Ryan Silverstone

"Just point Jack in the right direction and say 'Home!'"

Jack arrived home. As soon as the happy reunion ended Ryan called Mrs Ryan.

"Thank God for that. I'm sitting here almost peeing my pants with worry."

Ryan laughed and said the amount of beer she drank meant she'd flood the house.

"You're a great love of mine Jack. It we didn't have our own kids I would have adopted you."

"Maeve, you're drunk," Ryan laughed easily, accidentally calling her by her first name. Aghast he said he'd be at the bar next evening and cut the call before she'd had time to recover from shock. Ryan gave two hearty sniffs and told the tail-wagger yes it was time for doggie's dinner.

Ryan's phone awoke him just after 9:00 that evening and the caller said, "Hi." Although a word of only two letters, it was the sexiest delivered hi Ryan could ever remember hearing.

Grinning he said, "Wrong number" and switched his phone off. He let Jack out for a pee and when he picked up the ringing phone Avon shouted, "Jack you fool, it's me, Avon."

"Oh hi, it's you. I just had some other crazy dame call with a voice sexy enough to make me blow my rocks."

"Oh really?" Avon replied without interest, pretending the first caller hadn't been her and confirming to Ryan once again that women were natural born liars.

"God I loved seeing you in that green suit the other day. It was worth you having small titties just seeing you capable of walking away with the title of Mrs America.

"I had a tight elasticized band over them to spread them flat Ryan. I have all the curves in the right places."

Ryan smacked his lips and said huskily, "Oh really? " She giggled, sounding a little breathless.

"I have two things to tell you Jack."

"Oh no, you can't be pregnant? I got only close enough to sniff."

"You're disgusting Ryan," she giggled. "First, I fly to Buffalo on Thursday at 11:00 to lunch with Nova at the Great American Grill at the Hilton Garden Inn just across from airport on Genesee."

"I know the hotel."

"Well be outside the grill at 1:30 when I'll walk out with Nova."

"How will I recognize her?"

"You'll recognize me you idiot. God you're a tease. This may amount to nothing and Nova is bound to be a bit off-center still. It's up to you. If it's big tits that excite, you'll be excited by Nova'a biggies. She's talking breast reduction because it's heavy going with them and playing the violin."

"I wouldn't know."

He was ignored. "The second thing could be a marvelous scene-setter for you and your newly commissioned novel. Mom's told me grandma wants us all home for Mother's Day thinking her Mother's Days are numbered because she's become very frail and turns 89 the following month."

"How old is your mom?"

"Fifty-nine."

"And you are?"

"I turn forty in June. Mom became pregnant at high school and she married my dad soon after they both graduated."

"Wow."

"So there you have it. I have three sisters, two married. So Mother's Day at grandma's house will be celebrated by three generations totaling five mothers. If you and Nova are still a number in five weeks from now you'll be invited and you can observe family interaction and virtually only have to change the setting to Christmas by just adding snow."

"This is unbelievable Avon, it pushes the story line to the max. Baby it's a winner of a setting."

Avon groaned. "Ryan, I think being called 'Baby' when I'm a mother-of-two and almost forty is rather over the top, don't you think?"

Ryan's tightening grip on his phone almost strangled it into scrap.

Avon caught the silence and with a charitable giggle said, "Oh, very well. At least it identifies you as being young at heart. But I'd rather any such sweet nothings be delivered out of earshot of others."

"I'm bowled over by you," Ryan said, voice dripping passion.

Avon's voice quavered: "Oh God, and I hear Tremain arriving with the twins on their college break. Reluctantly I must go. For a man you're almost enchanting."

"I'm trying to get into your pants, you know that."

"And you're so revolting," Avon sighed, cutting the call.

Chapter 2

Avon and her sister emerged from the restaurant but Ryan, diverted by the hip sway of a passing woman, snapped to attention when he heard the yell, "Ryan baby." Avon would tell him on the phone next day that he looked so surprised when she shouted to him that it looked absolutely genuine and he'd boggled as well.

