Crystal Beach

"She's not stupid. She knows you're using her. And when you both leave for college, she'll never see you again. She knows you think she's some kind of Canadian slut you can just come up here and use."

Joe might be 10 years older than me, but he had no right to talk about his sister like he was.

"You don't know what you're talking about. I never treat her like that."

"Oh yeah? Well maybe I was wrong. Maybe she's using you."

"Shut up Joe. You're an asshole."

"I'm the 'asshole'? She has a bunch of boyfriends when you're not around. And you're too fucking dense to see that Jeri's being a slut."

Joe was saying things about his sister out of anger.

"You ever say anything like that about your sister again, and I'll finish you." I said as I wrapped his shirt in my hands.

My Uncle Jack grabbed me around the neck and pulled me off of his neighbor. It was a small town. We were on a small street. Anyone who was outside in their front yards, had seen and heard what we had been saying. We would surely be the talk of Crystal Beach before nightfall.

Me standing there in my underwear. Restrained by my uncle. Joe open hand slapping my face. I kicked at his nuts and ended up hitting his leg instead. We were a sight. A good old fashioned Saturday morning cartoon brawl.

*****

"Holy shit. Did you have to fight Jeri's big brother?"

"No. But I was forbidden to ever set foot on his property again."

"And? What did you do after that happened?"

My smile couldn't be contained. The memory flashed through my head like it had happened the day before today. Vivid and explicit. It rushed back to me.

"What? Shit, Grandpa. Tell me what you did."

"Well...when his kids took their afternoon nap, we made love on his bed the very next day that he worked."

Liam's knuckles punched my shoulder harder than he probably planned for them to.

"Shit. That's why you're the coolest grandpa on the face of the earth."

"Not so much. If you think about it, the girl got away. And there's nothing cool about that."

*****

"Nice hickey," My uncle said as we watched Joe drive away.

"What?"

"The mark on your neck. A dog bite you or is it a hickey?"

Instinctively my finger touched and tried to cover the blemish. Not knowing how to respond, I rubbed it as if doing so would make it go away.

"Don't tell your cousins how you got it. They're still a bit young for all that grown up stuff." He walked a few feet and stopped. "I suppose asking you how the movie was last night would be an exercise in futility."

"I could tell you parts of it."

He walked back to me and in a fatherly move, put his hand on my head and messed up my already messy hair.

"Save it." Looking down the street he watched as Joe turned the corner. "What's Joe gonna find in the backseat of his car?"

"Nothing. Nothing at all. Not even a kernel of popcorn. I promise."

"No used condoms?"

"Not even one. I promise."

"Careful. That's a lot of promises."

"I know, but they're all promises I can keep."

"Good for you. Still...be careful."

They were good words of advice.

Going into the kitchen, I got an ice tray and filled two glasses. From the tap I filled each of them with water and made my way back to the tent. With no need to hide now. The cat was out of the bag. I didn't feel to need to hop the fence.

When I opened the canvas flap, my goddess was waiting for me.

"What was all the yelling?"

"It's a long story."

"I've got all day. It's my day off."

"Good. Drink up and get your cute little ass out of this tent. We're all alone, and we're going to the beach today."

*****

The water of Lake Erie was warm, refreshing and calm. The park wasn't. Screams and laughs coming from those enjoying the rides filled the air. Those and the smells of food being cooked by the many vendors inside.

"I know when you leave, it's over. There will never be another summer. We'll be adults who drift away and never stay in touch," Jeri stated as her finger played with my belly button. Flicking grains of sand off me as we lay on our towels.

"Not true. I'll always keep in touch with you. We'll be at different ends of the world, but we can try to see each other."

"How. How do you possibly think it could happen. Not even in a million years will we see each other when your uncle drives you back to the bus stop in Buffalo."

"I have no problem coming up here."

"For the summer. You come up here for the summer, Andy. Ottawa isn't easy to get to from Colorado. It's a far drive for a weekend hookup."

"Do you think that's what it is for me? A hookup. You mean a lot more to me than sex. Jeri, I lov..."

"DON'T. You have to stop saying it," she yelled. Pulling her hand away from me.

"Why. Because you can't say it back to me."

"Oh, grow up. I can say it. I just won't. Unlike you, I'm not about to build what we have up and then watch it collapse when you drive away." She was talking loud enough to get the attention of those laying on towels around us.

