Oddball Ch. 07c

After a moment, the girl's surprise wore off and she rapidly signed back.

'Me Amber Boudreaux,' the girl signed back.

Mary stood, open-mouthed as Thomas and Amber signed back and forth. Finally, Thomas pointed toward Cheryl so that Cheryl could take the picture.

"Thank you," a relieved Mia Boudreaux beamed as a very excited Amber bounded toward her mother.

"Thomas, where'd you learn that?" Mary asked.

"I'm Santa," Thomas laughed. "Santa Claus knows all that kind of stuff."

Chin Li brought a crying little boy to Thomas and the three of them tried to get the boy to stop crying long enough for Cheryl to snap a picture, but he was too frightened.

Even the offered candy cane did not do the trick; the boy threw it at Chin Li.

----

"And Mary's dress is a real nice silver," Melissa was enthusing.

"Sounds great," Jim smiled. "God, it's next week! I can't believe it, it's next week!"

"Not getting cold feet, are you?" Melissa asked worriedly.

"No, no I'm not," Jim lied.

"Liar," Melissa laughed and kissed him

The kiss had started off as a playful little peck, but grew in passion.

"Damn, I can't wait until the honeymoon," Melissa whispered.

"Uh huh," Jim agreed, shifting his growing erection.

:Oh, my Momma's got the engagement party tonight; Mary's going to need a ride; I'm going to pick her up at Abdul's, she said she won't wear that elf costume, but I bet she looks so cute," Melissa started babbling nervously.

"Have fun," Jim smiled.

"Oh no, mister!" Melissa laughed. "You're going to be there too!"

"Oh no I'm not!" Jim said. "Hank said we're cutting out of there and going down to Hooters."

"Uh huh, like Momma's going to let him do that," Melissa laughed. "Oh, and wear that green tie I got you, okay?"

"Aw, come on!" Jim complained. "I hate wearing ties!"

"So?" Melissa said, looking into his eyes, smiling.

----

"Dress blues?" James asked, heart bursting with joy. "Or just a regular suit?"

"Regular suit should be fine," Theresa said. "I kind of figured you'd save the dress blues for the wedding."

"Uh uh, I didn't get measured for a tux for nothing," James argued.

"Hey, Kowalski, that a personal call," Charles Villain called out.

"No, it's my wife," James called back.

"And that's not personal?" Theresa laughed.

"And that's not personal?" Charles laughed.

"You know what I mean," James said, embarrassed.

----

"Hang on, hang on," John Farmer smiled as he cradled his wife in his arms. "You mean, she's going to be out all day AND all night?"

"Yes, she has that engagement party tonight," Leah answered.

"Whatever shall we do?" John whispered in her ear.

"Don't know about you, but I'm going to clean house," Leah smiled.

"No you're not," John said and began to kiss his wife's neck and shoulders.

"Baby, you got work, remember?" Leah groaned.

Having her neck and shoulders nibbled on was something that was so hard for her to resist.

"That's what we hired Violet for, remember?" John said.

"Damn it, John Farmer," Leah weakly protested. "Coming home for a nooner is one thing; I didn't know you were going to make it an all day Thing."

"And I didn't know you were going to be so sexy," John complained right back.

"Fine, fine," Leah mock complained. "Hurry up, get it over with."

-"Oh gee, when you put it like that," John said as he entered his wife again.

"Oh, God that's good," Leah, groaned.

----

"My cousin Angela's deaf," Thomas said as the trio wearily made their way through the throngs of holiday shoppers.

The numerous children that wanted to hug Santa, wanted to talk to Santa, hampered their progress. Thomas did not get agitated or upset, but often knelt down to hug the children.

"I love him so much," Mary thought as she watched him signing again to Amber Boudreaux.

"Oh no!" Melissa laughed as she came up. "Oh, Mary, you have to wear that to the party!"

"Shut up, I will not!" Mary argued.

"But Mary, you're adorable!" Melissa laughed and hugged the diminutive girl.

"I look like a slut," Mary whispered to her friend.

"O shush, you do not," Melissa laughed.

"See you there," Thomas said and waved as he entered the male's dressing room.

----

Tiffany followed Barry's directions and pulled up in front of a modest brick house on the outskirts of DeGarde, almost to the Bender line.

"And we're here," Barry said and got out of the car.

A middle-aged man opened the door and smiled happily at his son.

"Don't worry," Clark Duhon laughed at Tiffany. "Male Pattern Baldness comes from the mother's side of the family. He won't wind up looking like this."

"Oh, I wasn't thinking that," Tiffany lied.

They came into the living room and were greeted by fierce yapping from Hercules and Athena, Clark's two Yorkshire Terriers.

"Ah I see you've met the ferocious beasts," Clark laughed as Tiffany squealed and oohed and aahed over the two small dogs. "Careful, they're killers."

