Honor Thy Mother & Thy Father Ch. 19

"Yes, dad, I think I could relax more being in your arms."

They changed positions, and Sandy sat down on her dad's lap and pressed her head onto his shoulder. He held her tightly, letting her know that nothing and no one would ever hurt her, as long as he was around. She was not in this position very long before Fred heard the soft breathing sound of Sandy sleeping.

Sharon opened the door to see if they needed anything, and found Fred, holding Sandy in his arms. She walked over to him, and kissed the top of his head. She was preparing to leave when Sandy sat upright. "Dad, it's the computer nerds. They are fucking the computer nerds, and getting the tests from them."

"Okay Sandy, calm down, and tell me what you remember and how you are sure that is how they are doing it."

"Dad, all the guys that come to the house are handsome, rich, a member of one of the sports teams or politically connected. If a professor is going to spring a test on us several guys the girls would never be seen with outside the sorority house, get treated like kings. They are there for hours. The girls bring them food, liquor, drugs, but most of all, they get laid until they can get it up anymore. When they leave, they can barely walk. Shortly afterwards, someone posts the tests that are going to be given, regardless of grade level, on the bulletin board, on the second floor."

"Thank you Sandy, go to your room and get some sleep. I am going to ask Cindy the same question and see if I get the same answer. If I do, I can start a criminal action against the sorority, and the people in the computer division."

Cindy was a harder nut to crack, but then again, she always was. Finally, her mind clicked and she came up with the same information Sandy did. It was late in the day, but he called the Maryland State Attorney's office, to give him a heads up on what was happening.

"This is Mister Gangsler's office; how may I direct your call?"

"May I speak to Mister Gansler please? This is Fred Hastings from the U.S. Attorney General's office."

"This is Doug Gansler, Mister Hastings; how can I help you?"

"I am calling to give you a heads up in reference to a criminal action we will be looking into at the University of Maryland/College Park. Two of my daughters started there this fall and noticed a discrepancy immediately. They brought it to my attention today. It seems the girls in the sorority, Delta Sigma, are receiving tests prior to them being entered into the computer for the rest of the student population. They are doing this by having sex, using drugs and other means with the computer people assigned to put these exams into the computers. My daughters also inform me that the standard rules of sorority life are not followed in this house. Men are given free rein to all floors. They had to lock their doors and bar it with chairs to make sure they were not accosted. We will start this investigation tomorrow morning. I just wanted to let you know in advance."

"My daughter is in that sorority. I can't believe she is involved in anything like that."

"For your sake Mister Gansler, I hope not. All the girls in that sorority have grades will above the school average. Since they are partying all the time, and not studying at all, either they are all geniuses, or they are all cheating on their exams. I would get on the phone with your daughter immediately, and get the truth out of her, before the press gets wind of this."

"Thank you Mister Hastings, I am calling her now."

Sharon asked him, "What are you going to do now?"

Fred smiled and said, "I am going to give your uncle a news conference."

The following afternoon, in front of the Robert F. Kennedy Justice Department building, Clark Atwater announced a wide-ranging probe into the activities of all fraternities and sororities nationwide. Colleges and universities were to make sure nothing like the shameful practices that had occurred at the University of Maryland was happening on their campuses, or they would be denied government funding. He praised the two young women that saw girls in the sorority breaking societal norms, and refused to be a part of it. "These are the type of young people we must nurture, and get into politics. They will make our system of government work properly, without the rancor we see between our political parties today. They are my grandnieces, but I can take no credit for raising them. They were raised by my niece, Sharon Williams, who guarded them from an abusive husband all her married life. She told no one about it, for fear of her own life. If these two wonderful young women can develop out of a home life as terrible as that, there is hope for all women who find themselves in similar situations. I would rather see them seek help, and get it, rather than do what Sharon did, but there is hope."

There was an explosion of questions that followed the news conference, which lasted an extra 25 minutes. Many news channels, including CNN, Fox, and CNBC wanted the girls for their live television shows.