"So, you've pre-determined our fate. On the fateful Saturday morning when I leave, it's over? We go our own ways?"

Her long hair bounced slightly as she nodded her head.

"Is that why you want to fight? So, it makes it easier for you to say good-bye."

"We're not fighting."

"No? Then what is this? If it's not a fight, why are you so angry? Tell me what you want."

"To be with you. I want to be with you until the minute you leave. Every second. Every minute. Every hour."

Being together until I left would be easy. I had no other commitments.

My arms wrapped her body and filled themselves with her skin. Putting my face to her ear, I whispered so only she could hear me.

"Why are you so angry?"

Her hand touched my belly again and her head rested on my chest. Small drops of tears fell onto my skin.

"Because I know what I'll be losing when you go."

"Then don't let me go."

Her body rolled and flipped me on my back in the sand. Our lips crushed together in silence. She was going to let me go. She had already made up her mind to do so.

*****

When the sun lowered to the point that the beach was starting to empty, we packed up our stuff and hand in hand, we walked directly into the park like we owned it. Not a single person questioned us.

Jeri looked at me, held out an imaginary olive branch and asked.

"Is there something special you'd like to do tonight?"

"Absolutely. I'd like to go back to the drive-in." As soon as it came out of my mouth, Jeri tackled me. Her forward momentum caused us both to fall to the ground.

"Oh yeah buddy. I guess "your" pussy is feeling fine."

"Never better. In fact. With your boobies touching my arm like they are, it's almost ready to go."

"Your pussy is always ready to go. But mine isn't. At least today, it feels like it isn't."

"It was so good the first time, I'll wait for you to heal." I said in the most loving way. Hugging her to me and crushing my lips against hers as we lay on the pavement.

"Dick," she said as she slapped my butt.

Neither of us cared one bit about the people watching us as we laid on the grimy asphalt of the park.

*****

Jeri looked at her watch and determined that if lines moved quickly enough, we had plenty of time to do each and every ride in the park.

We started with those that had zero wait time. Like the Laff in the Dark, and the Magic Carpet Funhouse.

Others like the Comet and Wild Mouse had big lines. So, we kept them for later.

Truth be told...some of the twisty rides weren't my thing. I always felt nauseous when I got off them. The Scrambler and the Monster could go fuck themselves for all I cared. Give me the Bumper Cars or a roller coaster and I was fine.

Like it had always been, the Comet was our last ride of the night. Fate would be on our side this evening. Jeri's favorite seats were either the very front, or the very back. Tonight, we got the back.

When the bar came down to close us in, Jeri's hand found its way into my pants. And by the time we took the little dip in the track and started our climb to the top, she had my junk out in the open with her hand wrapped around me.

My head didn't know what to do. It looked forward up the tracks. It shot to the left and stared at Jeri. It looked down at her hand. A hand that remained still. It did it a number of times in rapid succession. My head moved. Jeri's hand didn't. She just held me and squeezed.

Rise after rise. Fall after fall. Turn after turn. The 55 miles per hour our car was going seemed like the speed of light. But still, with everything happening. The fingers wrapping my cock were motionless. It wasn't until the car slowed and the switch tripped to release the safety bar, did she let me go.

Tucking myself back into my shorts, I stepped onto the platform and held out my hand. Pulling Jeri to me, she laughed and ran down the ramp. When I finally caught up with her, she was all smiles.

"What the hell was all that about?"

"Maybe I wanted to see if I could make you cum without moving."

"You probably could. But, not with other people sitting a foot away from us. I was scared shitless."

"So, my hand didn't feel good?"

"No. Your hand felt great. It always feels great."

"What about my mouth?"

"What about it?"

"You wanna go back to the tent and see if I can use it and make you cum without moving?"

Suddenly there was a lump in my throat. I simply nodded.

On the way out, we bought a Loganberry juice to share on the way home. Sipping and sharing did nothing to help subside my erection.

*****

"Nice to see you with your pants on Andy. Guess you don't plan on scaring the neighbors tonight."

A red glow told us my aunt was sitting on her front porch. She was chirping me in the dark, while having a cigarette, drinking a Tab and listening to her favorite 8-track of Elvis. Pop, smokes and the King. They were her guilty pleasures.

