Aspiring Novelist Pt. 03

Billie grinned aware he'd just fended off a very personal question. "Do you want me to stop in the middle of the road and test you sexually?"

"Billie for goodness sake. Just drive. Yes I enjoy sex usually and if I'm with the right person, and that's rare, I love wallowing in it."

"Thank you. I would have appreciated a straight answer at the outset."

"God Billie, I've not seen this tougher side of you. Little wonder you excel with your protagonists."

"If that is indeed a genuine compliment then I thank you."

"Sam let me talk to you seriously. I know you've had to work hard to get where you are today even when Under a Tree Publishing was a family businesses but I suspect your father would have thought it was his duty to drive you along to avoid sneers that you were protected as daddy's boy. And it can't have been fun chalking up two failed marriages. So while I have you down here I require you to act like the inhabitants who largely are laid back and don't load themselves with other people's problems, although they will willingly help out, and they generally don't think about things that could be put off to worry about some other day perhaps soon. They focus on food and drink, companionship, the weather and tides and what's on TV or jumping into the vehicle and boat to go somewhere because that's a perfect use of a boat or a vehicle."

"I see. Well that's an accurate assessment of my life, so well done. I'm here to relax and ever since we talked about me coming down here I've thought two or three times a day about fishing and several times when on the airplanes. I believe I'm set in vacation mood."

"Good."

"Let's pull off up ahead for a drink with a burger."

"I'd love a beer."

"That's my boy."

Billie hadn't told anyone she would be having a houseguest. She thought she'd drive in as quietly as she could and steer Sam inside and have him to herself for the remainder of the day.

But not to be.

At loose for the summer until starting college in September, Silvana and Natalie had temporary jobs as wait staff from late afternoons Thursday through to Sundays, and spent most of their free time running wild or hanging about bored.

Natalie, who was big into drama and would be studying it at college, was sitting on the entry steps to Billie's home, dressed in a bikini top and denim cut-offs tight enough to have been hers four years ago before curves began developing. She was idly hitting her bare feet with a stick and continued that while looking at the arrival of the Wrangler. Her head really shot up when she noticed there was a passenger and peering she saw he was male, probably Billie's father.

Natalie swaggered over to the vehicle with excessive hip sway.

"Hi mommy, is this my daddy?"

She saw Billie bite her lip and glare and her father looked shocked.

"My parents kicked me out of home this morning after catching me with four guys in my bed."

Billie was now looking at her murderously while the guy was grinning, obvious guessing this was a put-on.

Billie yelled, "Natalie please stop this stupid behavior and meet my houseguest Mr Sorenson."

"Hi Natalie. Billie has told me she has two much younger friends. You were so convincing you had me going there for a few seconds."

"Hi Mr Sorenson. Are you related to Billie?"

"No, I'm her publisher."

"Omigod I had no intention of embarrassing Billie in front of her publisher or embarrassing her publisher."

"It's fine. I was warned you were lively and a little wacky only I didn't know whether we were being met by Natalie or um Silvana."

"Silvana and her mom and my mom have gone to the mall in Corpus. I'm sick of wandering around shops without real spending money and was hoping Billie would take me fishing because the tide is good but she was out. It's not like Billie to go off without saying anything and as for not saying she was having a houseguest... oh god, you have lined her up for a dirty weekend."

"Yes good guess Natalie."

Billie croaked, "Oh god."

"I am so pleased Mr Sorenson. Billie has been working off her ass for your guys because of the tight deadlines. She needs lots of rest and lots of loving."

"Okay so you know the score Nat. There's no need to tell anyone um apart from Silvana is there?" Sam said getting out of the vehicle and then handing one of his bags to Natalie.

"Oh no, of course not and I'll tell Silvana to keep her mouth shut and to just let other people guess. It ought to be all right apart from your age because other guys have slept over with Billie."

Billie groaned another oh god.

"You are very adroit managing to muzzle me like that Mr Sorenson."

"That may be so but my big question is can I trust you with that information Natalie?"

"Absolutely. Oh we don't call friends using honorifics around here so what's it to be?"

"Please call me Sam."

"God, Sam and Billie. Awesome. Come in Sam, the door will be unlocked but we never enter uninvited."