As Fred stood by Sharon's side, she adamantly said, "No. My daughters are going to be under enough pressure at school for speaking out against fellow students. Speaking to the press will only add fuel to the fire. We want you to respect our privacy, especially when they are on campus, trying to get the best education possible, and leave them alone."

When the press is told to leave someone alone, the opposite always happens. Fred had arranged for them to be transferred to the dormitory, and somehow there dormitory assignment had been leaked to the press. As soon as they exited, video cameras and microphones were shoved in their faces, and questions were being asked.

Cindy and Sandy had been briefed on this possibility. They kept their heads up, smiled, kept silent, and kept walking towards their class. Their fellow students watched on ambivalently.

The girls could not even go to the cafeteria to have a meal without the press hounding them. When they called home and asked for help Fred said, "Kids, try to hang on until Wednesday. News cycles rarely last more than one week. If you can get through that day, I think this will be over. If it isn't, I will pull you out of school."

Monday morning found another mob scene of reporters in front of their dorm. Cindy and Sandy took a deep breath, and walked the gauntlet again, all the way to their classes.

Tuesday morning Sandy said, "Last day Sis, tomorrow we will not have to put up with this shit anymore."

"I know I don't have to tell you this, because I could feel you inside my head. I can't take any more. One of those reporters is going to shove a microphone in my face, I am going to take it and shove it down her throat."

Sandy laughed. "If it is the tall, fake blonde one, I will grab her hair, and hold her mouth open, just to make it easy for you."

"You got it; she's the one. Her voice is so annoying. I don't know how she got on television."

"Come on Cindy, no one listens to her; they just look at her tits. We are running late, baby sister, our press is waiting."

They exited the dorm to the usual crowd of reporters, and cameramen and proceeded towards their first class. The reporters were running ahead and alongside them, when they saw a phalanx of students lined up across the pathway the girls had to take to the biology lab. As the people from the press got closer, they had to veer left and right to avoid the students. As Sandy and Cindy prepared to do the same thing, the phalanx of students opened, clearing a path along the walkway. As soon as they passed the first rank, it closed, prohibiting any members of the press to follow the two girls.

The reporters that went left and right found that the phalanx kept getting wider. They realized they were not going to be able to get near the two girls any longer. The student body had made a decision. Cheating was not going to be allowed on this campus. Students who had the courage to bring these matters to the attention of the school administration were not going to be vilified. They were going to be praised for keeping in mind the University of Maryland's commitment to excellence, both morally and academically.

As the girls made their way to the dorm that afternoon, the marching band formed up behind them, and played the school's fight song. Cheerleaders, members of every sports team, and Greek House surrounded the two girls, and escorted them to the quadrangle. They twins were unsure about what was happening. The quad was filled with students, and they cheered and applauded as they walked in at the head of the marching band.

Then they saw their parents, sisters, Uncle Clark, Aunt Julia, and members of the school administration, on a small raised platform, awaiting their arrival. As they ascended the platform, the cheers and applause became deafening.

Oh yes, the press was there to cover this event.

Sharon and Fred hugged their daughters. Their mother said, "This is for you; an outpouring of love and admiration from your classmates, and faculty for your strength and honesty."

Both girls kissed and hugged their mother. When they turned to Fred, Cindy said, "You gave us the strength to do the right thing. Thank you, dad."

As they hugged him, Fred cried, as he remembered the circumstances that brought them together.

The press had a field day with those pictures.

The girls were strategically seated, between their mother and their Uncle Clark.

The ceremony was blessedly brief. However, president of the University did blast the press for its behavior, during the past week, concerning the two freshman students. He announced that every member of Delta Sigma has been questioned by the authorities at the university, and the state attorney's office. They have been suspended from school. They are facing criminal charges for theft of school intellectual property and other charges. Members of the computer staff are under arrest, also, for leaking information to this sorority and possibly others, which are now under investigation.