Heaving the delighted call Ryan looked up and gaped. Avon was wearing her green suit again but the buttons were undone because her tits were not bound down. They appeared to be choice medium size. Only then did he remember the purpose of this staged encounter. "A-Avon," he croaked. "But you live in New York?"

"I still do darling, with my husband," she purred and fell against him as if it were a very accustomed place for her. They kissed on the lips, rather dreamily he thought, and feeling the breasts pressed apart over his chest Ryan felt an erection in progress. He all but panicked and pushing her away ad-libbed like a deceitful adulterer, "A-Avon, remember you are married!"

"Oh, so I am," she said nonchalantly, pulling her jacket straight. She turned and said to Nova, "Oh darling, this is...and stopped. Both she and Ryan looked at Nova who had a hand over her mouth as if having just witnessed a disgusting act.

"It's you," Nova choked. "Rogan Stone. Gran said you lived in this area...like a hermit she said."

Ryan, confused, pointed to his chest and asked, "You know me?"

"Yes, sort of, but nowhere as intimately as my sister it would seem."

"Sort of, then we haven't met?"

"No, but that's just an oversight by nature and about to be rectified. May we buy you a drink?"

"Well, I really..."

Avon, dripping in confidence, took over. "Darlings," she said, using the plural form. "Ryan this is my dear youngest sister Nova Cassidy who's living not too far from you at the moment. Yes Nova, this is author Ryan Silverstone who writes under the name of Rogan Stone."

Taking each of them by the arm Avon said, "This is just so wonderful having two of my favorite people with me and I'm not even in Manhattan. "Say something Ryan, Nova is almost busting out of her bra in anticipation."

"Hello Nova. Lovely day isn't it."

"Hello Ryan. It is and it's so wonderful to meet you."

"Oh God, we need a drink," Avon said, picking up the pace as they entered the restaurant.

Ryan hadn't been blown away at his first look at Nova. In comparison Avon stood out despite having smaller breasts but it wasn't all about breasts and looks, was it? Nova looked sweet and feminine and was well featured but she didn't breathe life and energy, as did her sister. Still, she was a violinist and had recently been jilted. Anyway, why be heartless and compare them -- technically Avon being married was beyond his reach. Maeve was never the best woman in the bar to chat with, being greatly overweight, loud and rude but he'd bonded with her and Jack wouldn't be the best pick as a dog but Ryan knew they were now so well bonded that he'd have no other dog, at least not while Jack was around. There was no baggage with Nova and if she liked the forest isolation and being with him, even if it meant no sex, then he should be without complaint. Avon had set it up for them so go for it.

* * *

Driving towards Ripley, a small city in Chautauqua County, every time Ryan turned during conversation to look at Nova, as one does to the front seat passenger, he was conscious of jutting breasts -- reasonably shapely ones too, at least when packed in a bra. Nova was animated when she chatted and that was a good sign.

"My turnoff inland is a couple of miles ahead."

Nova looked at her watch. "How far away is your cabin?"

"About half an hour. It's the back way in. Want to take a quick look?"

"Well yes actually, it sounds divine. I'm rather an outdoors person, unlike my sisters."

"Well, we do it then?"

"You mean drive to the cabin?"

Ryan grinned and said yes, a brief detour to the cabin.

Jack was all over Ryan before sizing up the interloper. There was downscale greeting between Jack and Nova and they soon lost interest in each other.

"This is more like a small house than a cabin. Do you own it?"

"No, it was built as a servicing hut with eight bunks in it but following park authority reorganization they mostly fly in work parties by chopper and fly them out before dusk so this place became surplus to requirements. I took a long-term lease on it five years back. When I inherited my mother's estate I found I was left with all my dad's commercial investments intact so sold mom's house and my big apartment in Buffalo and purchased a studio apartment there to maintain alternative living. I was out tramping when I came across this boarded up cabin with the season's first snow around it and the almost tame bird population and saw three deer moving away and they stopped to look back at me. I tell you, I fell in love with it."

