Mick the Stick

"Hey Cam, call on two." Amber, my tech called out.

"OK, got it." I answered. "Hello."

"Cam, oh God Cam." I recognized the voice of my sister, Tasha. She's frantic, barely able to speak.

"Tasha, calm down." I urge. "What's wrong?"

"Mom...Dad...Oh God Cam, they're..." She broke down, sobbing.

"Sis, take a breath, tell me what's wrong?" I said.

"Y-you need t-to come home...now." She stammers. "I can't..."

"Tasha." I press. "You have to tell me what's going on. Just tell me."

"They're dead Cam. Mom and Dad are dead." She wailed.

I stood, stunned by what she said. "What?"

"Dead Cam...I need you here. There was an accident. Please come, I'll explain then." She begged.

"I'll be there as soon as I can." I said. "I need to find someone to cover me."

"O-OK." She sniffled. "Please hurry."

"I will Sis." I said. "Love you."

"Love you too." She responded, then hung up.

"I already called Tina." Amber said. Tina is the Director of our department. "From what I heard, something bad happened. She's on her way."

"Thanks." I praised. "I'll tell you more when I know."

"What's the crisis Amber?" Tina inquired, walking into the room.

"She called for me." I answered. "I need to leave, family emergency, I'll need a couple days for now."

"For now?" She said, concerned. "That bad?"

"Worse." I sighed. "I hate to keep you in the dark, but until I know more..."

"No problem, Cam." She smiled. "Take all the time you need. I know you, you wouldn't ask if it weren't important. Go."

"Thanks boss." I said. "I'll keep you posted."

After a troubled two hour drive, I arrived at Tasha's apartment. I had barely gotten out of my car when she ran out of her door and threw herself into my arms. She broke down, crying uncontrollably as I carried her back inside. I sat on the couch with her in my lap and let her cry until she finally calmed enough to speak.

"They're gone Cam." She squeaked. "Carbon monoxide poisoning. The furnace malfunctioned. When Mom didn't answer a text I sent yesterday, I got worried and went over this morning. I found them in bed...dead. If I hadn't been so upset and ran from the house, I would have died too. The police said the levels in the house were still high enough to be lethal in a matter of minutes."

I hugged my sister, tears running down my face as the reality set in. "They're really gone?" I croaked.

Tasha nodded.

We held each other together as best we could. Over the ensuing days, we had to plan the funerals and start clearing our parents estate. First priority was making the house safe. I had the gas furnace removed and an electric one put in in it's place.

I called my boss and let her know the situation. "Damn, Cam." She hissed. "That's awful. Our condolences to you and your sister. I'll let everyone know what's going on. Take all the time you need to deal with everything, I mean that. We'll be fine here. Family comes first."

"Thanks Tina." I smiled weakly. "That means more than you'll ever know."

By decree of their wills, Tasha and I would split everything. No surprise there. Neither her nor I wanted the house, too many memories, so we were going to sell off all the possessions and prepare the house for sale. I had decided to take a month off, plenty of time to clear out everything, then I could spruce the place up a bit, paint, make some repairs and such. Try to maximize the value as much as I was able.

Working one day in the house, I heard someone open the front door. I assumed it was Tasha. "I'm in the back Sis." I called out.

I turned when I heard footsteps behind me. "I thought you had to work today?" I said, then stopped. "OH!, you're not..."

"Hi Cam." The female standing there said. "It's been a long time."

"Do I...?" I inquired. "No... Mick, is it really you?"

Last time I saw Mick, short for Michelle, was the day I left for college. She was a skinny 14 year old with stringy hair and braces. She was called 'Mick the stick' because she was overly thin and had all the curves of a telephone pole. Time had been VERY good to her. She filled out well, making it hard not to stare and drool. 22 now, she was the epitome of feminine beauty.

"Am I intruding?" She asked. "Am I even welcome?"

***************************************

I should explain.

Mick is 4 years younger than me, lives next door. She and my sister have been friends all their lives. When she wasn't small for her age, she was tall and skinny. She hated the nickname and was always rather self conscious. Eli, her brother, taunted her constantly causing me to step in. The exchanges were usually good natured, but Eli could be very cruel when he tried. When threats of bodily harm didn't slow him down, I was forced to smack the shit out of him. Only had to do it once, though, after that I just gave him the 'look' and he'd shut up.

Eli and I grew up together as well, lived next door to each other since birth. We had been inseparable, even attending the same college. He was hard headed and sometimes difficult to get along with, but ultimately, deep down, he was a good guy, or so I thought. I hadn't seen him since 'the incident'.

