Love in the Cross Hairs Ch. 04

Laurie leaped backward, but the damage was complete. She had sperm on her face, in her hair, on the collar of her blouse, down her throat, and all over her pretty wool sweater. She tried to wipe it off, but instantly realized the folly of that decision. She only managed to spread the sticky gooey mess all over into new terrain.

Peter watched half ashamed but also a little bit gleeful. He'd given Laurie a facial, and in spite of the damage, he thought she looked pretty good. She was, at that precise moment, every man's most perverted wet dream, a beautiful girl wearing expensive clothes covered in her man's semen.

Peter tried to lean forward to help, "Laurie I'm so sorry."

Laurie leaned back and stood up off the bed, "Oh, this stuff is awful. It stinks. It smells like Comet Cleanser! Peter! How could you?"

"I'm sorry honey. It's been a long time and..." The rest of his appeal was interrupted by a tap on the bedroom door.

The door squeaked open. It was Laurie's mother, "Laurie I...Oh!" The door was slammed shut as fast as it had been opened.

Laurie looked at the door. She looked back at Peter. She looked down at her soiled sweater and blouse, "Peter!"

He looked at her aghast.

She burst out laughing, "Peter what are we ever going to do?"

He started laughing too, "Well you're the Catholic. I guess we'll have to go to church and light some candles."

She stopped laughing, "That wasn't funny." She got up and walked toward the bathroom.

He followed, "Laurie I didn't..."

She turned around. Wiped some of his stuff off her face and rubbed it on his cheeks, "You animal!"

"I love you Laurie."

"And I love you."

Together they went into the bathroom, and went to work on the clean up. They got completely undressed, wiped away as much of the hardening stuff as they could. Then they used a warm damp soapy washcloth to get as much of the rest off as possible.

Standing in the bathroom completely naked they decided to take a shower together. The water was hot. They soaped each other up and washed each other down; in the process they discovered a completely new way to enjoy the hot running water. Laurie was much shorter than Peter, and once again he was very much aroused. She had to stand on tip toes as their bodies pressed together. It was a completely new experience for both; with the hot spray washing over them, him deep inside, his hands holding her close, her arms wrapped tightly around his back and shoulders, they were closer and more deeply in love than they'd ever felt before.

++++++++++++

They showered and afterward got dressed again. There was sperm all over her pretty sweater. Peter took a wash cloth and worked diligently to clean as much of it off as he could. He held her arms in front of her waist and together they looked in the mirror. Neither could see any sign of their earlier foible.

Peter turned her around. He brushed her hair away from her lovely face, "I guess we better go down."

Laurie leaned up and kissed him, "You first."

Together they jounced out of the bedroom and down to the steps. Laurie's mom and dad were sitting in the living room watching the weather report.

Laurie's mom, avoiding eye contact, haphazardly commented, "It's going to be another cold one."

Carroll looked up at Laurie and Peter, "Laurie, what's that on your sweater?'

Autumn blushed and turned away.

Laurie pretended to look down as if concerned. She looked back, "Oh darn, toothpaste."

Carroll smiled, "Well maybe you better wipe it off. You're already pregnant."

It was Laurie's turn to blush.

Peter changed the subject, "How long have the two of you been down here?"

Carroll replied, "I...we came down right after you called. I wished you would have called earlier. The doctor you got is a good old guy, but I would rather have had a specialist."

Laurie started to say something in defense of the old man but Peter cut her off. He said, "I like him. He's a good man, but if I'd known there was someone better I'd have gotten them. Maybe I should have called you right away?"

Laurie's mom contributed, "I don't trust that old buzzard. All he knows how to do is prescribe aspirin."

Laurie got a word in, "I like him."

Carroll smiled at her warmly if not somewhat condescendingly, "He's a good man, just not for you."

Laurie ignored the remark.

Peter looked at his watch and offered, "Why don't we go out, get a bite to eat?"

Carroll answered, "Good idea. We can hit the deli over on the eastern bay side." He smiled at Laurie, "what's it called? You know the place we used to take you when you were a little girl."

"You mean Bucks," was Laurie's not very enthusiastic answer.

"Yes," said Carroll, "Bucks; you'll like it Peter. They make a great Reuben."

Laurie thought about Buck's deli. It had been a place her parents liked to take her when she was much younger, a preteen in fact. Her older brother always seemed to find a way to get out of it, and she'd end up sitting between her parents in a booth. To say it wasn't her favorite place would have been an understatement. She added, "There's another place..."

Peter cut her off, "I've been to Buck's I like it; they a great dark ale."

Carroll ended it, "OK, Buck's it is. Autumn get our coats." He looked at Peter, "You help Laurie into hers."

Peter already had her coat out for her, "Here you go doll baby."

She inwardly cringed. Cringed! When did she start to become doll baby?