This cancer could have gone on at this university forever, if not for the bravery of two young women; two freshmen, who have only been with us for seven weeks. They had the courage to tell their parents that something was rotten at our university. They wanted to move out of the sorority house, because they did not want to be a part of anything illegal. Their father works for the Attorney General of the United States, and could not leave it that way. That's why we are here today to thank these two young freshmen, her father, mother, and the Attorney General of the United States for moving so swiftly to cut out this disease from our university. This school will continue to look for any signs of abuse of our rules, but for today, students, members of the faculty, ladies and gentlemen, I give you Sandy and Cindy Williams."

There was a loud roar from the student body, and the band played the school fight song, again. Everyone on the dais stood up and applauded the twins, who were eventually dragged to their feet and pulled forward to the front of the stage to accept the adulation of the crowd.

Silently Cindy asked Sandy, "Does this mean the press is going to be after us again?"

"Baby girl, if they are, I'll race you to the school bus, and drive you home."

"You are only nine minutes older than I am. Don't call me baby girl."

"I am older and smarter than you are; I will call you what I want."

"Wrong, I am smarter than you are; Fred said so."

"We have an economics test next week. That will let Fred, know, I am smarter than you are."

"I will bet you 10. I match or outdo your score."

"10, what?"

"You know what."

"You want to spank me?"

"I have wanted to spank you, since you came out of mom's womb first."

"Okay, but no cheating. You have to stay out of my head, while we are taking the exam."

"Agreed; but I want to spank you, in front of everyone."

"You bitch. Okay, but I get to do it the same way."

"You said I was a bitch."

"You are going to regret getting me angry, and betting me on an economics test."

"We will see, won't we?"

******

The girls canceled a trip home that weekend telling their parents. They had a big test the following Thursday. Fred looked at Sharon and said, "Our little ones are up to something. They could just as easily studied at home, and have their meals here, rather than eat in the cafeteria. Do you sense anything?"

Sharon replied, "It's definitely not a boy, because it would not happen to both of them at the same time. If it did, they would have been giddy on the phone with us. I think we should take a drive to the college Sunday, say hello to our little darlings, and find out which way the wind is blowing."

"I agree. We will leave Danni, and Debbie, and hope there is a house here when we come back."

They arrived at the dorm at 10:30 AM, expecting to find the girls still sleeping. When no one answered the door, they asked a passing student if they knew where their daughters were.

The girl said, "Oh yeah, they have been studying like animals for this economics test Thursday. Sandy is probably with her study group in the library, and Cindy is probably in the math lab."

Sharon asked, "Why aren't they studying together, like they always do."

"We wondered also, because they are inseparable. Finally, we found out that they made a bet, but they would not tell us what the bet was. All they did was giggle."

"Thank you very much; we are going to try to find them."

Fred looked at Sharon and asked, "Which one do you want?"

"I'll take the library. I know where that is."

"Great, now I have to find out where the math lab is."

Sharon smiled and said, "That is why you make all that money dear."

He grabbed her around her waist, "I think I'm going to take you waltzing tonight."

"Like hell you are. I remember the last time I went waltzing with you, and it was not exactly what I had thought it would be."

"I enjoyed that night very much. Afterwards, you got to meet your uncle. It all turned out well in your 'End'."

"It is my end, and you are not getting into it, while we are waltzing."

"Okay Sharon, but it is much more difficult to get to the tango."

"In all seriousness, go fuck yourself, Fred."

"Baby, that's what I have you for."

"Get away from me and go find Cindy."

"Okay, my dear, I will be thinking about the music we can dance to, for the rest of the day."

"Fred, what is it about you and asses?"

"I was celibate for more than five years before I met your girls, and you. The women and girls in my apartment would take the elevator down to the pool wearing bikinis, if that's what you call those two pieces of cloth that are supposed to cover the bottom part of a woman. I didn't dare look at the top, because I would have been sporting an erection for the rest of the day. So I became an ass man. You show me one, and I can tell you everything about it, within a millimeter."

"I knew there had to be a good reason. Now let's go find my daughters, and find out what is happening between the two of them."