Late my freshman year, I met a girl, Ryleigh. An Irish beauty, red hair, green eyes, freckles across her nose and cheeks (and other places, I'd discover later). Her accent made my heart leap any time she spoke. I was smitten immediately. We dated all through college. She met my family, and one summer, we flew to Ireland, and I met hers. In a very natural progression, we expressed our desire to marry, after graduation, of course. Plans for the wedding started in earnest within weeks of us leaving school. Eli would be my best man and his fiance, Nina, Ryleigh's best friend, would be maid of honor. I'd never been happier in my life. All of that would crash and burn 3 weeks before the wedding.

Dealing with some last minute details, I had some questions for Ryleigh but couldn't reach her by phone. I was near her place so I dropped in. Imagine my surprise when I found her in her bedroom with Eli's cock in her pussy and Nina sitting on her face. They didn't notice me at first, lost in their debauchery. Nina opened her eyes and nearly screamed when she saw me. Before anything could be said, I spun on my heels and left, Ryleigh calling after me. "Wait Cam, let me explain...WAIT!!!"

I slammed the door on my way out and drove away. After I composed myself I shot her a short text.

'I will meet you at my place in one hour. You will have 5 minutes to explain yourself.'

I turned off my phone and went home, not looking forward to the confrontation.

Ryleigh arrived as commanded, eyes red and puffy. She ran to me trying to hug me. I put out a hand, stopping her. "The clock is ticking." I seethed. "Explain...NOW!"

Ryleigh sat on the couch, head in her hands and did her best to explain her actions. Seems she and Nina were in a relationship before Eli and I came along. Between them, they conspired to bring Eli and me into the situation. Eli was more open to their proposal and fell in with them quickly. Ryleigh knew I'd be a hard sell. She hoped to ease me into it, and looking back, I could see her attempts, but I wrote it off to cultural differences. Maybe the Irish were more open and flirty than us uptight Americans. Nope, I was stupid. She'd been fucking both of them for most of the time we were together. As the wedding drew closer, her lack of progress, and the near certainty of being caught finally pushed her to break away and devote herself to me, but she wanted one last tumble to remember them by. That was when I caught them. Too fucking little, too fucking late!

"Please Cam." She begged. "I love you."

I sat a few moments, not wanting to respond before I had fully digested what she said. I took a deep breath and spoke, slowly and clearly. "Ryleigh, anything between us died the moment I saw you with them. You will leave this place and never contact me again. I will delete your number and block you. I don't hate you, I don't have the energy to, but I am disappointed, no devastated. Love, to me, is between two people. Two people devoted to each other, willing to put the needs of the other ahead of their own. I loved you and only you with all I had. I was just another toy for you to play with. How many more would there have been? You are selfish. You are heartless. In the long run, I will be better off without you. If there is anything here you want, take it now, then leave the ring and get out."

"But..." She sobbed.

"NOT ANOTHER WORD!" I demanded.

She stood, shoulders slumped, pulled the ring from her left hand, dropped it on the table and left. I staggered to my bedroom, collapsed into my bed and cried until I could cry no more, then went to town and sold the ring, and both wedding bands, to the first jewelry store I found. The next day, I took everything I could find that was hers or was given to me by her and had a nice bonfire, allowing the flames to cleanse her from my heart. I left town a month or so later and haven't been back much. That was 3 years ago. I haven't heard a word from any of them since.

*************************************

"Why wouldn't you be welcome?" I asked, puzzled.

"I found out what happened." She frowned. "I didn't know, I swear. What he...they did to you was horrible. I didn't come to the funeral. I was afraid it would cause you pain. I'm so sorry Cam, I really am."

"I don't blame you, Mick." I smiled feebly. "The sins of the brother are not visited upon the sister." I opened my arms and she came to me, hugging me tightly. "Mom and Dad loved you, you know."

"And I loved them too. My parents were furious once they found out." Mick admitted. "Didn't even go to their wedding. She and Eli moved away about a year later. We don't hear from them."

"I'm sorry Mick." I sighed. "You lost your brother over this shit."

"His choice." Mick spat. "Asshole. He hurt you, his supposed best friend. Someone that had his back for more than 20 years. You didn't deserve that."

"Just tell me Ryleigh is gone." I frowned. "I'm not sure I could bear listening to her trying to justify what she did again."

Mick frowned. "She slunk back to Ireland shortly after you left town. I heard her family was royally pissed. Got away before I could get my hands on her."

I relaxed a bit, at least I wouldn't have to face that cunt again.

"It's good to see you." Mick beamed. "How have you been?"