"In you go Natalie, you're invited," Billie said behind them, sounding very weary.

"Look why don't the three of us go out fishing now Sam? Billie has rigged a third seat on her flat-bottom."

"She is referring to the boat Sam."

That had the three of them laughing and Natalie said she'd pack the bait and the beer. "You guys get changed or do you want to have sex first?"

"Sex while you wait impatiently Nat?" Sam said. "I don't think so because that could entice premature ejaculation."

Billie groaned while Natalie laughed and said already she really liked Sam because he had great humor.

"Billie usually has great humor but appears really tied up this afternoon. It must be the pressure of having failed to sneak you in here undetected."

"You are one bright young lady Nat," Sam said, cuffing her lightly over an ear.

She obviously really liked his response. When thanking him for the compliment she sucked her thumb and called him daddy. Billie was horrified. What had happened to her sweet Natalie?

The weather was settled and they went out in calm afternoon conditions. Billie was doubtful whether they would catch fish and said she favored early mornings.

"If Billie can't hook a fish even in these conditions I say no one else in the Copano fishery will be landing anything right now," Natalie said, tipping her bottle to swig some beer. "Does anyone mind if it remove my top?"

"No," Sam said.

"Yes," Billie shouted above the noise of the motor.

Natalie grinned and said she was just testing.

Natalie moved forward from her chair and lay on her front on a towel and undid her bikini top but kept her breasts conceal and she worked on her tan.

Sam sitting beside Billie who was at the wheel said, "That's some sexy girl."

"It's only just started. Some guy at the fast food restaurant where she's working has been getting his fill and heightened her sexual awareness. This transformation that is occurring has been fascinating to watch. It's happening with Silvana too and I actually saw Silvana kissing her mother the other day."

"So she had lesbian tendencies."

"Hell no," Billie said, trying to keep her voice down. "Far from it. She's with a guy who can't keep his eyes off her breasts and butt. Up to three months ago mother and daughter had been fighting like cat and dog. I gave the mother Caitlin my copy of my final manuscript of 'Wretched Rachel' to read and it knocked the mother between the eyes and she did a u-turn to take a new approach with her daughter and slowly they progressed out of the Dark Ages. That's why when I looked across when coming out of my house and saw them in the kitchen kiss, oblivious to the world, tears came to my eyes. It was so beautiful and so rewarding to see them like that."

"I've heard people speaking highly of 'Wretched Rachel' and of you."

Natalie called, "I can hear what you two oldies are saying about Silvana and me and Billie what you said is probably true. Ralph is behaving like a randy bull with Silvana but you are probably not aware her married manager is also fucking her while his wife is at home with their two little kids. That is so fucking disgusting."

Billie was shocked. She cut the motor and shouted, "Lines out everyone."

She told Sam they usually caught redfish, drum, speckled trout and flounder in the bay. "Natalie's father takes us up to a mile offshore in his 28-footer deep-V boat where we get into various types of shark, grouper, kingfish and snapper, When he and his pals get serious and go many miles out on a charter with a guide they pull in tuna, Spanish mackerel, really big sharks and even the occasional marlin. That's why I keep friendly with my over-talkative companion here... to have her father take me out blue water fishing."

"Liar you keep me around you to covet my body. I'll ask dad to take you two out. Sam watch Billie, she'd oversexed."

They caught seven redfish, keeping five and then Billie hooked something really big.

"Here take my rod and catch a real fish Sam."

He took the rod and asked what was it.

"Perhaps a shark but perhaps a really big black drum."

Billie smiled, watching the face of a relaxing guy now reacting much like an excited boy. She felt very happy and although rather cross about Natalie's unladylike behavior thought that Sam didn't appear to mind, in fact seemed rather taken by the eighteen-year-old. That made Billie realize she was looking at people and distractions deeper in an effort to extract better subject material and better understanding and that must make her a better writer. She's been aware of profound influence in her brief association under the aura that appeared to surround Celeste and now it seemed the door had really opened wide for her.

