Ready Ch. 03

"I agree!" Deonne added, wrapping up the rest of the turkey leftovers. "Did you see how much of that orange stuff Kevin put on his plate?" All three of them laughed.

"That was a good recipe, I need to get that from you," Camille added.

Coming into the kitchen Phil went up behind his wife and put his arms around her. Marc came in trailing him, hunting for pie.

"You all will have to get by on your own. My wife has been in this kitchen since morning and I'm taking her out of here," Phil proclaimed.

"Phil! I can't just leave, there's too much to do!" but he was pulling her out the door.

"You can and you will. I recommend you girls go recruit some help. We're going out."

"Where you going?"

"We're gonna hang out with some of my redneck high school friends," he replied with a twinkle in his eye. Camille rolled her eyes.

"If we're late," he continued, "put George to bed for us."

"Phil's right, Becca, you've been at it non-stop, too, since you got here on Tuesday. Go in and watch the game with your husband," Deonne said.

"I'm not leaving you with this!"

"Go on, Becca, she's right. I'll help Dee with the rest," Marc joined in.

"Okay, you've talked me into it. I wanna see Green Bay beat the Cowboys."

Quietly Marc and Deonne worked side-by-side finishing up the pots. Night had settled over the farm and a cold front had moved in causing the kitchen window in front of Deonne to frost. She noticed the kitchen curtain was dirty and vowed to take it down tomorrow and wash it.

"He's met someone," Marc said quietly.

Deonne turned her head towards him with a question on her face before realization set in. Her dad. Unexpected and unbelievable pain moved through her.

"She's real nice. She works at the Kroger's in town. You went to school with one of her sons, Mike Connolly."

"Mike Connolly! Mike Connolly? He's one of the biggest jerks who ever walked the face of the planet!"

Chuckling, he reminded her, "You know, we all grow up. Even Mike Connolly. He's a pretty decent guy from what I can see. And his mom's really nice." His face grew serious again.

Deonne was blinking rapidly. She did not want to cry. The idea of another woman with her dad almost made her ill. As she looked around the kitchen, she imagined some other lady making this room her own, putting in her own touches. The pain was so sharp, she almost doubled over.

Marc dried his hands and turned towards his sister. Seeing her fighting tears he wrapped his arms around her.

"I know it's hard Dee, but you have to work through this," he told her as he rubbed her shoulders, massaging them. "You're the reason he didn't invite her here today."

"Me?" Then it dawned on her. "I'm the only one who doesn't know, huh?"

He nodded.

Her forehead wrinkled as she tried, and failed, to control her emotions. Fresh tears began to fall and she wiped at them with the back of her hand. She felt so awful that her Dad was compelled to keep it from her, but the thought of another woman was unbearable.

"He knew it would be hardest for you."

"Why? Why is it hard for me and not anyone else?" Her tears were still dropping and she wiped her hand across her nose before placing it over her eyes.

"Because, honey, you haven't worked it all out yet. We were here and you weren't. We are here and you aren't. We've all pretty much grieved and we still miss her, but we're used to it, or we've dealt with it, whatever. But, Deonne, when you come home you still look around like you expect Mom to walk in from the other room. You stand in front of that damned piano and look at it and her picture like it was yesterday she passed." Pulling her closely he pressed her head to his shoulder, his own eyes shining from unshed tears.

"She never blamed you."

Deonne glanced up at him with questioning eyes.

"For not being here. She was so proud of you. When anyone came to visit, she would tell them about her daughter at the Naval Academy who was going to fly jets. She didn't want you here, watching her die. Let go of the guilt, Dee." He continued to rub her hair, letting her think.

"I wanted to be here. I didn't get to say good-bye," she whispered into his chest. "I wanted to hug her one last time."

"You were home at Christmas Deonne, and you said goodbye then. You knew it was goodbye. She said her goodbye to you then. After you left her meds just kept going up, she was hardly awake and barely coherent when she was. Let it go."

They stood like that for long moments. John came to the door and stopped. Realizing what was happening he nodded to his brother and quietly backed away.

"You have to deal with this and soon. You have to let him feel free to have this woman. He deserves it. Eventually he'll bring her around anyway, whether you like it or not, but Deonne, do you really want that?" Marc looked her in the eyes, the joking, happy-go-lucky guy was nowhere to be seen.