"I'm over it, mostly" I admitted. "It took a while, but work and my NEW friends helped me move on."

Mick chuckled at my stress on 'new'. "Any of those friends female?"

"Yes." I admitted. "Friends only though, still a bit gun shy."

"Understandable." She nodded. "You need any help?"

"Any good with a paint roller?" I teased.

"I know my way around." She smiled.

We were really into it, painting, talking and laughing when Tasha showed up after getting off work.

"Hey Cam." She hugged me, then noticed Mick. Dumping me instantly, she crushed Mick in her arms. "Oh my God, Mick!" Tasha squealed.

"Tasha." Mick sighed. "I-I'm so sorry about..." She started to cry.

They pressed their foreheads together, like they'd always done when one of them was upset. Back in the day, she and Mick were as close as Eli and I were, but Tasha didn't return to our parent's home after graduation, choosing an apartment on the other side of town. She wanted to be independent. They sort of drifted apart.

"Cam, we're gonna catch up, OK?" Tasha said.

"Just remember to stop once in a while and let Mick talk." I teased.

Later in the day, after I'd finished, while I cleaned brushes and rollers, Mick and Tasha folded the drop clothes and pulled the tape from the trim.

"Thanks for the help, Mick." I praised. "I hate painting."

"Hey, I helped too." Tasha pouted.

"Stealing my assistant isn't helping." I chuckled. "Actually, it's exactly the opposite of helping."

Tasha punched my arm, grinning. "Asshole."

"Not trying to bring down the mood, but how are you two holding up?" Mick asked. "What happened was..." Her voice cracked as she spoke. She hugged me softly, then Tasha.

"It's still hard to believe." I admitted. "We're working through it, at least I am, guess I shouldn't speak for Sis. Thanks for asking."

Tasha nodded, smiling feebly. "Getting there."

"Mom and Dad wanted me to invite you to dinner tonight, if you're OK with it?" She said. "Both of you."

"Well, I missed lunch." I grinned. "And I haven't seen them since the funeral. That would be great."

"I can't." Tasha frowned. "Something I need to do. Raincheck?"

"Any time you want Tasha." Mick smiled, hugging her. "See you?"

"Soon." Tasha grinned.

Mick slipped her arm through mine. "Let's be off then."

Mick's parents greeted me warmly and expressed their condolences again, not only for my parents, but for Eli's behavior as well.

"Thanks." I blushed. "Like I told Mick, I don't blame you. Eli did what he did. You share no guilt in that."

"All the same, we raised him better than that." Mick's father growled.

"Now Gene." Mick's mother scolded. "Let's try to have a nice dinner. Let all this ugliness stay in the past. Dredging it up isn't doing anyone any good."

"Agreed." Mick and I responded in stereo.

Dinner was casual and enjoyable. We all caught up on the last few years, skillfully avoiding any mention of Eli or Ryleigh. Mick had just graduated from college back in May and landed a good job. She is an assets controller for a large corporation in town. Sounds insufferably boring to me, but she has great enthusiasm for her chosen career.

After we ate, Mick and I sat on the porch enjoying the cool, crisp autumn air. She cuddled next to me, just as she had done when we were kids. It always bugged Eli that his sister was so affectionate towards me. But, seeing as he took just about every opportunity to torture her, as brothers are wont to do, I don't know why.

"I missed this." She purred. "I missed you. Since you left, things have been lonely. Do you have any plans to return here?"

"Not really." I answered honestly. "With Mom and Dad gone, there's not much here for me anymore."

Mick looked up at me, eyes nearly overflowing. "What about me?"

"What about you, Mick?" I smiled, squeezing her hand. "I'll always have time for you."

Mick sighed. "Cam, I've had a crush on you since I was 8. I felt so safe when you were around. Even Eli knew better than to cross you. You were my hero. I always hoped you would return after college...to me, that maybe you could see me as more than 'Mick the stick". When I heard you were engaged, I cried for a week. I was a mess for the whole time. When she did what she did to you, I wanted to rip her heart out. Well, part of me did. The other part was elated, not that she'd hurt you, but that I might finally get a shot at you." With that revelation, she stretched up and kissed me. A brief, gentle kiss, her eyes shining.

"I-I didn't know you felt that way." I responded. "Protecting you was second nature to me. I was the same way with Tasha. Nobody was allowed to mess with her either. Mick, you've always been special to me. I'm having a hard time seeing you as a woman and not the scrawny kid I remember. I will say, I find myself appreciating the woman you have become. You are beautiful, in more ways than one. I've always loved your playful personality and quick wit, your kind heart and that big silly grin that you had on your face when I made Eli behave, but since I last saw you, the rest of you has become...stunning." I bent down and kissed her this time, smiling. "I've known you your whole life, and I'm just starting to realize how much I missed you, how much you mean to me."

