Mother Road Ch. 08 - Lost Highway

After explaining it to the boys, they understood. Since Connie was also staying there, Del seemed pleased. David's reaction, however, was melancholy. I can't say as I blamed him, as finding out your older half-brother might want you dead was more than a teenager should have to bear.

The 7th of July was David and Delavan's 18th birthday. Trent, Jackie, and Athena were delighted because they welcomed any excuse for cake and ice cream. TJ and Ruthie were also excited about cake, but their older sister Pearl seemed to have an ulterior motive for showing up: David.

Ever since they'd danced together at Eli and Natty's wedding, my daughter Pearl and my stepson Liam's stepson Hunter had been sort-of an item (strange, I know, but love is love). They'd gone on dates and to school dances together, but it never seemed to advance beyond the friendship level. When Sal dropped the boys off with us, though, Pearl transformed. The minute she arrived, she was by David's side, any thoughts of Hunter banished as she attempted to lift his spirits.

Now 19, Pearl was her own woman. She was confident and outgoing like her older sister Ava, but whereas Ava was a near-clone of Laura, Pearl didn't inherit her mother's shapely Terhune girl figure; instead she was a little on the thin side, like my mother. She did have the Terhune family's red hair and green eyes, though.

The night I'd proposed to Laura was also the night she'd revealed she was pregnant with Pearl. All of my step-children were attractive, of course; it may have been just fatherly ego, but in my eyes, my daughter provided conclusive proof that Laura and I made babies of unparalleled good looks. Now I could only watch as my daughter proceeded to put a full-court press on this tall blonde young man.

To his credit, David didn't respond as any normal teenage boy might; instead of pawing at her, he just smiled and spoke to her respectfully. It was then I realized that as the days had gone by, I'd become quite fond of Quiet Sal's two sons. I'd miss them when they left for Harvard.

For her part, Connie was warm to everyone, even Laura. She'd volunteered to act as hostess for the party and was overseeing things like a professional caterer. The food was perfect, the cake delicious, and the little ones repeatedly squealed with delight throughout the day. TJ seemed to take a shine to his new aunt, and volunteered to supervise the party games she'd set up for the younger siblings. This, in turn, allowed her to lightly canoodle with Del.

His response was respectful, but unlike his brother, Del didn't avoid physical contact. At one point, I'd walked into the kitchen to find the two of them engaged in a 'warm embrace', for the lack of a better term. I'd quickly done a 180 and left, leaving the boy to his birthday kiss. After all he'd been through, he deserved a lip-lock from a beautiful woman like Connie, even if she was 8 years older.

After the party ended, Laura, Walter and I cleaned up since Connie had done all the prep work. Pearl gathered up TJ and Ruthie to drive them home in our van, since it had Ruthie's child seat, leaving us her little Fiesta, while Dotty put Trent, Jackie, and Athena ready for bed.

Then Walter asked, "Where are David and Delavan?"

I hadn't been paying attention, but in thinking about it, David disappeared about the same time that Pearl left. "Maybe David rode home with Pearl," I offered, "he seemed to be warming up to her."

Laura picked up her phone and called Pearl, spoke for a minute and confirmed, "Yes, David's at our place."

Walter shook his head, not pleased. "He needs to understand he can't run off like that."

"Walter, when you were 18, you were on your own in the Army," I explained, "but David's a kid who's been sheltered all his life. It's understandable if he wants to be let off the chain. He's got a good head on his shoulders, I'm sure he'll be fine for tonight. Besides, he's with Pearl, she's not exactly a wild child." As soon as those words left my lips, I realized I was probably full of shit.

Laura arrived at the same conclusion, and chided me, "Sweetheart, did you just hear the words that came out of your own mouth? Mixing that emotionally vulnerable young man with our strong-willed daughter is a sure-fire recipe for a grandchild! We need to get home!"

I saw her point, and stood to leave. Then Dotty asked, "What about Del?"

"Check Connie's room," I responded, "the way Connie and he were carrying on earlier in the kitchen, I'm guessing the two of them are doing some cooking of their own in there."

Laura and I left, driving home in record time. As we pulled up in front of the farmhouse, I glanced at the cabin. I saw the curtains were open and no light was on, and breathed a sigh of relief. It would have been really ironic if the lovebirds were going at it in the same place Pearl was conceived there 20 years ago!