Yes how strange. She was seeing things like she'd never comprehended before. Her young neighbor Jim, although he no longer lived at home, was a lot like his father although more confident and ambitious and certainly, thanks to his parents, much better educated. Similarly Silvana was far more open as a person and therefore much further advanced that her mother who was ensnared by moral and religious issues about which she appeared confused. Patricia was better educated than Caitlin and more worldly and yet as a personality Natalie was already more outgoing than her mother and would probably soon become aware she had outgrown her environment, finding it too restrictive, and after college was destined to move on.

The fish was close enough to see.

"It's not a shark, I think it's a very large black drum. If so it will be female. What do you want to do?"

"You said we had enough for the table, four for us and six for Nat's family."

"Yes and so?"

"We'll release it. Is that what you would have done?"

"Yes." Billie said, pulling on gloves and wetting them in seawater, a measure to give the fish an increased chance of survival by removing as little as possible of the protective slime on it's body. She picked up the device to facilitate a less destructive method of removing hooks. "It's the biggest drum I've seen caught in this bay," Natalie said. "Good boy."

"Yes I concur on both those comments," Billie said, taking the line extending from the rod and hauling up the fish to place it on a plastic bag. My guess is eleven to twelve pounds."

"Wow," Sam said, thumping his chest in pride.

After they watched the freed fish swim off Billie looked at her watch and said they must get head home. Natalie had to be at work in thirty minutes.

"Oh god, work," Natalie sighed. "I've had so much fun with you guys. You know Sam you seem heaps younger than my dad."

"Having younger woman with me makes me act younger," Sam said, placing his arm around Billie's shoulder as she started the outboard motor and smiled.

"It's been great having you with us Natalie. Do you want to come out with us in the morning?"

"Nah you won't be fishing. I figure the curtains at your house will be across for the next couple of days."

Gunning the motor Billie shouted, "A lovely romantic thought darling but I have no wish to send Sam home a wreck. Invite your family over for dinner tomorrow evening and I'll also have the Struther's join us. I may as well get Sam introduced to everyone in one hit. We'll have a cookout, the weather is expected to be favorable, much like today."

As soon as she was inside Billie locked the door and asked Sam to switch off his phone and she switched off her phone and pulled out the connection for the house phone.

Sam licked his lips.

"Come to bed tiger," Billie said, grabbing him by the belt and hauled him to the narrow stairway against the far wall that led to the loft.

Nude and lean, Sam looked in good shape for a guy almost fifty. He leaned his back against the wall, there being no bed head, and held a handful of Billie's hair nervously as she rasped her teeth along his erection until she hit the collar of the head.

When she began bobbing up and down on it she looked up awkwardly and he mouthed kisses. Later she crawled up him dripping semen and had him gripping the sheet tightly as she kissed him open mouthed, allowing semen to dribble into his mouth. If he was revolted he didn't say so.

Minutes later he had two fingers up her beside his dick with Billie screaming and bouncing, making it hard going for him.

They stopped.

"What was that?"

Sam said someone's banging on the door.

"Leave it, they'll go away. Get back to my expectant pussy please dear man."

Huge thumping sounded.

"Oh god, my vehicle. They'll see it and know I'm home. I'll have to go down and shout go away, that I have a fever, um a contagious fever."

Billie went down the steep stairs as fast as she could yelling, "I'm coming" and thinking well she would be within the next half-hour if these morons would go away.

The banging stopped.

"Billie?" called a voice.

"Mom," yelled Billie.

"Open this door or I'll smash through it," yelled her agitated father.

"Omigod look at you, disheveled and perspiring. You have a fever poor girl," said her mother, looking at her daughter who had her hands over her vulva to hide the incriminating evidence.

Janice then saw the upstanding nipples and then said appalled, Oh god, we've interrupted you playing with yourself."

"N-no mom," Billie said, glancing up at the loft.

"Obviously she has a young guy here with her," Casper said. "They are humping Janice and we have interrupted them. Billie we were worried because we have called you several times without getting through. Your phone was off. Late this morning when we failed to get through we decided to come over to check out the situation."

Backing over to the table to grab something to cover herself with Billie said, "I've had the phone off while I was writing and now I've finished I've had it off much of the time to allow me to relax in peace. I told you guys to call me at nights."

"We forgot," said her mother looking at the stairway. Sam was coming down in just in his underpants and the darling was carrying a sheet.

