Nerdcam Pt. 11

Jack shrugged.

"I wouldn't expect much. We'll probably go into town for a bit tomorrow evening to watch the fireworks show the town puts on, but back at home... Might be a cookout type of thing. Neighbors. Dozen people, maybe."

"Oh."

"My brother might show up, but the rest of the family is," he waved vaguely, "scattered across the Midwest. A cousin up in New Hampshire, I think."

"Wait, you said brother?"

"Yeah. My brother, Frank."

Anna looked over at him, then back at the road, then back to him.

"Jack. What the fuck?" her tone wasn't angry, but definitely accusatory.

"Um..."

"You have a brother?"

"Yeah, I-"

"We've been together how long? How do I not know this?"

"Uhh. I don't know. I-"

"I mean, why haven't you told me?"

"I did."

She gave him a look. Affronted and disbelieving.

"You did not."

"I did. Wh-"

"You shit. You did not." she insisted.

"If you'll let me finish, Mudslide McDrunkface," he said quickly, "It was at Nikki and Crystal's place, that time we all got wasted and Nikki got sick and fell asleep in the bathroom."

Anna's indignant expression slowly shifted to one of doubtful thought.

"I guess you were already pretty wasted by the time we started talking about family, and none of it made it into your long term memory." Jack went on.

Anna frowned. Well, that would explain it. There had been a few of those parties and get-togethers where she had drunk enough that her recollection of them was spotty. Her frown became a sort of pout.

"That's... Possible." she allowed quietly.

"Mm."

"And annoying."

"Yeah?"

"You're not just messing with me?" she asked seriously.

"About telling you, or about having a brother?"

She gave him a warning look, started to open her mouth to say something.

"Okay, okay. No, I'm not just messing with you."

"Okay. But still. You never talk about him."

"Haven't seen him in a long time. We don't really talk. Not like," he put on a scowl, "'Grr. We don't talk.' Just never kept in touch."

"Not big on keeping in touch, huh Nerd?" Anna observed.

"Well. No. I mean-"

"Nope." Anna interrupted with some satisfaction.

"Nope?"

"You were gonna say something like 'I keep in touch with your ass,' right?"

Jack gazed through the wind shield, suppressing a smile.

"Something like that. Except I would've made it sound manly, but also emotionally engaging." he eventually replied, putting his hand back on her thigh and giving it another squeeze.

The next couple of hours consisted mostly of Anna interrogating Jack about his brother. After a string of questions to which he honestly answered 'I don't know,' Jack tactfully demanded a break.

"Sorry, Love, but I couldn't tell you much about what he's been up to the past few years. If you wanna rattle of questions, I can write them down so you can grill him when we get there. If he shows."

"I'm not gonna grill anyone." Anna sniffed. "I'm just curious."

"Oh, also, about the 'in-laws' thing..."

"What 'in-laws thing'?"

"Hmm. You know how your parents would probably be really happy if we got married -- like, officially - but they're cool enough not to be obnoxious about it?"

"Yeahhhh..."

"Well... I can't promise my folks will be that... tactful."

"Oh. Mm... What if I told them I'm just using you for your penis and, uh, enthusiastic ass eating." Anna trotted out her evil smile.

"Heh. First, somewhat flattering, thanks. Second, it might be funny to see my mother try to pretend she didn't hear it. And... if you added 'swapping oral,' we could get to see my dad's head explode."

Anna rolled her eyes, but smiled.

"Yeah, I was gonna say... If they're too busy being stuck on the marriage thing to get stuck on the trans thing, I'll consider it a win."

"Ah. Yeah." Jack's expression sobered and he sat, thoughtfully quiet.

After half a minute, Anna glanced over. "You have told them about me?"

Jack made a face.

"No, woman for whom I bought a ring and made up deeply touching if slightly silly vows. I thought I would keep arguably the most important part of my life for the past several months a complete secret. I just told them I was coming alone. Figured you'd make a nice surprise."

"Well, we already established you don't keep in touch with people. And what do you mean, 'arguably' the most important?"

Jack gestured dismissively.

"Just my OCD about nuance acting up. However perfect the significant other, a person needs their own stuff, too. Like art for me."

Anna gave him a shrewd look, then nodded.

"Yeah. I was mostly just messing with you, but it's good to know I'm the perfect significant other."

"Uh huh."

"Anyway," Anna continued, "I actually kind of meant did you tell them about me being trans?"

"Oh, that. I thought we could do one of those gender reveal things. Red fireworks for girl, blue for a boy. Then just set off both."

