Other People's Drama Ch. 02

*Author's Note*

As promised - the second part.

Hopefully, I've done a better job on this section.

Enjoy!

******

Other People's Drama

Florida

So, moving on.

It's two years later.

I'm a civilian now, and work at a VA hospital.

A really big VA hospital.

And yes, I'm getting treated for a few issues of my own. Apparently, I've been carrying them around with me since I left the Gulf.

Enter Kirsten. She's a nurse. Works at the same hospital. She's thirty-seven.

Kirsten, it turns out, hasn't had sex in close to five years. She also turns out to be, by far, the kinkiest woman I have ever met. Trying to keep up with her, damn near kills me. She's into the B, in BDSM - something she didn't share with me at first. Once we discuss it, I agree to participate - as long as it doesn't get to... well... 'bizarre'? I'm fairly certain, that at some point, I use every conceivable sex toy there is on the woman. As a surprise, I get a suspension rig for her birthday, and it almost sends her over the edge. And yes, over the course of our relationship, the woman spends a lot of time cuffed and hanging in it.

Strangely, it takes almost five months for me to discover that she has kids - which explains why all the weird stuff happens at my house. It also explains why she has never invited me to her house.

The kids' father - also military - has disappeared. He apparently has a number of mental health issues, related to his time in the Gulf, but was seeking treatment for them. Everything seemed to be working as it should.

Then, Kirsten woke up one morning, found his car in the garage, his wallet and keys on a kitchen counter, all his clothes where they should be, but no husband. She reported it, and went through all the motions, but nothing ever came from it. She once told me that she believes he's gone back to a certain country he'd been stationed in, before they got married - in an attempt to hide from his demons.

So, her kids.

Morgan, Riley, and Bailey. Twenty, eighteen, and sixteen. All girls.

My first encounter with any of them occurs in my office. Morgan walks in unannounced, sits down in a chair, and does nothing more than stare at me. One look at her, and I know exactly who she is.

Morgan is about 5'6", and can't weight much more than 13o lbs. She has long, curly, brunette hair, which easily makes it to the center of her back. I'm guessing her chest is an average 32 or 34C, and her ass (which is quite nicely stuff into a pair of Levi's) is proportionate to the rest of her body. It's her big brown eyes that, in my opinion, are what demand one's attention.

After a minute or so, I finally break the stalemate.

"Are you just tired, or did you actually want something?"

She sits quietly for few moments, apparently lost in contemplation, but finally answers me.

"I had a whole speech I was gonna give you, but I guess I kinda freaked out..."

"Speech, huh? About?"

"Why you are being such an ass about dating my mom..."

"Explain."

"You've been going out with her for like three months, then you find out she has kids, and just blow her off?"

"How did we get to 'blow her off'?"

"She told me the other night - when you were supposed to go out, and then cancelled."

"Can I safely assume that 'blow her off', is actually your wording of the situation?"

Again, she sits silently staring at me.

"For the record - I was a bit pissed off at her for not telling me up front, that she has kids. Seems to me, five months is a bit long, to keep that bit of info a secret."

"Five months?" she blurts out.

"Yep. Seems she hasn't been all that forthcoming with you guys either."

Again, she goes quiet, her eyes locked to mine.

"Are you guys serious, or just hooking up?" she finally asks.

"Excuse me?"

"Oh please... I'm twenty, not ten. Are you screwing my mother?"

"Not your business, young lady."

Silence - again. She does nothing more than stare at me. It's blatantly obvious that she is testing me - trying to shock me.

"You're twenty - is it your mom's business who you are screwing?"

Bingo! Got her. The look on her face is priceless, and gives away the fact that she, too, has a secret - of some kind. I decide to hang on to that bit of info, and to change the course of the conversation.

"If the three of you would like to have a chat with me, I'd be open to that."

"You're not blowing my mom off?"

"Nope. I like your mother."

"Just the four of us?" she asks, referencing my previous offer of talking.

"Is there some reason your mother shouldn't know we are talking?"

"Well, I'm guessing it's probably the reason she's never brought you home. But you should probably see for yourself."

"When?"

My instant concession seems to confuse her.

"Mom works until 11:30 tonight. Can you come to the house?"

"Sure. What time?

"6:30"

"See you then."