Deonne looked at him and pulled her lips in, trying to get it together, and nodded. "I'll try."

"That's all you can do, but with you, it'll be enough."

"They put you up to this, didn't they?"

"Who else?" he replied with a smile.

Yes, who else? They all knew that Marc was her favorite, that they had always had a special bond. When she was little, Marc would put up with her following him around with good humor. Because he played the drums, she had wanted to learn and he had spent hours working with her. Marc had loved animals and she had loved animals, so they often partnered for barn duties. When their mother had died, Marc had flown in to tell her in person, so she wouldn't have to be alone and had traveled with her back home. Who else?

*****

Deonne was standing in the living room beside the piano. It was late, and almost everyone had gone home or to bed. Some were still in the kitchen sharing time and coffee. Her eyes were resting on the photo of an auburn-haired woman. Her mother smiled back at her from the past. She was tall, slightly heavyset. Not beautiful, but full of life, the twinkle in her eyes could not be hidden behind large glasses. Had it really been five years?

Every time she came into this room she could see her mother sitting at the piano. Every Tuesday and Thursday afternoon kids would traipse in and out for their weekly lessons, bringing in much needed cash for their large family. Deonne had been her worst student, refusing to take it seriously and goofing off during practice times. Finally, after two frustrating years, her mother had let her quit.

"Honey," she recalled her mother warning her, "when you're older you'll wish you had stuck with it."

She wished she had stuck with it. Her finger pushed down on a single key, its lonely sound echoed the emptiness in her heart as it weakly floated around the quiet room.

Coming up behind her, Kevin slipped his arms around her. Pulling her into a tight embrace, he saw what had her attention.

"I still miss her so much."

"I know you do, baby."

"My dad has a girlfriend." She almost choked on the words.

Kevin waited. Deonne remained silent and still as a stone.

"And you can't imagine someone taking your mother's place?" he finally asked.

Deonne shook her head, unable to speak.

"How long's it been, Deonne?" He knew the answer, but she needed to say it.

"Almost five years."

"That's a long time, babe. It's not like you just buried her and he's brought in a quick replacement."

His comment angered her.

"You don't understand..."

"What's not to understand? Five years is a damned long time for a man to be rattling around all alone."

"You don't get it," she tried to make him understand in a raised voice. Hurt at his lack of sympathy she pulled away and turned towards him.

"How can he bring another woman into this house? Look," she pointed to the couch, "my mother picked that out! And those curtains! She made those! How can he bring another woman into this house, see her sitting on my mother's things, touching them? How can he take that woman into her bed?"

"Where the hell else is he going to take her, Deonne? The man's a damn farmer! He's tied to this place and a ghost is no comfort on a cold night."

Her eyes snapped at him, shooting daggers. Why was he being so mean? So offensive? She started for the door. She didn't need this. But he stepped in front of her, cutting off her exit. Grabbing her arms, he looked hard into her face.

"Listen, Deonne. I understand how you feel, but you have to think of your father. Do you want him to spend the rest of his life alone? He's not that old. You want him to be here by himself for the next thirty years just so you can come home and see your mother's things untouched?"

Dropping his voice, he went on, "Is that what your mother would want? Would she want her husband to sit around pining for her year after year? That's not the woman I hear everyone talk about, the generous woman who put others ahead of herself. I know that if something happened to me, I wouldn't want my wife to spend the rest of her days alone. It's his life, and he's ready to move forward with it."

Turning her head away, she stared at the floor. She couldn't respond, but he was right. They stood there in silence. Kevin continued to hold her arms, waiting. Finally he stepped backward, pulling her to the couch with him. Sitting down he pulled her down next to him and wrapped his arm around her. Looking down he picked up her left hand with his. Her fingers were thin and long, the nails cut short, practical. They looked so frail next to his. He rubbed his thumb up and down her ring finger before folding her fingers carefully in his hand and laying them on his thigh, unwilling to let go.

"Tell me a memory you have of your mother."

Her response was immediate. "Coming into the kitchen after school. She was always baking something. Cookies, a cake, maybe a pudding..."

"Banana pudding. From scratch," Kevin added. He knew because Deonne had made it for him once.

"Yes!" she agreed with a smile.

"You'll always have that Deonne. That memory. And you carry on that legacy; it's a piece of your mother that lives on in you. You shared it earlier today with all of us in those pumpkin pies. It will never go anywhere, even when this couch falls apart and gets replaced, the curtains get taken down. And all of you carry something of your mother with you."