"Huh!" Anna feigned outrage, but as so often happened, it was undermined by a smile. "You..." She broke off, laughing, before finishing with, "Jackass." I'm gonna get so much use out of that."

"Yes, I told them you're not like other girls." Jack quipped, then gave a little sigh. "Probably shoulda run that by you, but... I thought it would be better to spare you having to tell them. You're already nervous about meeting them, and I know how they can be..."

Anna nodded slowly.

"Yeah." she agreed quietly.

"Yeah, as in I shoulda run it by you, or-"

"Both," she tipped her head to one side and shrugged, "But I guess I'd rather that than you being embarrassed to tell anyone."

"Nah. You know me. I'd only be worried about whether or not you were okay with it." He gave her thigh another squeeze. "If it had been anybody other than family..."

Anna dropped one hand from the wheel to take his and give it a squeeze in turn. She looked over, catching his eye.

"We're good. You shoulda said something, but I'm glad you told them. I wouldn't wanna try to keep it a secret or something, buuut, it'd be super fuckin' weird for me -- telling your parents. Especially the first time meeting them."

"I think they're kinda weird about it, like... The stereotypical old people not knowing how to process something new or different. Not that they're bigots. They'll pretend they're not weirded out by it, and probably just avoid the subject. Hopefully. Mom's good at that. Dad has no tact, but he also doesn't give a shit about much. I'm sure after they've gotten to know you a little, they'll get used to the idea.

"Although... There's no reason you'd ever meet most of them, but the rest of my family will probably hear about you. They like their gossip. And like, again, it wouldn't be malicious, but... One of the boys being with a trans babe is pretty juicy gossip for my sheltered, normie family."

"Wow," Anna mused quietly when he paused, "Look at you being all serious. And talkative."

"Uh huh. Honestly, my mother will probably be more stuck on how hot you are. And maybe the tattoos. And it'll boggle Dad's lizard brain if he finds out you're actually a nerd."

"What about your brother?" Anna asked, her tone suggestive.

"Uh... I'm gonna assume you're teasing, and not suggesting some depraved West Virginia shit."

"Ew. Yes, I was teasing. Jeez." she gave a theatrical, full body shudder. "Good to know you're not into that, with all your weird fetishes."

"We've been over that," Jack laughed, "I'm an ass man -- if that's even a fetish. And you... You like spanking and-"

"I don't think we need to press the subject." Anna interrupted, speaking quickly.

"Uh... I won that one? That seemed a little too easy."

"Uhmm," Anna cleared her throat, "I just remembered something."

Jack let the silence draw out for several seconds. Anna had the look of somebody with something potentially embarrassing to say.

"Aaaand?" he posed finally.

"A package arrived while we were packing. I brought it with us. And, it's, uh, sort of a new toy."

"You mean an intimate toy," Jack observed. "For you, or me, or...?"

"Um. Me. Or both of us could, uh, could use it. Them. Whatever. Or maybe neither. It makes me a little nervous, and I'm already nervous about your family, so... Could we leave it for later?"

Jack whistled appreciatively.

"Now I'm intrigued. But yeah. When you think you wanna give it a try, let me know. Wouldn't wanna miss it." He leaned over close and stole a kiss when she turned to look.

"Think I'm gonna do some reading if you're good to drive for a while."

"Yeah, I'm good."

"Alright sexy. Lemme know."

*

It was late when Jack entered the Red Oak Housing development. He slowed to a crawl, letting the little Honda ease itself over the speed bumps. Between checking street signs and navigating through the maze of too-similar homes, he looked over to watch the bands of light from the street lights wash like waves over Anna's sleeping form. As the light washed over her, that old feeling of surrealness washed over Jack. For just a little while, he felt that he might be in a movie or a dream, and that if he just kept driving, this strange, perfect peace might never end. And that would be alright.

Recognizing the old block -- a little bit different than it used to be, but familiar still -- he felt that dreamlike quality evaporating, and a vague mournful feeling that it had to end. There wasn't another soul on the quiet streets at this hour anyway, so instead of just slowing, he stopped before turning into his old driveway. Shifting into park, he popped his seatbelt, leaned across and gently brushed hair back from her forehead to plant a kiss there.

Maybe there was just a little dream magic lingering, Jack mused to himself when Anna stirred and blinked open those deep, dark eyes, like something out of a black and white romance picture. He was still just staring when she finished yawning, gave him a curious look, and asked what was going on.