"Hello," a very pregnant girl said as she waddled into the room.

"Tiffany, this is DebbiAnn," Clark said in way of introduction.

"Hey, I know you!" Tiffany said. "You were a cheerleader at North side, huh?"

"That's right!" DebbiAnn smiled. "Go Defenders! Graduated last year, though."

"Nuh uh!" Tiffany laughed. "It's 'Go Bull Dogs!'"

"Careful," Clark smiled. "Here come three more and they're going to want your attention too."

Tiffany squealed as three tiny puppies came scrambling onto the living room.

"How you been, Barry?" DebbiAnn asked Barry.

----

His father was looking at him funny. David wondered if his dad knew, if his dad could just look at him and tell that he'd been fucked earlier.

He took a cautious sniff; maybe his dad could smell the hot, sweaty sex he and John had had earlier.

John had picked him up, and then driven out to Huvall's Levee. There was no preamble, no foreplay. John simply yanked David's pants down to his knees and rammed his spittle-lubricated cock into David's protesting rectum.

After he'd come in David's intestines, John sucked David's cock until David ejaculated. Then John pounded into David's anus again.

David tore his eyes away from his father's gaze and went into his bedroom. He lay down on his bed and began crying.

----

The jeweler did not bat an eye when John ordered the two ID bracelets.

"It's for my brother, David," a blushing John explained.

"Uh huh," the jeweler said aloud.

To himself he muttered, "Like I give a shit that it's for. You want to buy your boyfriend jewelry, my door's always open."

They went over the spelling of Chin Li's named and the man agreed to have the two ready for Wednesday.

----

Chin Li paid the two hundred dollars for the original Cherokee pottery bowl. John had claimed to be part Cherokee on his mother's side. She hoped he would like it; it cost her nearly her entire paycheck from Abdul's.

"Here," the woman smiled and added an eagle feather to the bowl. "The feather of an eagle is always good luck."

"Oh thank you," Chin Li smiled happily.

"Merry Christmas," the woman smiled as the girl left the shop.

----

"You know, she's not just your dad's assistant," Tiffany whispered, even though it was just the two of them in the car.

"N-n-n-no k-k-k-kid-d-d-ding?" Barry asked.

"That his baby?" Tiffany asked Barry, oddly turned on by the thought.

"N-n-n-no, sh-sh-sh-she was already-d-d-dy p-p-p-pregnant w-w-w-when sh-sh-sh-she st-st-st-started w-w-w-working f-f-f-for h-h-h-him," Barry said, obviously quite uncomfortable with the topic.

"Oh my God!" Tiffany said. "Those puppies are so cute! I love them!"

----

Melissa couldn't help but laugh; Mary was charming her usually snooty, pretentious mother, just as she charmed everyone. Her daddy was already under Mary's spell, mooning over the girl, right in front of his wife.

Margaret had been upset with Melissa for not selecting Amy, her cousin, to be her maid of honor, but Melissa had held firm. She didn't think she'd have any more problems out of her mother.

"And then Melissa showed me the dress and I just couldn't believe it and that's the dress I want to get married in when Thomas and I get married," Mary was prattling on.

"Oh?" Hank asked. "Already got yourself a beau?"

"Thomas, Jim's brother," Melissa interrupted.

"He's the most wonderful man in the world," Mary admitted, blushing hotly. "I mean, you should see him! He's dressed up like Santa and he's just so great with all them kids and..."

"And I bet that's him," Melissa smiled as the doorbells chimed.

Tiana answered the door and ushered James and Theresa Kowalski into the living room.

"Hi, Mr. Kowalski," Mary greeted Thomas' father. "Hi Miss Theresa."

"Hank, Hank Schaub," Hank said and gave James a hearty handshake.

"Sergeant James Kowalski," James said.

"And who's this beauty?" Hank asked, smiling at Theresa.

"My wife, Theresa Kowalski," James smiled.

"Ahem," Margaret Schaub cleared her throat.

"Oh, yeah, here's my wife, Margaret," Hank said, playfully rolling his eyes.

"That's the soon to be widowed Margaret Schaub if someone doesn't start treating me right," Margaret nudged her husband and greeted their guests.

"So James, name your poison," Hank said and indicated the bar.

"Don't drink," James cheerfully said. "But I would love a diet coke if you got one. Theresa, want anything?"

"Diet coke," Theresa agreed. "Margaret, you have a beautiful home."

"And Tiana would quit if I don't tell you it's her that has to clean it all the time," Margaret smiled.

"And following Mr. Hank around all day long, picking up after him keeps me busy too," Tiana agreed.

"Come on, Jim, hurry up," Melissa muttered under her breath.