The two couples stepped outside. Since Peter's truck wouldn't have been appropriate they went for Carroll's Mercedes. As they approached the shiny silver vehicle Carroll suggested, "Peter why don't you sit up front with me. We can talk."

Peter smiled as he opened a rear door for Laurie's mom, "Sounds great." With her elbow crooked in his hand he walked Laurie around to the other side of the car, opened the other rear door, and helped her in. As she got in he cupped her head in his hand to make sure she didn't bump it. He cajoled, "We've got to be careful with mu baby girl." Laurie slid in, 'baby girl!' She cringed. Then he got in the passenger's front seat opposite Carroll.

The drive to the deli wasn't far. Up front Peter and Carroll started to talk about the housing and construction market back in the city. Carroll made several suggestions about how Peter could get back in. Carroll knew several people who'd help him get at some pretty lucrative jobs. Peter was all ears. It sounded like opportunity was at the door.

Laurie and her mom sat in the back seat. Autumn had a lot on her mind, "I suppose you're going to marry the boy up there?" pointing to Peter in the front seat.

Laurie answered, "I suppose so."

"You suppose."

"Oh mother, you know I am."

"Well you don't sound too sure?"

"I'm sure."

"Have you decided on a gown?"

"No."

"Good you can wear mine."

Laurie looked up at her mother and then out the window past her, "I haven't decided..."

The men must have been listening in. Carroll interjected, "Peter you should have seen Autumn on our wedding day. She was beautiful. We got married in the Basilica. Enormous wedding, terrific reception; we had it all."

Peter looked at Carroll, then back at Laurie. Laurie seemed to be preoccupied. He guessed she was fantasizing about a big wedding of her own, "I'd like a big wedding. My sister had nothing, and my mom had even less. They'd love it, and I'd like it too."

Laurie listened in disbelief. The last thing she wanted was a big wedding. Heck she'd be showing. Plus she didn't like most of the people who'd be invited. A small ceremony, a short honeymoon, and a new beginning, that's what she wanted for her and Peter. She spoke up, "I don't know..."

Her mom cut her off, "We'll get Margie's Gown Shop to fit the dress. You'll look terrific."

Laurie started to say something, but her dad ignored her, "Better get a guest list started. I want everybody, and I mean everybody to be there."

Peter was flushed with excitement, "This is great."

Laurie spoke up, "Peter we need..."

He smiled back at her, "Look we're at the eatery." He jumped out and opened Laurie's mom's door then ran around and got Laurie's.

++++++++++++

The four of them walked into the restaurant. It was a little late for lunch, but the manager owner recognized the older couple, and he thought he recognized the girl, "Gee it's good to see you people. "I'm so glad you came."

Carroll gave the man an avuncular nod, "We love it here."

The owner led them to a booth, "How's this?"

Autumn looked at Laurie, "You remember our special booth don't you?"

"Yeah mom, I remember."

Autumn slid in first, then Laurie. Peter and Carroll took the outer seats.

Peter looked around, "This is nice."

A waitress came over. "Can I get you something to drink?"

Carroll looked at Peter, "An ale?"

Peter smiled, "Great."

Carroll looked at the waitress, "We'll have two ales, a whiskey sour for my wife, and make it a ginger ale for our little girl."

Laurie blushed, "Dad!"

Carroll grinned, "No alcohol for you dear. You know."

Peter gave her an indulgent smile, "That's right baby doll. We have to think of the little one you know."

Laurie looked down at her water glass and napkin, "That' not it. I just thought I might order my own drink."

Peter reached over and held her hand, "Ginger ale's good."

Laurie looked away. She didn't say anything.

Lunch went along smoothly. Carroll got a Reuben. Autumn got a shrimp salad. Peter got a crab cake, and ordered the same for her. The food really was quite good, but Peter wouldn't let her eat her own potato chips, something about grease and the baby. They all had a small dessert. Carroll and Autumn both got apple pie ala mode. Peter got cherry pie, and ordered Laurie a single scoop of sherbet. She liked the sherbet, but would have preferred a piece of pie.

++++++++++++

After lunch they all went back to the condominium. Everyone insisted Laurie take a nap. She willingly agreed. It had been a busy and tiring morning and afternoon, and she felt head-achy. Besides she wanted some idle time to reflect on what seemed to be going on.

Her parents had surfaced apparently as a result of some contact with Peter. That made sense, but she needed to sort some of the other things out. It sounded like Peter and her dad had done more than just talk about her health. In fact it sounded like her father was putting the move on Peter. She'd seen him in action in the past. Her dad was a wonderful man, but he was something of a control freak. It wouldn't surprise her one bit if he wasn't maneuvering Peter into some sort of arrangement, probably professional, but personal too maybe.