"I never thought of that," she admitted as she wiped at the tears forming at the corners of her eyes. "When did you get so smart?"

"Girl! I keep tryin' to tell ya, but do you listen? Babe, you gotta listen ta the brotha!"

With that he bent down and placed a gentle kiss on her lips.

A throat cleared. Jerking their heads back Deonne and Kevin looked up to see Becca standing in the doorway, Dan behind her, a big grin on his face.

"Sorry to break this little love fest up, but Deonne, you need to get your stuff out of the bedroom. Dan and I need to go to bed and there isn't another room for us. You get the couch, I guess. Sorry." Not so much, not from the look on her face.

Ten minutes later she plunked her stuff on the floor by the couch. It wouldn't be the first time. Looking at the coffee table she saw two mugs of hot chocolate.

"I thought you might like some." Kevin smiled at her.

"I do! How sweet."

"That's me. Sweet Kevin," he grinned down at her. Spreading his legs, he pulled her next to him and wiggled his dick back and forth on her stomach.

"Sweet, huh? More like rotten."

"That's not the impression I get when you're lickin' and slurpin' on my dick!" He rubbed his hard cock against her for emphasis. He grinned at the small blush that formed on her cheeks.

Her shyness amazed him. Even now she was always slow to get comfortable with him after a lengthy separation. Bending down he rubbed the side of his nose against hers, nuzzling before kissing her.

"Maybe I need to demonstrate just how sweet I can be," he whispered and smiled into her mouth.

"Not on your life, Big Daddy. Not here, not now, no way."

Smiling at her, he asked, "Why baby, don't you know you're in the love parlor?"

"What?"

Running his tongue over his teeth, he continued smiling.

"Well, last night the front door opening woke me up. I didn't realize anyone would be coming in late, so I listened. I decided maybe one of your brothers had gone out late and was just coming in. But after a while I realized there was still noise coming from downstairs, so decided maybe I should check it out, just in case. I get down here and what do I see? Well, some man and Becca are gettin' real busy here on the couch."

"That's why she was acting so odd in the kitchen! And you were grinning! I wondered what that was all about." She shook her head, a big smile splitting her face. "Those two have never had any discretion. They've been goin' at it like rabbits all over this place since she brought him home the first time. Welcome to the Becca and Dan Voyeur Club."

"You're kidding?"

Deonne took a sip of her chocolate and licked her upper lip.

"I wish I were. We've caught them everywhere." Digging into her cup she pulled out a large marshmallow and sucked off the creamy bottom. Kevin nearly groaned out loud.

"Well, we'd better get busy if we're going to catch up!"

"Ho, no, bubba. I'm not going to be the laughing stock of the family. Becca can keep her position."

She popped the rest of the marshmallow into her mouth and Kevin couldn't take it any longer. Carefully he took the cup from her and set it on the table before picking up her other hand and put the sticky thumb and two fingers in his mouth. She watched as he sucked and licked his tongue around her fingers before spreading them and sucking each one into his mouth.

"Mmm, baby. So sweet. Let me have some of that sweet little mouth now."

Holding her arm, he pulled her sticky hand out, bringing her mouth up to his. His lips barely touched hers before she was opening up to him, eager for his thrust.

Dear God, how did he do it? Moisture was running out of her, her pussy instantly ready, no need for a warm up.

"Damn. As much as I'd love to take you on the couch, you're right. I can't do this with your daddy at the top of the stairs. It would be a hell of a way to go, but the idea of it all being over when the buckshot hit my back is just enough to stop me."

"He hasn't shot Dan yet," she giggled.

"That's one lucky dude is all I can say."

"Well, let's finish our chocolate like good little children then." It was her turn to pull him to the couch. When he sat next to her, she handed him his chocolate, now cool.

Kevin looked over at her as an open, mildly amused look lit his face.

"What?"

"I was just wonderin'. Why you so short? Your family are fuckin' Amazons."

She burst out with a laugh. Nobody called her short. Then she looked at him with a straight face, "Because I prayed to God everyday that he wouldn't make me a giant."

He laughed.

"You think I'm joking? It was my most fervent prayer. It was either that or recessive genes. Both my grandmothers aren't tall."