"We're here." Jack said softly. "Was about to pull in, but I thought you might like to wake up a little first."

"Oh." she sat up, rubbed her face, and fussed with her hair.

"Lights are still on, so I guess they waited up." he observed.

"Mm. Great." With her nerves flaring up despite still being half asleep, she gave Jack a forlorn look. "Wanna fuck real quick?"

"Aw, poor thing." Jack laughed. "Just act dopey, and I'll tell them you were sleeping. And we're both very tired."

"Won't have to act." Anna mumbled, hunting up a bottle of water.

Jack put the car back in gear and rolled up the driveway to park behind his old man's old pickup. Slightly reluctant, they both took their time getting out and retrieving their luggage from the trunk. Anna insisted on carrying her own, just to give her something to do with her hands. As they reached the front step, the door opened and Jack's father leaned out, a beer in one hand.

"You made it. Need a hand with that?"

Anna's first impression of the man was of a stereotypical suburban retiree, if there is such a thing. A sub-type, perhaps. Solidly built, glasses, balding. Dress shirt with the sleeves rolled up from the forearms, old watch with a metal link band, beige Dickies, and loafers. Spoke just a little louder than was really necessary. Bore a faint hint of Aqua Velva along with the beer.

"Nah, thanks, we got it." Jack answered, going in ahead of Anna, with the thought of buffering her from his mother in mind.

"Well, get in here. Your mother's been going on about how worried she is. I told her you'd be fine, but you know how she is."

"Yeah."

The two shuffled in and stood awkwardly on an island of tile in one corner of the den, with the doorway to the kitchen on their immediate right. Jack's father leaned there, limned in the lights from the kitchen, while his mother set a mug on a coffee table and rose from the sofa in the den. Jack made introductions while she hurried over, her slippers shuff-shuff-shuffing on the carpet.

"Uh, my Dad, Ed," he gestured, "And Mom, Kay. This is Anna."

It was nothing on the level of rudeness, but seeing how Mom/Kay looked her over while approaching, Anna was reminded of Jack's predictions. Ah well. Not like any mother wouldn't size up any woman a son brought home.

"Anna, hello. It's so good to meet you."

And then Anna was awkwardly returning an embrace. Another Mom who was a hugger.

"Alright, hon, don't scare the poor thing away." Jack's father commented.

"Jack didn't let on how gorgeous you are. And tall -- you'll fit right in around here. Both of the boys take after their father." Kay said, releasing her from the hug.

Jack's mom was about 5'6, edging toward heavy-set, with sandy blond hair gone mostly grey. In addition to well worn slippers, she wore a pastel purple terry cloth dressing gown. She gave off a quintessentially motherly -- or grandmotherly -- aura, suddenly making Anna wonder if Jack's brother had any children.

The overall effect put Anna in mind of a sitcom couple after the kids have grown up and moved away.

"Take your shoes off. Make yourselves to home. Jack knows his way around. Ain't changed much, 'cept your mother set up shop in your brother's old room." Ed moved around the others to settle into an old recliner as if it were moulded to fit him, which at this point it essentially was.

The visiting couple obliged while Jack fielded questions from his mother, like how was the ride, and did they need help with the luggage, and so on and so forth. Jack then backed across the den with Anna en tow, edging toward the hall leading back to the bedrooms -- repeatedly iterating that they were tired from the drive. Anna demurred Kay's good natured offers of coffee, tea, juice, and, by the sounds of it, pretty much everything else in the kitchen.

"Yell if you need anything. Nice meeting you, Anna." Ed briefly interrupted his wife, while flicking through channels on the television.

When they had made it back into the hall, Jack gave Anna something like a tour, which he accomplished by pointing here and there.

"Bathroom. Door to the basement -- the stairs are kinda steep, so watch that. Back there's the back door. Frank's room. Aaand our suite."

Anna really was ready to crash again, but getting a look at Jack's childhood bedroom piqued her curiosity.

"So, I get that it's a guest room now, but what about all your stuff? Did you take it all with you or get rid of it or...?" she asked, moving around the room and looking for signs of past Jack's former presence.

Jack sat on the bed and began stripping down to his boxers.

"Took some with me. Got rid of some. Probably some of whatever was left is still in the cellar."

"Ah. You'll show me tomorrow, right?"

"If you want. Umm, as far as anything in here now... The bed's the same, but the sheets and stuff are different, obviously. And," he lay back and checked in the pillow cases, "nope, new pillows, too. But if you check in the closet -- I'll bet they never bothered covering that."