Laurie knew her dad. He was clever. He could angle Peter right into a box, and if he disapproved of Peter, he might even try to manipulate him right out of her life. Yeah, her old dad was a sly one; given the time and the right incentives he could do almost anything. She'd have to keep her eyes and ears wide open, stay alert; she didn't want to see Peter shifted away, not without a fight.

While Laurie was quietly asleep upstairs Carroll, Peter, and Autumn sat downstairs in the kitchen and discussed the future.

Carroll looked at Peter from across the kitchen table, "I like you Pete. You've got spunk."

"Thank you Mr. Stanton. I like you too."

"Call me Carroll. You don't mind if I call you Pete do you. Peter sounds a little childish. Don't you agree?"

"A lot of the men call me Pete. Pete, Peter, I don't mind, as long as I don't get called too late for supper." He laughed slightly.

Carroll grinned at the young man. He thought, nice fellow, probably a hard worker, maybe a little superficial, certainly a little on the flighty side, absolutely manageable, "Tell me Pete, what would you think if I helped you get your company moving a little faster."

Pete sobered, "It's not just my company. I have a partner, and we've been doing better now since the recession started to fade. What did you have in mind?"

Carroll gave Peter his best concerned look, "You've known Laurie only a short time. She's a girl who needs security; not just a happy home, but security in other ways as well. You don't know her like we do. What's the word you young people use? Issues; yes, Laurie has issues."

Peter was surprised, and the look of alarm must have been obvious, "Issues; what do you mean?"

Carroll started, "Well, we've had her under a doctor's care from time to time, nothing too serious, just little things."

Autumn spoke up, "We don't want to scare you. Laurie's been institutionalized once. You might have noticed she can get erratic when she gets upset."

Peter listened with alarm, "Institutionalized? When? Where? What for?"

Carroll sagely looked over at his wife.

Autumn began to digress, "Laurie had always been a high strung easily manipulated child. When she went off to school in up state New York we had no idea the problems the school we selected had been having. There were so many problems."

Peter, eyes wide, eyebrows uplifted, asked, "Problems?"

Autumn went on, "Yes, we sent her to an all girls' facility. We wanted to protect her from the harsher aspects of life for as long as possible, but it seemed this particular girls' school was paired off with a nearby all boys' prep school. We found out much later this particular boys' school had a terrible reputation for all kinds of unseemly things. You can imagine; drugs, wanton sex parties, lurid picnics, all kinds of things. Well our innocent little Laurie got all mixed up with some of those boys. The next thing she was taking drugs, missing classes, and riding around in fast cars. Thank God we found out before something really dreadful happened. As it was..."

Carroll interrupted, "I'm afraid you're getting into too much detail so let me finish." He gently put his hand on his wife's wrist as if to calm her down, "Laurie got too involved with this one group of boys. It was one of those groups...maybe you've heard...they target girls for sex. It's like a game to them. Well Laurie was on this most wanted list. They got a hold of her. There was this one boy. Well... Drugs and alcohol were involved. Laurie had a nervous breakdown. We arranged to send her to a school in Switzerland where she could recover. It's been kind of touch and go ever since."

Peter listened, but wasn't too sure he believed it all. He knew there wasn't anything wrong with Laurie. Then he looked more closely at the two people in front of him. That wasn't true. There was a lot wrong with Laurie, and he knew what it was, her mother, father, brother, and probably the sister-in-law.

Autumn picked it up, "She's been in a frail emotional state ever since."

Peter sat back, "I see." He looked at his watch, "Look I want to get back to my condominium. I have some cleaning to do. Tell Laurie I'll be by later." He got up, found his coat, and sidled toward the door. As he went to close the door he turned, "Tell Laurie I'll be by later this afternoon." Then he left.

Carroll and Autumn stood at the window and watched Peter pull away. They gave each other two mutually knowing looks. They figured that was probably the end of Peter. They'd get their Laurie back. It was time now to find a way to either get rid of the fetus or find Laurie someone more suitable.

Carroll winked, "That's probably just about it for our young Mr. Peter."

Autumn smiled, "I hope so. He's just not the right fit.

Carroll put his arm around his wife, "I know. I know."

++++++++++++

Peter got in his truck and started to laugh. He'd never heard such a stupid heap of shit in his life. What did they think he was born last week? He'd met some crazy people, but this group took the cake. No wonder Laurie had moved out. He drove down the road. He'd tidy things up. Go back later, and pick her up. He knew what he needed to do.

From the writer:

Of course this is not the end, but I'll tell you what it is, or was. This was roughly where I left off before Christmas. Regrettably I started to experience writer's block. You see I really like Peter and Laurie. I just can't seem to let them go. They are such a happy loving couple; ideally suited to be together. However, there will be many more twists and turns. I hope you'll stay with us. See you in two weeks!

You can vote if you want. Better still! Tell me what you think might happen.