In absolute silence the parents watched Sam wrap their daughter in the sheet, taking in the fact that the guy was almost as old as Casper. They did not appear impressed.

"Mom dad, how lovely of you to drop by and how convenient because you can meet my friend Sam Sorenson.

"I think you are rather old for my daughter," Casper said, straightening his shoulders and crackling his knuckles.

"Casper shut up and behave yourself," Janice said. "That name Sam Sorenson. You are boss of Billie's publishing firm aren't you?"

"Huh, well he ought to stick to publishing," Casper growled.

At that the tension collapsed and the others laughed and finally Casper laughed. He was sure nothing he'd said was funny.

"Hi Mrs Summers. You will be aware I have known Billie for a very long time. Since her sophomore year in fact."

"Yes of course and now I've got used to the idea I feel she has every reason to be grateful to you."

"I've never heard of a woman being that grateful?" Casper wheezed.

The others laughed and turning serious Sam shook Casper's hand more than firmly and said, "These are rather unusual circumstances in which to meet sir."

"Well yes pal. Fetch us a couple of beers Billie and then go and get dressed. How old are you pal?"

"Forty-nine."

"Well I suppose that better than being fifty or fifty-something."

He mom fussed straightening the tablecloth. "Fetch at bottle of wine for us darling, there's no necessity to race off to dress. You probably need a shower anyway."

Later that evening Billie invited Sam to enter her without protection unless he thought it necessary, saying she was on the pill.

"God I'm still in shock after being exposed as an elderly seducer of your parents beloved child and your mom saying to me before they went into their bedroom that I was not to worry rattling the bedsprings."

"My mom said that?"

"Yep."

"God she must be thinking of having a go at you herself."

Sam's confidence nose-dived and he lost most of his erection but quickly assessing the situation Billie worked and got him rock-hard.

Later when Sam rolled over she reached for her writer's log on the bedside cabinet and noted the events since 2:00 that day that might be useful to work into a novels. There were heaps of filled pages and she devoted a full page to detail coitus interruptus.

After that she sighed and smiled herself to sleep.

Casper climbed the stairway heroically with two coffees to awake them next morning at 5:30.

"Come on you two, almost time to go fishing. I see there's now a third seat rigged up on the boat."

Janice and Casper stayed another three nights.

Two days after that Billie took Sam to the airport for his return to New York.

"I've had the best seven-day vacation in memory," he said, kissing Billie. "I meant what I said about inviting you to move in with me."

"That was a very kind and exciting invitation but I did say I'd wait a few days before thinking about it seriously."

"Well I won't have a happy time until you arrive."

"Nonsense. Continue your normal life and your wicked ways. In a few days I'll call to say I'm not coming or alternatively I'll ask you a question."

"What question?"

"You'll know when I ask it."

"Very well. I can handle it. Actually that gap will give me a few days to think everything through."

"Yeah right. Well there's your final call. Off you go Sam. You are a great guy."

"Thanks for your brilliant hospitality."

Natalie and Silvana were waiting on the steps for Billie when she returned.

"We're here to comfort you and to cry with you," Silvana said. Natalie already looked tearful."

"None of that crap you guys. We're going fishing. Eat with me tonight. Sam gave me his mom's recipe for lightly curried fish. I'd like to try that. It's a Thai recipe and is ready in twenty minutes."

"How can you think of food in the wake of this huge tragedy," Natalie said, weeping.

"God Natalie is isn't over yet between Sam and me. I'm thinking about his invitation to move in with him in New York."

"Oh god no you can't do that," Natalie shrieked. Silvana held her and now both were crying.

"God whoever said Texan women were tough," Billie grinned. "Fishing is off. Come in and drink some wine and we'll talk about sex. I'll begin by telling you about Sam and me having sex the first night of his arrival."

"But sex is sex. What's new about sex?" Silvana asked.

"Please excuse my friend," Natalie said. "She still has sex insisting she must keep her panties on."

Oh it was such an honor being privy to the opening world of teenagers finding their way to the door of adulthood, Billie smiled. Yes she was so privileged being allowed to hone her knowledge and understanding of younger people.

Billie figured 9:30 would be one of the pressure times of the working day for a company senior executive so called at 9:30.