I just laughed and didn't comment. But Jeri couldn't resist the temptation.

"Well, Joyce. Good thing you caught him now. Because when I get him into the tent, they won't be on for much longer."

Being a good sport, Joyce let out a laugh.

"Is it gonna sound like a couple of alley cats fightin back there?"

"If it's anywhere as loud as it was at the drive-in last night, it might." Jeri assured her.

"Lucky for the neighbors, you kids are so young. At least the noise won't last for very long."

"It may not last long, but he can do it over and over again."

"Well, if you get him all stinky and dirty over there, you may as well keep him."

"Perfect. He's a great cuddler."

In her best nasally, Lily Tomlin voice, my aunt said, "well you kids have fun". And that was it. It was the last night I'd be worried about sleeping on the back porch of their place. Every night afterwards, I stayed in the tent with Jeri. Rain or shine.

Flipping on the flashlight, I watched as Jeri peeled off the cloths she had worn since the beach.

"Really? You had to poke the bear. What if she calls my mother?"

"Tell your mom that you're running away. Tell her you're moving into the girl of your dreams, tent."

From my knees, I wrapped my arms around Jeri's waist and put my ear to her belly.

"At least I wouldn't be lying, cuz I'm holding the girl of my dreams."

"You only say that because I promised to suck your dick again tonight."

"Holy shit. I must be at the drive-in. Because I heard that loud and clear," said my aunt from her own backyard. She must have moved to the back porch.

My lover laughed out loud. Not caring who heard us.

"Go back up-front Joyce. It's gonna get loud back here. Not only is he a great cuddler, Andy's also a bit of a screamer."

Still holding Jeri, "I'm so fuckin dead when I go home. Dream girl or not."

*****

"Holy shit. It sounds like the coolest summer ever. Man, I wish I could meet someone like Jeri."

"You will. In a different time and a different place. You'll be surprised and happy when it happens."

"Surprised?"

"Yeah. Sometimes the most unexpected pleasures come from being surprised. You just need to open up and allow it to happen.

Liam paused to take in what I had said.

"Do you miss Grandma."

"Immensely."

"But you and Jeri?"

"Me and Jeri, what? We were the very best of friends. Summer lovers. Your grandmother and I were different. We were lifetime partners. She helped build this family into what it is today. And if she were still alive, she'd be sitting right where you are."

"I know. It just sounds like..."

"No. No, it doesn't."

"Don't get mad. I was just saying."

"Well don't say things..." I paused and thought about. "I loved your grandmother very much. What we had was very special to me. I loved her with all my heart. Still do. And when have you ever seen me mad."

"The day that guy pushed his buggy into side of your old truck. At Lowes."

"I wasn't mad. I was upset."

"Same difference to me."

"Maybe even disappointed. The asshole had "truck nuts" hanging from his trailer hitch for Christ sakes."

"I remember," he said with a laugh.

*****

There were no screams when I came. A pillow over my face helped with that problem. I couldn't risk the idea of my aunt hearing me while a shot my load into Jeri's mouth. This time it stayed in her mouth for longer than the first, but most of it ended up in my t-shirt.

Jeri kept one of the promises she had made to me. The one where she told me she planned on putting my cock in her mouth. The one where she said she wasn't going to move was long forgotten when she had my lay back. She moved. She moved...a lot.

"Jesus Christ. That feels better and better every time you do it to me."

"Every time? It's only been two times."

"Well, I can say with confidence, I loved both times."

"Good. But...bad."

"Why? Why, bad?"

"Because Andy. When I was blowing you and you were playing with my tits and ass...well...now I'm horny." I reached for her pussy, but her hand stopped me. "But I'm still a little sore inside. So, I think if you tried to stick your thing in me again, it might hurt too much."

"What about the other way? You seemed to like it when I used my tongue on you last night. Didn't you?"

"I loved it. But I can't expect you to do it to me every time."

"Yet you did what you just did to me."

"Because I teased you at the park and promised you I would."

Leaning in, I cupped her tit and rubbed her nipple with my thumb. She was cooing when my lips touched her earlobe. Catching it between my lips and teeth I sucked it in and chewed it softly.

"When my tongue is nibbling and making circles on your hard little clit, just like it did to your ear, I promise you I won't stick anything into your sensitive little pussy. No tongue. No fingers. No prick. I promise," I told her as the tip of my tongue pressed into her ear. "Just the tip of my tongue licking you and playing with your hard little clit. Licking and nibbling until you cum all over my face."