----

Come on, bitch, quit messing with it," Thomas said as he helped Jim tie the green tie that Melissa had requested.

"I hate ties," Jim complained.

"Dude, don't matter, now does it?" Thomas smiled and slapped Jim's hand away from the knot.

"Damn it, we're late," Jim, complained as he looked at the clock.

"Uh huh, now where are we going?" Thomas asked as they left Jim's apartment.

"South shore Drive, in Baylor Lake," Jim said, looking at the address that Melissa had scribbled out.

"South... Dude, her parents got that kind of money?" Thomas asked.

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure," Jim, agreed.

----

"And this is my uncle Louie," Melissa pasted a smile on her face as she introduced her future mother and father in law.

Under her breath, she cursed Jim Kowalski.

"Finally," she said aloud as she heard the doorbells chime.

Chapter 4

The church was beautiful; in just a short amount of time, Melissa and Jim had picked out and arranged a beautiful occasion. Silver ribbons and white hothouse roses adorned the aisle and altar.

Jim waited in the small room with Thomas, Keith, and Ben, a cousin. There was a knock at the door and Thomas peeked outside.

"Hey, it's your father in law, want me to get rid of him?" Thomas teased.

"The right answer, in case you're wondering is 'No,'" Hank said and entered the small room.

"Hey, Hank," Jim said, cursing himself for sounding so nervous.

"Just wanted to talk with you real quick; we're getting ready to get started here," Hank smiled.

"Want us to leave?" Keith asked.

"What? NO, no, stay," Hank smiled.

He sat down next to Jim.

"My baby," Hank started, then misted up. "My baby's getting married."

"Yeah," Jim agreed.

"She's my whole world, son," Hank went on.

"Mine too," Jim agreed.

"Just promise me one thing," Hank said quietly. "Just promise me you'll try, that you'll do the best you can to make her happy."

"Word of honor," Jim agreed.

"Good, good," Hank said and left the room.

----

Cheryl pursed her lips. Mr. Banks, the store assistant manager, wasn't a very good substitute Santa. He was preoccupied with the business of the store, was short with the parents, and lacked any warmth toward the children, and was antagonistic toward Chin Li.

She had thrown a major fit when Thomas had reminded her that his brother was getting married on the Saturday before Christmas.

"Our biggest Saturday?" she had huffed.

"And I'm the maid of honor," Mary reminded her.

"Great, one Santa and one elf," Cheryl snarled.

"Cheryl, I told you all about it when I applied for this job," Thomas reminded her.

"I know, damn it, I know," Cheryl agreed.

"I hope you and your brother are having a hell of a time," she muttered under her breath as Mr. Banks clumsily grabbed a child.

----

Mary thought she would faint; Thomas looked so handsome in his tuxedo. She imagined them walking up the aisle toward the priest, to exchange their vows.

Thomas looked at his girlfriend and smiled. Her hair was done up in curls and silver ribbons and baby's breath florets. Her dress was a silver foil looking material and she was wearing her contact lenses.

"You're gorgeous," he whispered to her as they proceeded up the aisle.

"You are too," she whispered back.

Jim smiled nervously as his brother and Mary approached. He looked over at his mother and shook his head; her sobbing could be heard loud and clear.

Then the music swelled and the entire congregation stood and looked toward the rear of the church.

"Mother fucker," Jim muttered as his bride appeared.

"Holy shit," Thomas agreed.

----

"Britney, so good to see you again," Cecil enthused when Oscar and Britney entered the small home.

"Good to see you too, Mr. Coutre," Britney agreed.

"Hey, hey, what's with this 'Mister Coutre' stuff?" Cecil joked. "You don't have to call me Mr. Coutre; 'Sir' is good enough. Or, I kind of like 'Lored and Master.'"

"Keep dreaming," Sophia Breaux, Cecil's fiancé smirked. "Hi, Britney, How've you been?"

Lunch was simple, but delicious. Cecil was quite proud of his skills in the kitchen and loved to show off.

Britney squeezed Oscar's hand under the table and smiled happily as she felt him squeeze back. She was genuinely happy to have her man back.

They'd not made love since reconciling; she just wasn't ready to be intimate again. The desire was there; ever since Mary and Thomas were working at Abdul's, she and Mary had not had any time for each other. She had not forgotten how wonderful it felt to have Oscar thrusting in and out of her, how satisfying it was to feel him imbedded in her. But, she balked at being vulnerable again, being hurt again.

But it did feel good to hold his hand.

----

Cheryl looked over and her heart sank. Several children lined up, waiting their turn with Santa. And their small hands were flailing as they signed to one another. The adults that were with them also signed to the children. Their loud guttural grunts and exclamations could be heard over the usual cacophony of the other children.

One of the women pulled away from the group and approached Cheryl.