She grinned ear to ear. "So my turn now?"

"You know I have to go back to work in a couple weeks." I cautioned. "I'm 2 hours away. It would limit us to our days off, but I'd like to see where we go. If I'm going to risk my heart again, you're the only person I'd feel safe with."

She jumped in my lap and kissed me, quite passionately. "Cam, I'm so happy right now I could just bust. Can we do something tomorrow, please?"

"I'd love to." I grinned. "Come get me after work and we'll figure out something. In the mean time, we have tonight."

We sat on the porch, talking and snuggling, continuing to catch up on the past.

We kissed and hugged until the oncoming evening chill drove us back inside. I thanked Mick's parents for the hospitality and said my goodnights, then headed home.

She walked me over, planting a searing kiss on me before she turned away, grinning. "See you tomorrow, Cam. Sleep well."

Right, I'll be dreaming of that ass all night, if I manage to sleep.

I took a quick shower, then turned in. I actually managed a few hours of fitful sleep, and as I predicted, Mick's ass was the major player in my dreams.

Next day, I continued the work on the house. At the rate I was going, I'd be done before I went back home. All the better, get done, get the place sold. Tasha and I both win.

Mick showed up a little after 6PM. "Hey Cam." She beamed, kissing me softly. "Miss me?"

"You know I did." I said, pulling her into a hug. "Feel like something to eat?"

"Starving." She admitted. "There's a new Chinese place downtown."

"Give me a minute to clean up and we can go." I said.

Dinner was very good and the company was even better. We found out more about our time apart. She'd had a couple boyfriends, nothing serious. Lost her virginity after a frat party. Not a great memory, but he was still a friend. She knew every girl I dated in high school, even Lisa Meyers, the school slut. I thought I kept that one secret.

"I overheard her talking to one of her girlfriends." Mick giggled. "She said you were the only boy that didn't make her feel like a piece of meat."

"I'm not really sure why I went out with her." I admitted. "She wasn't my type. After the second or third time she tried to unzip my pants, I took her home."

"You didn't...?" Mick gasped.

"Oh God no!" I recoiled. "I'd been with a couple girls by that time, but she scared me. I just figured I'd under perform and she'd laugh at me. Avoided the embarrassment."

"Wise choice." Mick nodded. "She ended up knocked up just after you left for college. Never heard who she pinned it on."

"You about ready to go?" I asked.

"Can we go back to your place?" She purred, snuggling into my side.

"Well, the only room with furniture is my bedroom." I said. "Sold everything else. I've got a TV, we could watch a movie or something, if you're OK with that?"

"I like the 'or something' part." She purred.

I swallowed hard, trying to maintain at least a little composure. I stood, offered my hand and walked her to my car. We drove in relative silence, holding hands, my mind a flurry of activity. I hadn't been with anyone since Ryleigh, hell, I hadn't even dated. I was trying to decide if I wanted to do this, if I wanted to risk being hurt again. If it were anybody but Mick, I'd run screaming.

Walking into the house, Mick was pressed into my side. "I'm gonna hit the little girl's room."

I nodded. "I'll need it after you're done."

She was sprawled out on my bed when I returned. "Lay with me."

Laying on my back, I stared up at the ceiling. Mick wrapped herself around me, purring like a contented kitten. "I've dreamed of this night for years." She sighed. "Cam, please make love to me."

Rolling on my side, I peered into her deep brown eyes. I kissed the end of her nose. She smiled, crinkling her eyes, stroking my hair. I could see the desire in her eyes, I'm sure she saw the same in mine. I slowly undressed her, taking time to appreciate the view as each piece of clothing was removed. She was gorgeous! 5'5" probably 120 pounds. Medium brown hair, oval, angelic face with soft, pouty lips. I kissed them as I continued to admire her body. Nice, firm breasts. Not too big, not too small, nipples standing proud. Tummy, indented by a cute navel just crying for my tongue to explore it. Wide hips that I'm sure made a perfect ass of themselves on the other side. Finally, the object of my desire, her pussy, neatly trimmed, lips protruding slightly from her obviously wet slit. She groaned when I kissed her again, pinching a nipple. I stood, eliciting a disappointed whimper from her, then started disrobing. Her eyes grew wide as she watched me remove my clothes, pausing briefly before dropping my shorts, revealing my throbbing cock. She smiled, rolled onto her back, spread her thighs and beckoned me into her arms.