Brotherhood of Janus Ch. 04-05: Sarah & Wedding

After that incident, the gather went pretty well for the rest of the weekend. John made it by my bench several times as did a lot of other men from the lodge. That asshole wearing someone else's number they turned over to the police for trespassing. We found out he was another asshole from New York who they hadn't scooped up when we were there. And now we wondered how many there were still out there, ruining other gathers for people who didn't have my skills to keep them at bay until a Master At Arms could get to them. Like happened to Sally.

By Sunday night, I was in my own bed back at my apartment. I had school in the morning and kids to teach. John was with me, cuddled up behind me breathing softly. I closed my eye and let sleep come to me.

It was Thanksgiving. I was at the lodge. They were throwing a big dinner for members and their families. It was a dress-up dinner. John looked so handsome in his dark blue suit. He had two. One black and one blue. He had even shined his shoes. The lodge tonight was packed with members and family. My parents were coming along with my children. John was by my side as we strolled around the ballroom, filled with tables and people, greeting everyone. This is what the brotherhood was about, families. What we did once a month here, was, depending on how you looked at it, a reward or just plain fun.

There were some there that didn't know about a gather and didn't need to know. My parents didn't know as neither of them were members. My children didn't know, yet. I would tell them at some point in the future when it was time for them to make a decision about their future. I was really happy on John's arm. I had already told my children of my engagement but hadn't told my parents. Although, they did know about John and me being together.

Feldman and his team were present, with their significant others, as were several members of some of the other teams. They all looked so different and nice in their civvies, yet they were here to protect us if needed. Even John was armed. And although he didn't know it, so was I. He wasn't expecting anything, but he believed in being prepared. Something he learned a long time ago in the Boy Scouts. Turning I saw my parents enter the ballroom. Pulling, John with me, we walked toward them.

"Mom, Dad," I said hugging first Mom, then Dad.

"Sweetheart, so good to see you," Mom replied.

Dad kissed me on my cheek as he pushed me back and looked at me.

"Always so beautiful," he said.

"She is," quipped John. "And so is her mother."

Mom blushed. John had just scored a lot of points with her. Dad scowled, but I could see a twinkle in his eyes as someone complimented his one and only. I just smiled at them both.

"Mom, Dad, may I present my fiancé John Carlson. John, my mom and dad, Amy and Allen."

"Fiancé!" Mom shouted as she took me in her arms.

Dad just looked John, up and down. John, bless his heart stood there smiling at mom and me.

"Well, son, I don't know what to say, except you are getting one of the greatest women I have been proud to call my daughter."

"Thank you, sir, and I know," John replied beaming.

"She will be a handful. You know she was a Marine?"

"I do, sir."

"Dad! I wouldn't keep that from him. He also served but in Air Force. So leave him alone, please."

Then Mom was hugging John. He looked almost frightened, not knowing what to do in return.

"Hug her back you lunkhead," I said softly.

When he did, mom squealed and hugged him harder. Dad was frowning as he hugged me gently. I kissed his cheek and he blushed and stepped back clearing his throat. Mom stepped back from John, smiling.

"I like him," she said a blush blooming on her cheeks.

I giggled as I took her in my arms once more. Then my two daughters, Becky and Bethany, engulfed us all. I then went through the introductions again and just waved my ring in front of my two girls.

"Oh, how lovely," Beth said.

"Oh my," Becky gasped.

"My, my, you sure do make pretty children," John said softly behind me.

My head snapped around so fast I thought my head would fall off. He was smiling at me as I scowled at him.

"Let me show you to our table and then to the bar," John said.

I just went along with him, knowing I would have to have a serious talk with him.

The rest of the dinner went off without a hitch. John was his most pleasant self. When the band set up and started playing, he asked my mother for the first dance. She accepted, not even looking at my father for permission. I could see his scowl flash across his face for just an instant. I would have to talk with my mother also. When he asked my daughter, I just shook my head in resignation that he was just being polite and had no ulterior motives. For just a bit there, I doubted his fidelity, which I shouldn't have.