She stands and turns toward the door, but hesitates.

"You aren't what I was expecting..."

"So next time you find yourself in this kind of a situation, try deleting the expectations, and just go with the flow. In my experience, expectations only lead to disappointments."

She smiles at me, and disappears out the door.

Now go back for a moment. Remember that whole thing about other people's drama? No sooner than I discover Kirsten has kids, they are about to draw me in to theirs.

I'm such a sucker...

******

When I walk up to the porch, I see two figures sitting on the steps.

"Good evening, ladies."

"Hi," the younger one offers.

Bailey is about 5'3", has big brown puppy dog eyes - just like her big sister's - short hair that is somewhere between brown and red, and a huge smile. Her body, has dimensions close to Morgan's, but she is shorter, a little thinner, and far more toned. The cheerleading outfit she is wearing, explains that. Basically, she's the sixteen-year-old every guy dreamed of dating in high school.

Morgan lifts her head until our eyes meet, and looking totally embarrassed, says, "Sorry, but this might not have been such a good idea. Riley is being a total bitch tonight."

"Because?"

"Because I stupidly told her you were coming over."

"She's being a bitch because I'm here?"

"My sister has been kinda screwed up since our dad left..." Bailey says.

"Well... let's go meet Riley, shall we?"

As Bailey stands up, Morgan glances at me, a pleading look in her eyes, and asks, "Are you sure?"

"You are not responsible for your sister's behavior. Trust me, Morgan, your sister can't do anything I haven't seen before."

She shrugs, gets to her feet, and we go inside.

I'm shocked to see just how neat and tidy the house is. Not a dirty dish in the sink, no dirty clothes stacked by the washer, not speck of dust on any of the furniture, and all the bare floors are immaculate.

"She's in the family room," Morgan offers, pointing down a hall.

When I walk in, my mind shifts into 'other people's drama' mode, and I become an alternate me. The one that solved the problem in the Gulf...

I find an extremely well-endowed, teenage female, wearing a cutoff t-shirt that barely covers her tits, and some absurdly skimpy underwear, straddling what appears to be an eighteen or nineteen-year-old boy on the couch, while another boy is playing a video game. They all stop what they are doing, and turn to look at me. I walk past them, over to the large TV the game console is feeding, reach behind it, and pull the plug.

The kid with the game controller jumps to his feet, and confronts me.

"What the fuck dude?"

I step over and get nose to nose with him. Behind him, I see Morgan standing in the hall, and Bailey next to her, watching.

"You..." I point at Riley, "get off his cock, sit down, and both of you watch what happens very closely, understood?"

Riley, perhaps a bit intimidated, gets off the boy's lap and stands up, as I return my attention to the kid in front of me.

"The reason they need to pay attention is so that they can tell the exact same story when the police and paramedics get here, to pick you up. I have neither the time, nor the inclination, to deal with you at the moment. However, I will tell you this - if you have something to say to me, say it in clear, concise English, without any foul language, and without any superlatives. You speak to me again, the way you just did, I give you my personal assurance you will wake up in the emergency room. Clear?"

He stands frozen, staring at me.

"Who are you?" comes from a cracking voice behind him. I lean to the side and see, what appears to be, a petrified Riley, staring at me.

"You need to have a bit more respect for yourself, young lady. Go put some damn clothes on - now." When I raise my voice on the 'now', she instantly understands the severity situation. She disappears down the hall so fast, she almost knocks her sisters over.

I point at the second guy, and motion for him to come up next to the first one - who still hasn't moved a muscle.

"I'm going to tell you two rocket scientists who I am - so you'll know I'm deadly serious. I'm the biggest asshole you will ever encounter in this life time. I spent thirty-three months in the Persian Gulf... killing people. At one point, I shot a ten-year-old kid, because he had a bomb strapped to him, and he intended to kill me. However, unlike these girls' father, who lost his battle with his demons, mine are alive and well, and I can unleash them at the drop of a hat."

Riley wanders slowly back into the room, clad in jeans, a sweatshirt, and has her short hair pulled back into a small ponytail.

"Much better, young lady."

I turn my attention back to the guys.