It did not take Sharon long to get to the library, and ask if there were any study groups going on that morning. There were only three and they were all cloistered on the third floor. Sharon took the escalator up, and immediately found the three groups. She took the position opposite Sandy, and looked at her.

Sandy had a feeling she was being watched. She raised her head, turned around, looked left and right, and saw nothing. She was about to start studying again, but the feeling did not go away. She lifted her head, stared straight into her mother's eyes, and her mother was not happy. She got up from her seat, walked over to her mother, kissed her, and said, "Hi mom, what are you doing here?"

"Young woman, do you have something you wish to tell me."

"No, everything is fine. Why do you ask?"

"Do you want me to smack you here, in front of your friends, or should I take you home to do it? You just lied to me, missy."

"Honest mom, everything is fine. Cindy and I are fine. My grades are fine. I didn't wreck the van. Why do you think something is wrong?"

"Who is missing from that table?"

"Oh, is that what this is about. How did you find out?"

"You skipped home-cooked meals in favor of cafeteria meals, because of a 40 minute drive. It didn't take Sherlock Holmes, or Doctor Watson to figure out something was going on."

"Mom, this is personal, between Cindy and me. We have a bet on this week's Economics test. Please don't ask me what the bet is."

"Okay, I will leave that private between you and your sister. However, I have to know about this bet. Just answer yes or no.

Question: Is it safe? Answer: Yes

Question: Is there any possibility of damaging your sister's face? Answer: No

Question: Are you going to hurt your sister? Answer: I certainly hope so.

Question: Is that a yes or no? Answer: I don't know. I am going to try to, yes, but I do not know if I will succeed.

Question: Are you looking forward to this? Answer: Yes

Question: Are you with just thinking about it? Answer: Yes

Question: If you lose does your sister have the same rights over you? Answer: Yes

Question: Will this affect your GPA? Answer: Yes

"This ends my question. You and your sister have overstepped your bounds, and have treaded on an area of parental rights. When this bet is over, and the punishment is meeted out, your father and I will discuss what is to happen to you and your sister."

"Mom, how has our bet infringed on your territory?"

"You will know when the results of your exams come back."

*****

It seemed to Fred that he had walked around in circles forever taking directions from one student, and then another on how to get to the math lab. Finally, he lucked out and a maintenance engineer walked him 30 feet to the side entrance of a building, opened the door, and said, "Welcome to the math lab."

Fred wanted to kiss him, but the room was full of students looking at the intruder. Cindy was one of them, and she stood up and waved at her dad.

He walked silently over to her, gave her a hug and kiss, and asked if they could talk.

Cindy folded up her books put her backpack on, and led her dad out into a garden area. They sat down under a shade tree and Cindy asked, "What's up, dad?"

"Your mom and I want to know the same thing. You canceled our weekend together, so you could study for an exam. Then we found out you and your sister were not studying together. We knew something was amiss, and came to find out what it is, before it got out of hand."

"Dad, everything is fine. Sandy and I are fine. We could not be better."

"Why are you studying together for this big exam Thursday?"

"Can I take the Fifth Amendment just this one time? I promise you, it is nothing terrible. No one is going to be harmed permanently. It is going to be funny, and the entire family is going to be involved. Whether I win, or if Sandy wins, the results are going to be the same. It was my idea, and I got her to bite at the forbidden apple. She said she was smarter than I was. I reminded her. You said I was smarter and she was. We have both been studying like crazy for this exam. What she did realize was when we made the bet was she gave me two options to her one."

"You sneaky devil you; taking advantage of your sister."

"Dad, how can I take advantage of someone who is smarter than I am?"

"Good point Cindy, if you win the bet, make sure you point that out to your smarter sister."

"Thanks dad, the test is Thursday, the results should be posted by the following Tuesday. We will both be home for the weekend, and explain the winner's prerogative."

"It sounds like a lot of fun to me Cindy, would you like to join your mother and me for lunch?"