"Bastard. You better be gentle."

"As a kitten. You wait and see."

"Kittens have claws."

Her giggles lasted until my face its place between her legs. The giggles quickly became coos and moans. True to my word, I was gentle. Gentle, but she still had to put the same pillow I had used over her own face. Unlike me. She wasn't nearly as quiet when she came.

*****

Sunday didn't see much of anything happening. Jeri and her family drove to their family farm where they had a reunion. They were gone all day. When she returned, I met her in the tent, and we curled up to sleep.

Monday was a different story. On Monday, it was only Jeri and I and the two cousins she babysat. And 10 minutes after they were down for their nap, we were naked in Joe and Shirley's bed.

This time things were much better. There was plenty of room to stretch out. And it was broad daylight. I could see all of the things I had missed on Friday at the drive-in.

Again, I let Jeri set the pace, but just watching myself slid up and into her, made me want to pump faster and harder. From some reason, I had the urge to thrust. But it wasn't necessary. Jeri's hips moved and rotated fast enough for both of us.

"You feel good baby. Way better than Friday night," she told me as she grunted between kisses. "It's like...we were made for each other."

My hands moved back and forth between her hips and her breasts, while her long hair covered my face. I felt like I was the most fortunate guy in the world.

It became our summer trend. Sex and love making everywhere, anywhere, anytime.

*****

It's hard to describe our friendship. We did things with and to each other. We loved and learned. Our summer long lessons changed daily. And it was the simple things that taught me about life.

*****

A hand touched my skin. A small nudge. A push to wake me. I tried to remain sleeping, but it was persistent.

"Shhhhh... wake-up." I had hesitated longer than she wanted. "Let's go."

"Where..."

Jeri was pulling on jeans and a sweater to ward off the dampness of a cool summer night. Without any further questions, I followed her lead.

Hand in hand we walked in silence. The only things that we brought with us was a blanket.

"Where are we going?"

"Fireworks."

"At this time of night? Are you..."

"Shhhhh..."

In the pitch-black night, in made our way to the beach. Jeri knew where she wanted to be. A spot that was dark and deserted. We were alone and together in the dark, in the middle of the night.

Unfolding the blanket, she pulled me down beside her.

Laying flat on her back, she held my hand in hers and stared up at the night sky.

"Jeri..."

"Look up."

Doing as told, I looked up into the dark sky. The stars looked huge and bright on the moonless night.

"What am I...holy shit."

Jeri's hand squeezed mine and held it tightly. My wait hadn't been long. The first came in seconds and was followed by almost one after another. It was the first meteor shower I had ever watched. I had seen "shooting stars", but this was a completely different level.

She was sharing something special with me. Another gift that belonged to her and was now also mine.

At a loss, all I could say was, "thank you."

*****

The fateful day finally came. They always come. No matter how hard you try to avoid or put them off, they come.

For a week we pretended it wasn't getting closer, but there is always a "last day" to every vacation.

Our last day together wasn't one that dreams or memories were made of.

*****

"I'm not some big shot going to the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado. I'm going to school 6 hours from home."

"I'm not a big shot. And it's your idea to break up. Not mine. I want you to be my girlfriend. I want you to..."

"Oh...will you please stop. You know it won't work. Four years apart and not seeing each other. We what, maybe get together for a week or two a year. It doesn't work. It wouldn't ever work."

"We can make it work. I called you twice a week last year. I wrote way more letters than you did. We would find the time to be together."

"It won't work."

"Because you don't want it to. Look at me. Look me in the eyes and tell you don't feel the same way about me that feel about you. We're young, but you gotta see what we have is special."

"It is. And I do. I see how special it is. That's why I love you. That's why I have to let you go."

"Try explaining your reasoning to me."

Jeri put her hands on my cheeks and moved her teary face to my lips. A parting kiss. A sad goodbye.

"I love you so much, but I'd learn to hate you if we weren't able to be together."

"I'll call you."

"Don't. I won't answer."

"I'll write."

"Don't. Because I'd never open your letters and I'll never write you back."

"Why?" I questioned.

"If I do, I'll never be able to let you go. We both know it's over. We need to move on."