Instead, we found Pearl and David in the TV room; an old movie was playing with the sound down. Pearl was seated on the couch, and David lay his head in her lap, asleep.

"After the little ones were out to bed I found him in here crying," she explained. Her hand reached down and stroked his forehead as she went on. "He's been through so much, he was already missing his parents, and then finding out his older brother hates him was too much. I held him until he fell asleep."

I felt myself getting a little choked up. This empathy and caring was her mother, through and through.

"We should wake him and take him back to Walter's," I said. The anger that flared in Pearl's eyes showed me I should have kept my mouth shut.

"David is staying the night in my room," she said matter-of-factly, "and you two can't say no because you let Ava and Ashley sleep together, and Eli used to spent the night with Natty before they were married."

I could have argued that Ava and Ashley started doing that before we knew they had a relationship, and that Natty was already pregnant when she came to stay with us, but one look at Laura told me to keep my mouth shut.

Laura said quietly, "Pearl, you're 19, so we can't really tell you not to. But can you please make sure if you have sex, that you use protection? You're still a college student and David's going to college in Boston soon, this isn't a good time for you to get pregnant."

"Not that it's any of your business, but we're both virgins, Mom. If we decide to have sex, it's up to us what we do." That didn't surprise me about Pearl, since she lived with us while attending Sooner State University and commuted into campus every day. Knowing how protective Quiet Sal had been of his boys, I wasn't surprised to hear that about David, either. I was kind of relieved, actually. Then Pearl hit us with a curveball.

"Even if I did get pregnant, would it be such a bad thing? Olly got pregnant when she was in college."

I could see Laura's face flush a bit. Despite Olivia now being happily married with two children, Laura was still very protective of our oldest daughter, as was I. Olly had been her mother's right hand for years, as well as being instrumental in Laura agreeing to marry me. What's more, her getting pregnant had inadvertently set Walter on the path that led to him marrying Dotty. Ergo, Olivia was The Girl Who Could Do No Wrong.

If it were anyone else criticizing Olly, Laura would have chewed them up and spit them out, but this was Pearl, our first shared baby. Laura took a deep calming breath and said, "Olivia was lucky. It was her senior year, so she was able to graduate, and Brad was responsible enough to marry her. She could have ended up a single mother."

I could have added, 'And it took your Uncle Walter and I scaring the piss out of Brad and his family for him to become responsible', but I read the room and decided some things are best left unsaid.

Pearl protested, "David's responsible! Besides, Daddy got you pregnant with me before you were married." Inwardly, I had to laugh. There was no escaping the fact that Terhune women were all smart and fertile. Our girl had a point, leaving Laura speechless for a moment.

Finally, waving one hand in the air she blurted out, "Fine. This discussion is over. Do what you want with him, but please be careful!" Turning on her heel, she marched upstairs.

I walked over and kissed Pearl's forehead. "Goodnight, baby," I said softly, then went upstairs into our bedroom. Laura was in bed with the covers pulled up, and for once, Ruthie wasn't there. Locking the bedroom door on the outside chance I might get some loving, I quickly went into the bathroom, did my nightly routine, then slipped under the covers.

I was hesitant to touch Laura, unsure what her reaction might be.

"I'm a failure as a mother. Pearl barely knows that boy, and she's going to end up pregnant."

I moved up behind Laura and spooned with her, my arm draped over her. "You're not a failure as a mother, to Pearl or any of the other kids," I assured her, "they're happy and healthy, except for Eli, and that's Chris Palermo's fault, not yours."

She rolled over to face me, tears in her eyes. "Do you really think so?"

I pressed my lips to hers, kissing her softly. "Of course I do. When we first met, you were a single mother busting your ass to raise seven children without help, quite successfully I might add. I was in awe from the minute we met, and wished you were a mother to my baby."

I took the opportunity to kiss her again, giving her left breast a gentle squeeze to demonstrate that underneath my kind and caring exterior, when it came to her body, I remained a horny pig.

She returned my kiss, her tongue teasing my lips as she ran her hand over the crotch of my undershorts, showing she was in receipt of my carnal message. "You certainly got your wish, didn't you?"