I danced with my dad. We talked about John. I told him I loved him. That he was the one I wanted, to spend the rest of my life. Dad just nodded and didn't even bring up our age difference. He did ask if he was rich. I laughed, kissing him on the cheek. I told him he was rich enough for me. He nodded and hugged me as we left the dance floor. Beth and Becky sat with me asking question after question about John. I answered them as honestly as I could never mentioning the Brotherhood. I did tell them about Janus, Corp. telling them that John was a Vice President of the corporation. They seemed satisfied by that and left me alone the rest of the night. John did introduce them to a couple of men, children of other members, who were attending, their own age. The four of them disappeared onto the dance floor and when they came back to our table introduced them to me.

The get-together broke up about ten at night. John and I said goodbye to my parents and my daughters at the door. We then went up to John's room. Both of us were tired and just undressed and climbed into bed. We both fell asleep rather quickly.

Chapter 15

The party was on Thursday. John and I with Feldman and his team flew out on Friday morning to the lodge in Detroit. They were having a gather this weekend and eleven complaints came in the mail on Wednesday. I was going to be a participant, John wasn't. Jimmy and Michelle were joining us, both as participants. All the complaints had been about the president and the Master at Arms taking liberties with new wives. It always seemed the men that rose to President in some of the lodges took it as their duty to test out the new wives before anyone else. Not how things were done at all. After arriving, we checked into our hotel and relaxed for a few hours.

We were pulling up in front of the lodge twenty minutes before eight. I was inside and at my bench by five to eight. John was just a little distance away. I could see Michelle and Jimmy not far from me. Jimmy was standing there looking around, waiting. John was also. A commotion started behind me. Turning I saw a man actually forcing a woman down on her bench. Another man was trying to pull him off when the master at arms struck him from behind. John started walking toward the commotion. The doors to the lodge burst open.

"To me!" John shouted.

Both the master at arm and whom I assume was the president looked up as John and Jimmy arrived at the bench. When the gunfire started both men jumped up. As they did, they each got a punch in the face. The president by John and the master at arms by Jimmy. The other master at arms men were starting toward their leader when the gunfire caused them the duck and cover. Johnny's men gathered up the other master at arms men and herded them to where John and Jimmy were standing. I was moving toward the woman who had been assaulted, as was Michelle. A cheer went up around the lodge as the president when down in a crumpled pile.

The woman at the bench was crying, curled up into a ball. Michelle and I were trying to get her to relax when a man showed up. One word from him and she was in his arms. Michelle and I both assumed he was the husband. I left Michelle with the couple and headed to the changing room. I didn't want to finish what I had to do almost naked. Several women followed me into the changing room.

"Yes, ladies?" I queried as I changed.

"What's going to happen to us?" one of them asked.

"I assume you are all wives of the president or MAAs?" I asked.

"We are."

"Well, we won't be disrupting the gather, so if you wish to stick around you can. Also, depending on what is decided here tonight, you will still be members of the Brotherhood."

They all sighed with relief.

"Of course there are some conditions. Is this all of you?"

"Yes."

"First names, who your husband is, and numbers please?" I asked.

"I'm Molly, 23789. My scum of a husband was... president."

"Samantha, 25698, master at arms."

"Julie, 3423, master at arms."

"Karen, 6546, master at arms."

"Helen, 7869, master at arms."

"Gail, 45682, master at arms."

"Nicky, 34532, master at arms."

"Thank you, ladies," I said looking up from my tablet. "I am very surprised at the low numbers that..."

"We told them they would get in trouble, but the old farts were taken in by that scum Conrad..."

"Hey!" Molly yelled.

"So, he's not scum in your eyes?" Julie asked.

"Yes. But let me do the name-calling on that piece of scum if you please."

"Ladies, ladies, let's stop the name-calling for now and we can get down to business."

They all looked at me, shame showing on their faces, nodding. I nodded back at them.

"Are you doing all right in here Sarah?" Carrie asked poking her head in the door.

"I am. Thanks, Carrie," I replied.

The women all looked at Carrie as she nodded and left.

"Who..." several women started to say.