"Hi," she said. "Mia, Mia Boudreaux called us and told unseal have a Santa Claus that knows sign language?"

Cheryl walked over to Mr. Banks.

"Please tell me you know sign language," she hissed to him.

"Sign what?" he asked, quite close to his breaking point already.

Thomas clenched his jaw tightly; his cell phone was vibrating again. He had thought briefly of simply turning the damned thing off altogether.

"Yes?" he barked.

"Thank God," Cheryl exclaimed. "I've been trying to get you and Mary, and it just keeps going to voice mail and..."

"Cheryl, we're at my brother's reception," Thomas interrupted her.

"Listen, Thomas, I got forty eight deaf children here that want to see Santa; that lady, Miss Boudreaux? She told the deaf school in Lafayette we have a Santa that can sign and they're expecting..." Cheryl said.

"Cheryl, I'm in the middle of..." Thomas protested.

"Name your price," Cheryl begged.

She pursed her lips tightly as Thomas did name his price.

"That platinum one?" she hissed, her anger evident.

"Yeah, the platinum one," Thomas agreed.

"Kowalski, this is the last year you will ever work here, you hear?" Cheryl hissed angrily.

"That's fine," Thomas cheerfully said. "We'll see you in about thirty minutes."

"I'm terrible at telling jokes," Mary admitted as she hoisted her champagne glass. "So I won't bother trying. What I will say, though, is God is good."

"Amen," several of the people agreed.

"I mean, He put two people like Melissa and Jim together," Mary went on. "So, first, here's to you, God."

Glasses clinked together as people drank to that.

"And here's to Melissa," Mary went on. "Oh, my God! I only hope I'm half as beautiful as you when I walk down the aisle! When I saw you, I wanted to cry! So, here's to a beautiful bride, here's to Melissa!"

More glasses clinking.

"And Jim," Mary continued, warming up as the champagne loosened her tongue. "You look nice in a tux; you're almost as handsome as Thomas!"

She was a little startled at the laughter, but pressed on.

"So, here's to Jim," Mary said.

"To the two of you; always be grateful to God, be grateful to Him that makes all things possible," Mary concluded.

"Jim, Melissa, Mary is right, God is good," Thomas said as he held out his champagne glass. "I love both of you. Jim, you're a great brother. Melissa, I'm so happy to finally have a sister. I mean, Jim did a pretty good job, but..."

He smiled at the laughter.

"Seriously, I am thrilled to have a sister in law," Thomas said. "Everyone, raise your glasses to the bride and groom. May they never forget the happiness they felt the first time they kissed, the first time they said 'I love you,' the first time they..."

"Hey, hey, hey! That's my daughter!" a slightly drunk Hank playfully protested.

"...Danced together," Thomas smiled.

"Oh, oh okay," Hank smiled ands sat back down.

"I am so glad you're not drinking," Theresa admitted to James as they witnessed Hank Schaub making an ass of himself.

"Me too," James admitted. "My son, my little man's married, and I'm going to remember all of it."

"So, um, since you're not drinking, and I am," Theresa coyly suggested to James. "Thank you could be my designated driver?"

"Ab so lute ly," James agreed and smiled.

"Dude, I love you," Thomas said as he hugged his big brother. "I hate to do this, but Mary and I have to cut out of here; there's a bunch of deaf kids waiting for Santa Claus."

"Love you too man," Jim admitted.

"We have to go?" Mary asked, dismayed.

She wanted to dance some more with Thomas. She also wanted to drink some more of the champagne.

"There's a bunch of deaf kids at the store," Thomas explained.

Chapter 5

Cheryl almost cried with relief when Thomas and Mary came bustling toward them.

"Merry Christmas," Thomas signed to the children and a cheer went up.

The very first deaf child told Santa what he wanted, and then gave a hearty tug to Thomas's beard. Thankfully, the adhesive stuck.

"He real," he excitedly signed to his friends and they cheered again.

Child after child happily sat on Thomas's lap and told him what they wished for. Cheryl took their pictures; Chin Li or Mary gave the children a sugar-free candy cane, and then assisted with the next child.

"She's blind," the teacher said as Mary held out a hand to a small girl.

"Oh my God," Mary said. "Can she hear, then?"

"No, 'fraid not," the teacher smiled.

The teacher knelt down and pressed her hand into the girl's hand. She spelled out what she wanted the girl to do and the girl beamed a happy smile and held out her arms to Mary.

"She likes to be carried," the teacher laughed.

Mary lifted the girl up, with some difficulty, and brought her to Thomas.

"She's blind too," she told Thomas. "You have to spell into her hand."

Thomas slowly spelled to the girl, whose face was a delight when she realized it was Santa Claus.

"Oh God," Thomas groaned when the girl spelled out what she wanted for Christmas.