Pulling Laura close to me, I chuckled, "I did indeed. Our first year of marriage was incredible. There were times I used to wake up at night and just stare at you, incredulous that I was really your husband, and your baby bump was because of me! I'd never been so damned happy!" I began unbuttoning the front of her flannel nightgown, because the happy memories of our first year were really getting me going.

"My pregnancy with Pearl was my favorite," she said as I kissed her neck, "I was a newlywed, crazy in love. I had very little morning sickness, plus an adoring husband who waited on me hand and foot while helping take care of the other children."

I paused the neck kissing just long enough to pull my boxers off, then went back to my task. "I remember being so excited that you were giving me everything I didn't get from my first marriage. I had a pregnant wife that I couldn't get enough of, plus a bunch of kids that seemed to really like me. I have to tell you, that first year I absolutely hated travelling for business. Being away from you and the kids was awful!"

Pulling her robe open, I moved my mouth down to her collarbone, and kissed my way onto the tops of her breasts. I moved my free arm down and squeezed her left butt cheek. In the years we'd been married Laura's ass may have grown bigger after birthing three children, but that just gave me more to squeeze. I loved that ass.

She gave a tiny moan of approval, and I moved my mouth down to her nipples. "I remember when you'd come home after travelling, you were especially affectionate. None of my other husbands had ever made me feel so loved, especially when I looked like a hot air balloon. I was so happy I'd married you."

Rolling her onto her back, I positioned my torso between her legs, and moved up enough for our lips to meet. I kissed her deeply, then told her, "You were perfect to me then, and you're perfect to me now." Moving up another few inches, I reached down and positioned the tip of my cock at her vaginal entrance.

Before slipping in, I told her, "You're a perfect wife and a great mother; you don't need to worry about Pearl, she's a smart, strong women who can take care of herself, just like Olivia, Ava, and Amelia."

Unable to wait any longer, I thrust my way in, and was pleased to hear Laura gasp in pleasure. As I began to slide into her, I told her "And if Pearl gets pregnant, so what? We'll take care of her child until she graduates, like we did with Olivia. She's going to be fine."

There was no more talking after that, just slow and gentle lovemaking.

~~~~~~~~~~

The next morning Pearl was up before us, making breakfast for TJ, Ruthie, and the tall blonde quiet boy who, based on the way Pearl was hovering over him, was most likely a future son-in-law.

I sat down at the table with my morning coffee, remembering a similar breakfast scene when our daughter Ava had matter-of-factly informed us that she'd been accepted by the University of Illinois in Chicago to pursue a degree in architecture, and, oh by the way, she and her girlfriend Ashley were getting married. That was Ava for you, as subtle as an MMA fighter.

I prayed this morning's conversation would not be as nearly as dramatic. My prayers, however, went unanswered.

While Laura and Pearl were having a heated-but-whispered discussion in the kitchen, (never a good sign), I tried to make small talk with David.

He was staring down at his cereal bowl as if he was reading his fortune in the few soggy cornflakes at the bottom when I asked, "So, David, did you sleep well?"

He looked up at me as if I'd just hit him with a Taser, then blurted out, "Mr. McFarland I don't want to go to Harvard and I'm 18 now so you can't make me and I've applied at Sooner State University because I love Pearl and she loves me and she wants me to propose so we can get married and live here close to her brothers and sisters and you and Mrs. McFarland."

I shook my head at David's sudden blast of verbosity, wondering why these surprises always presented themselves at breakfast! Laura and Pearl walked in, and it was obvious both had been crying.

I looked at Laura and she helplessly shrugged. Shaking my head, I tried to get my head around what had transpired in the night besides me getting my pipes cleaned by my trophy wife. Taking a deep breath, I tried to formulate a rational response.

"Thank you for telling me, David," I began, "I think you're a great kid and I'm glad you and Pearl have such strong feelings for each other." I looked at Pearl, and she seemed to be anxious about my reaction. "You're putting me in a tight spot, because I promised your father I'd make sure you and your brother went to Harvard like your mother wanted."

David was quiet for a moment, then spoke softly. "I get that you made a promise to Dad, but when our mother was dying in the hospital, she told Del and I that life was too short and we should do what makes us happy. Going to Harvard won't make me happy. Being with Pearl does. I think Mom would understand."

I realized that David was a lot like our son James, a man who didn't say much but when he did, it was usually something significant. I had to admit, there was no arguing with his logic. Still I had a feeling that my daughter might have influenced him, and had to make sure what he was telling me was what he really wanted. I asked, "David, you're really young to get married. Was this idea yours or Pearl's?"

David straightened his posture defensively, looking at Pearl as he answered. "We decided together." Then he turned his steely gaze on me and asked, "You wanted to marry Mrs. McFarland the minute you saw her, isn't that right? That's what Pearl told me."

The kid was no dummy; he'd nailed me on that one. Looking at Laura's teary eyes, I admitted, "That's not exactly accurate. It wasn't a minute, it actually took me a few hours, but in my defense, I was established and in my late twenties. But yeah, I wanted to marry her pretty much from the day we met."

"Have you ever regretted it?"

"Never, not even for a minute."

"If you're trying to persuade me that staying here and marrying Pearl is a bad idea, it's not working."

To describe David as impassioned was not giving him enough credit; I felt like a high school debater who'd been destroyed by a collegiate national debate tournament champion. I nodded in surrender, no fight left in me. I offered my hand and said, "Welcome to the family, son," and shook with my future son-in-law.

I heard Pearl give a happy squeak, and looked up. Laura's arms were wrapped around her, and she was crying happily, with her mother's happy tears were mixed with hers. David stood up; taking her in his arms, he gave her a loving kiss. They then disappeared upstairs.

I told Laura I'd make toast and eggs for our breakfast. As I cooked, I could hear a soft rhythmic thumping coming from the ceiling. Coincidentally, Pearl's bedroom was located directly above the kitchen, so I didn't need to be Einstein to know what was happening. (Coincidentally, this bedroom was no stranger to young love; it was the same one that we'd discovered Ava going down on her girlfriend Ashley late one night, and the one that Lucas and Natty had shared before moving to Kansas.)

I made a perfect omelet for Laura and I, but we'd only eaten about half of it before the overhead sounds of our daughter and David losing their virginities compelled us to finish breakfast in the TV room.