"Covering what?"

Anna opened the closet door, pulled a dangling cord to switch on an overhead light, and looked around. When nothing jumped out at her, she shifted jackets and unladen clothes hangers around on the rod to look under and behind.

"Oh wow, this is... Did you paint this?"

"Yeah," he joined her, putting his arms around her and looking over her shoulder, "Uh, Sophomore year of high school. They're all from The Lord of the Rings."

"Yeah. I recognized this one from the big fiery eye, but..."

"Sauron's dark tower at Barad-Dur." Jack nodded. "That one on the left is Bilbo's hobbit hole."

"Ohhh, yeah."

"And on the right, with the white tower..." Jack trailed off, making it sound like a question.

Anna peered at the acrylic depiction of a pale, massive stronghold build onto the side of a mountain.

"I can't remember the name, but it's the good guys' place. Where the king goes crazy. Aaaand the orcs or ogres or whatever use the special battering ram. And, uh-"

"Not bad, nerd girl." Jack smiled. "Minas Tirith. Capital of Gondor after Osgiliath. Overlooked the Pelennor Fields. Although, technically, Denethor was only steward of Gondor, not king -- not to put too fine a point on it."

Anna snorted.

"Alright, Nerdmaster." She admired the three works painted directly on the faux wood grain panelling of the closet walls. A thought occurred to her. "You don't paint any more. Why not?"

Jack shrugged.

"Never really got that into it. I had been drawing for a handful of years already when I tried painting. Guess I just stuck with the one that came easier. Or that I already had experience with. And painting supplies are pricey for a kid.

"Then I got into the digital art thing, and then the webcomic thing."

"Mm. Well, these are pretty impressive to me." she said, turning to face him and reaching her hands up to cradle his face.

"Thanks, Sexy." He bent for a quick kiss.

As he straightened up, his eyes went distant, then he broke into a grin.

"What?"

"I was just thinking... Sixteen year old me would've had a very different outlook if he had known I would end up standing here, with you, now."

"Aww." She gave a sort of half smiling pout, "You probably have to drag me over and toss me on the bed, but if you don't mind doing all the work, you can have your way with me."

"Heh, thanks love," he smiled, "But, as romantic as that was, and even though I know sixteen year old me would kick me for saying it, I'm pretty wiped from driving, too. Let's just cuddle a little and get some sleep."

Anna smiled, let her eyelids close and her head fall forward against his chest.

"Mmkay."

"We can always fool around tomorrow night. When we're not so tired, and we can really appreciate the thrill of fucking in my old bedroom."

He turned out the closet light, then bent his legs and hoisted Anna so that she could circle her legs around him, her arms over his shoulders, while he cut the bedroom light before returning to the bed.

"Down we go." he grunted, rolling onto the bed on his side. "Leggo. I'll help with your clothes."

Anna disentangled herself and rolled onto her back, not bothering to open her eyes. She unbuttoned her jeans, then wiggled this way and that, moving a limb here or there, while Jack did the real work. Going with her usual sleeping attire, Jack left her in her shirt and panties. While they had decided not to get frisky, he didn't pass on the opportunity to plant a soft, tickling kiss here or there while he was at it.

Burrowing under the covers, they came together to kiss and snuggle up. Anna worked one of her legs between his, enjoying his body heat.

"Maybe when we get a place, you could paint something." she murmured sleepily, then even more quietly, "Like a nude self portrait."

"Or something." Jack chuckled, then, "'Night, Beautiful."

Having reached zombie mode already, Anna came up with "Mm. Lerv you, too."

He rolled his eyes, then watched as her face took on the placid peace of sleep, and eventually joined her.

The next morning Jack awoke to a weight resting on his lap. An occurrence which, at this point, didn't surprise him overmuch. He rubbed his face, scratched his jaw, reached up to lace his fingers behind his head, and finally blinked his eyes open. Thankfully, it was Anna straddling him, as expected.

A little surprising -- pleasantly so -- was the fact she had taken her shirt off and replaced it with nothing at all.

"Hey."

"Morning, Sexy. What's the occasion?"

"I know being around family can be trying. Thought I could at least help start the day off with a smile." she scootched up on his midsection, leaned forward to walk her hands up to his shoulders, and lowered herself to gently smother him with her breasts.

He said something that was rendered incomprehensible as she gave her tits a jiggle, but he sounded happy. After a little motor-boating, made a bit prickly by his stubble, he gave her nipples some oral attention.