"Not now ladies," I said. "Now, we need to find a conference room so we may talk in private and we can do without the noise that's in the ballroom."

I had finished dressing and led the ladies to a quiet conference room where I explained what would happen to their husbands and what their options were with remaining with the brotherhood. After about an hour, I was finished and I went out to check to see if everything was safe for them to reappear, as they were dressed. It was, so I led them out to the ballroom where they found that they were the only ladies still in gather gowns. They all rushed to the changing room. Carrie was there to keep anyone out that didn't need to be in there.

"What did I tell you, ladies," John shouted as several started toward the ladies changing rooms.

Sighing, they all returned to their seat at the tables that had been set up to replace the benches. I had to assume the police had already been there as I walked up to stand beside John. Jimmy and Michelle were wandering around the tables answering questions and trying to assure our brothers and sisters that they still had a lodge and were part of the Brotherhood.

"Who are you?" a bold lady stood in front of me.

"I am Sarah, Duchess of Janus. I am also an Investigator of the Brotherhood Investigation Division," I said to her calmly.

"What were you talking to those scum..."

She shut up when I slapped her, spinning her head around. John coughed. As her head turned back to look at me, she had murder in her eyes.

"I was also a Marine and I'm a teacher of sixth-grade children who are better behaved than you," I said glaring at her. "Those women are still your sisters in the Brotherhood and should be treated as such. It is no fault of theirs that their husbands turned into scum. Is that CLEAR?" I yelled the last.

"I... I..."

"Don't try to apologize to me. Apologized to them," I told her. "Brotherhood begins here and now!"

"Missus, please take your seat," John said softly to her.

She bowed her head and went back to her seat. I just knew there would be trouble at this lodge in the future. I told John as much. He just nodded. We stayed much longer at this lodge, as there was some animosity toward the women of the president and Master at Arms. Fortunately, the group was small. And we set them straight, along with the rest of the women of the lodge. We returned to the airport soon after and were flying home. An hour later, we were on the ground in Chicago.

Chapter 16

I was back at work, with my students. Billy was doing great in class and out of class. It appeared that he and Eileen had become much closer. He kept me informed about how his dad and mom were doing. His dad was working and making enough money to get all the bills caught up. He was also attending his meetings and that one of John's friends had sponsored him and helped him when life got to be too much for him. John had also provided some counseling for both Billy and his mom. John also kept an eye on Billy's dad as did Jimmy. John had stepped way back from the investigations side of the BID. He was still a grand council member at large. He was still also coming up with ideas to help the Brotherhood.

He did tell me why he was pulling back from going to gathers to investigate. He didn't feel right doing so without me at his side. Which I thought was sweet, yet also made me a little angry. He was giving up what he loved for me, yet he did now have enough excellent investigators in place that he didn't need to be away on the weekends. Anything that needed doing during the week he was off taking names, kicking ass, and taking charge. I did miss his company on those nights he was gone, but it was only one or at most two nights during the week.

Then on a Friday, I went into the lodge to spend the weekend with him, Sally was there and pulled me into the dining room where there was a gaggle of women who I was surprised to realize I knew. They were friends or women I had helped, either remain in the lodge or find them, men, to hook up with them. They were throwing me a bridal shower. I was surprised and overjoyed. The party lasted until early in the morning. Yes, yes, there were strippers. Very good-looking and well-endowed strippers. The women even stripped me down to my skin and had the men all fuck the crap out of me. I enjoyed every second. Most of the others took turns sucking them off as they circulated around the room.

I saw several video cameras in operation and hoped to get a copy of all the videos to show John and to watch myself. I finally crawled into bed about four in the morning. John was there snoring softly. I just sighed as I closed my eyes and went to sleep.

The next morning, Susan and three ladies I knew surprised me at breakfast. John was there too, and nodded at each of the ladies, but ran off to meet with Jeffery and Mitch.

"Sarah," Susan said, "you remember your wedding planners. This is Sophie, Dawn, and Heather. Ladies, this is Sarah, our bride-to-be. I do hope you and John have picked a date?"

"I have. The very first day after school lets out for the summer, June tenth. It's also a Saturday," I said winking at them.