~~~~~~~~~~

Later that day, I went over to Walter's place to check on the construction progress of his new unit. Ours was almost done, we were just waiting for the final inspection by a Wellston building department inspector. Because of some last-minute changes Dotty had asked for -- additional electrical plugs in the kitchen wiring - their unit was not as close to completion.

When I arrived, Walter and Dotty had just gotten back from the store and were unpacking groceries. It was a hot day, so Trent, Jackie and Athena were outside splashing in a kiddie pool. Del and our recently-arrived kid sister were nowhere to be seen. I grabbed a soft drink from the refrigerator and asked, "How are Connie and Del doing?" Walter just smirked and chuckled, while Dotty rolled her eyes.

"Del slept in Connie's room last night," she told me, a hint of disgust in her voice. "He's still there. The two of them came out mid-morning for some breakfast, grabbed some fresh sheets, then went back in."

Walter chuckled, "Them two was at it like a pair of them bon-bon monkeys."

"You mean 'bonobos', and they're apes, not monkeys," I corrected.

Before he could respond, there was a shuffling noise and Connie walked in. She was barefoot, wrapped in an old robe that did a lousy job of covering her admirable cleavage. (I had to admit, every Terhune sister I'd met had award-winning boobs.)

My sister-in-law had a serious case of bed hair, plus the smug look of a woman who'd been thoroughly fucked. I knew that look well; I'd seen it on Laura's face the times when I'd really gone to town on her, like pretty much every time during our first year of marriage, and on our babymoon in Hawaii.

Pouring herself a cup from the coffee maker, Connie purred in a sleepy voice, "Good morning everybody!"

"It's already afternoon," Dotty scolded, "are you going to stay in bed all day?"

Her look of smugness turned to one of utter bliss. "Let me tell you, Del is amazing. He lasted about a minute the first time and was really embarrassed about it, but I told him that was common for guys on their first time. Plus, I took it as a compliment that I was that exciting to him. Then, he asked me if we could do it again!"

OK, this was a little more than I cared to know, but apparently Connie was taking no notice.

"I assured him once he recovered, we could do it as many times as he wanted. Turns out his refractory period lasted all of 4 minutes before he was ready again; we did it two more times before finally falling asleep, then this morning he kissed me awake and we done it again! Thankfully, he fell back to sleep afterwards; if he hadn't, I might not be able to walk! His stamina is just unbelievable."