"You two idiots are outta here - permanently. Got it? I'm not going to spew a bunch of threats, or talk a lot of trash. I'm just going to make you a promise. Should I find out either you has come back here, or has had any contact at all, with any of these girls, you will not like the results. Go find someone else's lives to contaminate."

"She's eighteen," the tough guy mumbles, trying I think, to stare me down.

"Yeah, asshole," I calmly reply, cutting through him with my stare, "she is. But this, is her mother's house - not hers." I turn and look directly at Riley. "You ready to take your little act out into the world?"

She is quick to shake her head side to side in response.

"Anything else?" I direct the question at the tough guy.

Although the tough guy is struggling not to do something stupid, the guy who was messing with Riley, is scared - it's all over his face.

"You want to test me," I say, giving the tough guy an excessively evil grin, "I can see it in your eyes. Let's do this..."

I reach into my back pocket, get my wallet, and after looking through it, hand him my federal firearm permit. He takes it, and starts reading. Once he's done, he lifts his head, and again makes eye contact with me.

"Are you willing to risk your life," I ask, as I take the permit back from him, "on the possibility that I'm not carrying my weapon, this one time? Remember, the law says, you attack me, I'm justified in defending myself..."

Something in him changes - I can see it. Perhaps it's the realization that I probably would kill him.

"You," I point at Romeo, "aren't going to touch her" I point at Riley without looking at her, "ever again, right?" He nods his compliance. I make direct eye contact with the tough guy, "And because you have let common sense take over, you aren't going to the hospital, or to the morgue. What do you say we call it a wrap, and you guys disappear?"

It takes about thirty seconds before I hear the car start out front, and then drive off. I point at Riley, and then at the couch. She is quick to take a seat.

I pull a small table over in front of her and take a seat on it, facing her.

"So, what are you? The local 'party-girl-slash-slut'?"

She doesn't say anything, but her eyes begin to cloud up instantly.

I turn and look at Morgan.

"Take your sister into the other room, please."

"Oh please," Bailey responds, standing her ground.

"No way am I leaving you alone with her," Morgan blurts out.

I shrug, and return my attention to Riley.

"Have you been fucking them?"

Now she's fighting the tears. She nods her head up and down.

"Sounds kind of disgusting when I put it like that, doesn't it?"

Again, she nods...

"Who are they?"

"Seniors from her school," comes from my right. I turn and find Morgan standing next to the couch, arms crossed watching. Bailey is still right next to her.

"You're pretty fucking scary," Morgan adds.

"Exactly, Morgan," I reply, giving her a slight smile.

I turn back to Riley, who now has a few small tears on her cheeks.

"Apparently, your sister has your back - even though she's scared to death of me."

Riley turns and looks at her.

"So?" I ask.

"I am kind of a slut..." she mumbles, shifting her eyes to her hands in her lap.

"Why?"

"Mostly because, sex is easy," she replies, not looking away from her hands.

"And?"

"Well... Morgan," she turns, and again looks at her, "is gorgeous, so she doesn't have to do anything to get guys' attention. Bailey is just a kid, but she is way smart. Everyone likes the smart kid..."

"I'm not a kid, damnit!" Bailey, blurts out, making Morgan laugh.

"Yes, you are," I offer, looking right at her. She decides not to challenge me.

"And Riley?" I ask.

"She's just the fat, middle sister," she offers, the dejection oozing out of her.

"You're using sex to make you popular?"

Again, her head goes up and down in response, then her eyes return to her hands. I put a finger under her chin, and lift her head.

"Do you honestly believe those two assholes" I point out toward the street, "will give a shit about you, now that you aren't screwing them anymore?"

She again looks down at her fidgeting hands. I hear her soft sobs, as she beings to cry in earnest. After a second, I again lift her chin.

"Don't you want to be more than just a piece of ass, Riley?"

Full-on sobbing now.

"Do you even enjoy sex?"

She gives me a somewhat blank look, and shrugs.

I shake my head, smile at her, and for just a second, I think she gets it. Then, to ease things a bit, I turn my attention to Morgan.

"Care to share your secret with us, Miss Morgan?"

The same look of panic that swept over her in my office, once again engulfs her. Riley is quick to look at her sister, whose eyes are now beginning to cloud up.

"How did you know?" she asks, a tear escaping the corner of her eye.

"The look of panic when I asked you that question back in my office."