Of course, John didn't know that. The only thing he had done was to ask me. He was still clueless about any other aspect of our nuptials. So, I had picked a date. It was close to the end of the year of my temporary membership but still before, it ran out. I just smiled at Susan and the three planners.

"Well, ladies, it seems we have some time to plan a big, big, to do."

"Wait, wait, wait," I shouted. "I..."

"Don't worry, dear," Susan, said interrupting me. "We will actually have two weddings for you and John. One for family and friends who don't know about the Brotherhood and then one for us here at the Brotherhood. We will also sort out John's bachelor party. Are strippers all right?"

"Of course. Who did you have in mind?" I asked.

"Well, there are several ladies who have volunteered..."

"Who?"

"Well, there is me, Michelle, Sally, Kathy, Lilly, Pam, Barbra, Jane, Nancy... oh hell almost every woman he has had contact with of one kind or another has volunteered."

"I see. I really think they should be women he doesn't know. Would that be possible?" I asked.

"Sure, I bet we could find several, if not more."

"How many men will be there?"

"A couple of dozen I would assume?"

"All lodge members?" I asked.

"No. You know there are team members who will..."

"I do. Let me think about that, this, for a little bit. There may have to be two bachelor parties. I would hate to ruin some marriages over this," I said.

Susan nodded. The other three did too.

"I see your point. Even though they know what kinda goes on here, they might be shocked to see what could go on here. And they feel they have to participate. Maybe we could have a series of strippers and that's all they did is strip. No sex with John or anyone else. They just get naked while the men hoot and holler."

"Sounds good to me," I said.

I didn't say how much I would like to be one of them though. Susan just nodded as she made some notes on the pad in front of her. They all said their goodbyes and headed off to a conference room while I finished my breakfast. When I finished, Sally, Kathy, and Lilly were waiting for me.

"You're to come with us. It's time to pick out a wedding dress," Sally said.

"Your wedding is coming up soon too, isn't it?" I asked.

"It is. I will be looking today too."

"As will I," Kathy said.

"And me," Lilly said softly.

"Are Susan and the others planning your weddings too?" I asked.

"They are. In fact, since Susan got those three together they have started a wedding planning business together. They are doing all ours at cost. Yours they are doing for free as yours was the catalyst for the business."

"No, no, no... never mind I will have a word with them about that. I pay or they don't do it," I growled.

We left then and spent the rest of the day looking at wedding dresses. It was a good thing we took a lodge limo, well Luke and Carrie were driving, as the four of us had a little too much champagne. We got back to the lodge just in time for dinner. John was waiting for me, as were the other three husbands to be. We ate together, all giggly and laughing. Once we were finished eating, we had sobered up enough not to be giggly anymore.

John and I retired to his room to relax. Once changed into my t-shirt and panties, John in his shorts and t-shirt we sat on the divan. We kissed, then John looked deep into my eyes.

"So, did you find a wedding gown?" he asked.

"I did," I replied.

"Good."

I looked at him. I was upset he wasn't going to grill me on what it looked like, yet I was also kind of proud of him for not grilling me. I kissed him on the cheek and we turned on the TV to watch the evening news.

Chapter 17

It was Sunday. John and I had eaten breakfast. He was now leading me back into the bowels of the mansion. We came to a crude door in a wall that hadn't had a doorway in it that I could remember. John pulled it open. It led out through an enclosed walkway. Looking out the windows, I could see the pool area along with the tennis courts farther back from the mansion. The walkway led to another building. The new construction had come quite a ways since I was last back this way. John led me on a tour. It was almost complete.

He first took me upstairs where his quarters would be. It was huge. Not quite finished yet, but you could see what the dimensions would be. He then took me to his office, which was just next door to his room. This too was big and almost complete. There was even furniture there that looked as if it had been used already.

"So, this is where you have been hiding during the day?" I asked chuckling.

"No, just on Mondays when Jeffery briefs me on construction progress."

"Ah, okay. Then where do you hide out during the day?" I asked clearing my throat.

"Actually, I go to your apartment..."

"Why?"