I had to promise Sue 
that if I was going to stay around I would never get sick 
or hurt again.  I certainly wanted to keep that promise.

The time in Vermont brought me closer to Sue and to my 
parents.  I could see how happy there were and knew I was 
happy with Sue.  I began planning ahead for after our 
graduation - Sue had talked about spending six months 
travelling and I wondered if we could make that a 
honeymoon as well.

I had a problem with that though because, while *I* liked 
the idea, I wasn't sure I could commit *ME* when to it if 
he was only lukewarm on marriage.  It wouldn't be fair on 
Sue to get her hopes up, have something happen to me, and 
be left standing at the altar or deserted a couple of 
years later.

Surely I wasn't like that though.  I approached my 
father.

"Have I said anything about marriage Dad?  To Sue 
specifically."

"Marriage to Sue, or discussions you've had with Sue?"

"Either really.  I'm adrift here until my memories come 
back."

"Why not wait until then?"

"Because I feel she is so right for me.  She said 
something that made me think I was stalling though.  I 
can't understand that."

"Sorry.  You've always said how she makes you happy and 
you've wondered what it will be like to be married for as 
long as us but not in the same sentence."

In the end, waiting until I knew my own mind seemed the 
best advice.

We said our goodbyes and flew to Arizona, a dogleg flight 
if ever there was.  Due to our late bookings we couldn't 
get anything more direct and by the time we'd driven to 
the ranch I was exhausted.

I was surprised that we had a car sitting in the Long 
Term Parking until Sue pointed out my parents had left it 
there when they had gone north and we'd already used it 
once since then.  It looked like I still had more to 
remember after all.

Getting a full-on welcome from Samantha - bulging - and 
Gavin was wonderful.  Julieanne and Jack were more sedate 
but still genuinely welcoming and I noticed Sue was 
treated exactly the same.  She apologised that we were 
dead tired after our trip and suggesting we catch up at 
breakfast rather than pulling an all-nighter.  That 
suited me despite my happiness to see my friends looking 
so good - and contented.

Sue and Sam excused themselves for a second and when Sam 
came back I could see Sue had told her.

"Hi again," I ventured.

Sam threw her arms around my neck and burst out crying, 
then thumped my chest.

"Ow.  Did Sue teach you to do that?"

"No, but she taught me this!"

I got a very sweet kiss with a baby bump in between.  
Pregnant women can get emotional - hey, we all do at 
times - and Sam was happy rather than angry with me.

"I thought you'd gone for good."

"Was I that different?"

"You weren't *MY* Albert.  I could tell.  I missed what 
we had between us even though you were still special and 
still made me feel I was special to you."

"Sorry if I left you in the lurch."

"Hey, you told me what to expect, gave me the guts to 
face up to how things were and gave me the friends to 
organise things so I didn't have those problems.  You 
were still there for me, and for Gavin.  There was no 
lurch for either of us."

"Er?"

We looked around at three very confused people and one 
who no longer had any trouble believing.  Sam's 
confidence in my story was more contagious than even my 
parents'.

"In the morning," Sam commanded.  "Let them rest first."  
She turned back to me.  "I love you Bertie.  Welcome 
back."

"Love you always Sam."

---

Sue snuggled into me.  "Tomorrow morning is going to be 
interesting.  How much are you going to reveal?"

"I don't know.  I have to tell them something I suppose 
but I think not the specifics of the bad times I helped 
cause.  Sam and Julieanne don't need that.  Sam can't 
even be sure that Julieanne was her lover in a previous 
life and really it wasn't this Julieanne anyway."

"She knows.  She's the one who spoke of getting the 'nice 
ones' remember?"

I pulled Sue over on top of me.  "How tired *ARE* you?"

We didn't get to sleep right away but when we did we 
slept straight through.

*********************************************************