She looks at Riley, then back at me, and then a couple more tears trickle down her cheeks.

"If my mom finds out, it will destroy her..."

"What is said here, stays here, right ladies?" I ask, glancing first at Riley, then at Bailey.

"yes..." they mumble at the same time.

"At first it was just fun, but now, it's gotten kind of out of hand."

"It?"

"I'm... well..." she hesitates, and looks at her sisters.

"Spill it."

"Okay - I've been getting paid to do guys."

'wasn't expecting that...' I hear inside my head, as I force myself to keep a straight face.

"You're a prostitute?" Riley asks.

"o...m...g..." comes from Bailey, who has an odd smirk on her face. "Guess that explains why you haven't had a boyfriend since you graduated."

"Was a prostitute," I interject. "She isn't any more. Right Morgan?"

"They don't want to let me stop," Morgan offers.

"Do you want to stop?"

"Yeah... kinda."

"If you were to get free of it, would you stay free of it?"

"I'd try..."

I smile at her, because my mind is once again, working on someone else's drama. I also realize that this is the first time, in a very long time, that anyone - including their mother - has challenged these girls. Something they each desperately want.

"Did you like it?" Riley asks, her face a huge question mark.

"Yeah, Sis... at first it was amazing," Morgan replies, with a very somber look on her face, "thinking that older guys really liked me. But I was just a stupid eighteen-year-old, with some pretty foolish fantasies, who let herself get talked into something. I've learned that it's really only about them using me. It's probably the stupidest thing I've ever done."

"I've been doing some pretty stupid shit myself," Riley mumbles.

I watch as Morgan steps around the couch, sits down next to her sister, and then hugs her. Bailey stands silently, next to the couch.

"They know about Riley," Morgan offers, "and they have been trying to get me to talk her into working for them. I told them I'd keep going, if they left her alone..."

"Now that," I spew out through clenched teeth, as OPD (other people's drama) Lucas breaks free, "really fucking pisses me off..."

My outburst freaks them out, and they look like they may panic at any moment. Bailey actually takes a step back down the hall, away from me. The sad part is, if Morgan had even suggested it, Riley would have jumped in with both feet, and they would have both been trapped.

Morgan finally relaxes, looks me in the eyes, and while still holding onto Riley, says, "I guess it's time we both admit we are stupid kids, and find the right road to go down, huh?"

"Yeah, good idea. And you can bet your ass, I am going to rectify the situation - to my fucking satisfaction."

"damn..." Bailey mumbles, again taking a step back.

It takes me a couple of seconds to shift back out of 'other people's drama' mode, and to calm down. The three of them sit quietly the entire time, staring at me.

"If," I say, interrupting their mental musings, "you are going to use sex as a mean to an end, at least make sure the odds of success are leaning in your favor - not someone else's. If this is some form of 'youthful rebellion'," they all laugh, "based on your father leaving, you've kinda screwed that up. As you can see, as long as you keep shit secret, no one gives a damn, and the hole just gets deeper."

They continue staring at me, as if I'm their savior - which makes me very uncomfortable. Time to have a long-ass chat with Kirsten...

"I've had my moments as well," I continue, "but most of it, is stuff you three don't need to hear. However, I too, was tested - morally. And, truth is, I'm pretty sure I failed."

Three pairs of eyes are locked on me, which makes me laugh.

"I have discovered, over the course of my life, that no matter what anyone says, everyone has at least one secret. Would you like to know my mine?"

I again get my wallet, and pull out the photo of Lilli. After I look at it for a moment, I hand it to Morgan.

"She... is my secret."

After a second, Riley asks, "Who is she?"

"The only woman I've even truly been in love with."

"How old is she?" Morgan asks, lifting her head and looking me in the eyes.

"She was seventeen in that photo. She turned eighteen five months after I met her."

"You were dating her?" comes from Riley.

"Yes, for two years."

"How old were you?"

"Thirty-two."

"no way," Riley mumbles, then grins at me.

The moment I see the look in Morgan's eyes, I know I have a problem. Probably should have kept my damn mouth shut.

"Just like the rest of the humans on the planet, she too, had issues. Things in her life, forced her to grow up way to fast, and although she was, in her words, 'seventeen in the real world', in her heart and mind, she was way past that.