When they finished their drinks, Deonne reached behind her and pulled the quilt off the back of the couch, covering them. After a while Kevin stretched out along the back and tucked Deonne next to him, adjusting the blanket. Within minutes she was asleep.

As she lay against him he felt her breathing grow slower and deeper, the delicate skin of her waist rising and falling under his hand. He shifted his leg into the curve of hers and wondered at the perfect fit of their bodies. Inhaling the soft, fresh scent of her shampoo, a feeling of deep contentment settled over him. He pulled her tighter to him. How the hell was he going to let go of her at the airport on Sunday?

*****

Deonne woke in the middle of the night to the feeling of Kevin's hand gently rubbing and fondling her breast. Almost casually it meandered up over her chest and back down again, squeezing and lightly tugging on her nipple through the thin satin bra before moving down to caress her stomach in a slow circle under her bellybutton then taking a leisurely path back to her breast.

With each pass his hand would travel just a little closer to the heat that was growing between her legs and Deonne's insides tingled at the thought of his hand moving lower, his fingers sliding in her pussy juices, dipping into her quivering lips. Rub, fondle, up, over, squeeze, tug, caress and circle. Over and over his hand repeated its lazy route and with each pass of rough, warm skin over soft, gentle curves the small ripple of desire grew stronger until it was a rolling wave of wonton need across her body. Deonne felt his growing hardness against her bottom as she wiggled and rocked against him, her body silently begging for him to take her.

God, he was driving her crazy. She desperately hoped this wasn't his only plan when she felt his smile on her neck before his wet tongue moved to her ear. His hand slipped inside her pants and down into her creamy folds, cupping her before stroking a large middle finger into her wetness.

"Fuck me," she whispered. Her hands found her buckle and the snap of her jeans as she and Kevin showed amazing coordination skills getting them off and his cock free.

Kevin ran his hand down her pelvis, placing her leg over his. She was giddy with the need to feel his cock spread her quivering pussy lips. And then he was there, his blunt, hard head spreading and stretching her, his thick length filling her. Slowly, he pushed into her slick warmth before drawing back, each thrust sliding deeper, each trip taking him further and further into her channel until finally his hips rested against her ass.

Deonne lay still, allowing her excited inner muscles to clutch and release his hard length as the feeling of completeness washed over her. Never had Deonne felt with anyone like she did when Kevin took her. She wondered if Kevin felt the same way, or was she alone in feeling this unique bond?

Soon they were rocking gently together and Deonne sighed as she felt him moving in and out of her; the mandate for silence somehow making this tender coupling more exciting. Kevin swirled his fingers over her clit, circling the tender flesh and Deonne bit her lip to keep from moaning. She was growing more engorged, more sensitive to the fullness and friction of his cock deep within her and was desperate for him to speed up, to stroke faster.

Splitting those fingers down either side of her swollen clit, Kevin grasped the little nub and pulled, stretching it before they slipped over the super-sensitive tip. A small unstoppable cry erupted from Deonne. Back and forth his fingers tugged and pinched the vulnerable flesh, teasing and tormenting, pushing her higher and higher. She was close, so close.

The rhythm of Deonne's hips picked up as her climax started to pulsate out from her wet pussy. Kevin's short, deep thrusts bumping against her grew more intense and his fingers on her more demanding.

"Oh, yeah, that's it. You feel so good, babe," he whispered into her ear between stuttered breaths.

Deonne grabbed her tits and twisted the agitated tips as pleasure ran down every nerve, bending her forward, drawing her body taut. Kevin wrapped his arm tight against her hips to keep her on the couch and stop the thrusting friction from driving him over the edge.

Little by little she calmed though they were both still breathing hard and Kevin released his death hold. Inhaling the lavender scent he had come to expect whenever she was near, he gave himself a moment to recover before starting a slow pump into her again, this time allowing the tempo to increase and his cock to drive deep with each thrust.

The old, well-worn and practiced couch gave off a tale-tell rhythmic creak, but Kevin was too overcome with need to do anything about it or to care. Her wetness was all over him, running down his sac. His soaked pubic hair stuck to her ass as he moved against her, giving him a gentle massage. Hot breath rushed out of his lungs as he felt her soft inner walls slide against him and the pulsing tightness pull him to deliverance. Shifting, Kevin grasped both hips in his shaking hands as the sweet pain of denied release demanded he start ramming his cock up into her.