Nova said and why not. "I could stay here."

"When?"

Startled, Nova asked had she spoken out aloud and was told yes. "I need to talk to Gran."

"You could do that this evening while I'll go for a walk."

"That's rushing me."

"I'm in no rush."

At that Nova bit her lip. "What about the dog?"

"The dog stays and has the run of the house. He'd my son."

Nova looked wide-eyed. "Jack is loyal, kind and affectionate then?"

"Exceedingly so. I'm all he has."

"Where would I sleep?"

Ryan didn't hesitate. "On the sofa or share the bed. There doesn't have to be sex."

That comment all but won Nova over. "Then I can be the sole judge of that?"

"Yes, but only for that first time. Do it once with me and thereafter we do it often, very often."

Nova starred at him slowly turning pink. "Jesus, you don't mince words. Little wonder my sister took to you. She is one of the most discriminating persons I know. She does become excited enough to take the high risk occasionally, but nevertheless still chooses wisely."

Ryan preferred not to set rules but considered this one necessary. "Nova, let's agree to avoid talking about Avon."

"Okay," she said looking at him intently. She said he could stop thinking about Avon coming to the cabin and then saw it in his eyes. "Give up on her buddy, she'd never leave her family."

Ryan said gruffly, "Do you want coffee or should we go?"

Nova said, "Take my hand and let's go."

As they walked away Nova said, what about locking up.

"I always leave the door ajar."

"For Jack to come and go?"

"That too, but it saves any louts from breaking in and causing damage."

"So they take everything of value?"

"I've had a few intruders but I have nothing of real value on view so they take nothing more than biscuits and make coffee but never wash up. I reckon the surprise of finding the door open leaves them flat on aggression."

"That's good thinking. What about your computer and manuscripts?"

"There's a floor safe where I keep those, spare battery backs and other valuables. It's set in solid concrete and is pretty tamper proof. It's beside the toilet bowl and apparently no-one expects to find a safe there under a smelly mat."

"God, I smelt that stale urine. Do you pee on it on purpose?"

Ryan grinned and she giggled.

He said, "You sound the right sort of woman to live out here."

Nova glanced at him, blushing beautifully. "Then come for me Sunday mid-afternoon."

At Nova's request Jack had dropped her off at the start of her grandparent's street. Soon after arriving home and feeding Jack his cell phone went (the cabin was in cell phone range from the repeater tower in the village down below). Ryan grinned as he flipped the phone open, wondering which woman it would be.

"Hello."

"It's me."

The voices of the sister were a little similar so Jack said creatively, "Molly?"

The reply was rather cool. "No, it's Nova."

Again creatively Jack explained Molly was from the park authority calling for the nightly weather report.

"Oh, that's nice."

Nova said he was invited to Sunday lunch. "Gran needs to approve of you before she'll let me stay with you."

"But you are a grown woman. How old are you?"

"Thirty-one. You don't know much about close families, do you Ryan?"

"Well, for your information I'm known locally as the hermit who writes."

"Oh you poor darling. My comment was cruel. Please make a magnificent impression on Gran. I haven't told her you write. She has nine of your books and that's how I came to be reading one of them and was able to recognize you by that handsome photo of you on the dust jacket."

"But everyone including me thinks that photo stinks."

Nova scoffed and said well she didn't. It made Ryan appear to be a man of mystery.

"A man of mystery," he echoed.

"God you are juvenile being impressed by yourself."

They laughed and said goodnight.

On Sunday Ryan drove his black SUV slowly down the street in Ripley until he sighted the one level single family house with pitched roof, painted gray with white framed windows set amid trees. Nova had told him it was sited amid a woodlot of just over a half an acre, adding he ought to see it in winter with bare trees surrounded by snow. "It's awesome. Granddad has movies of it and his children and grandchildren taken over the years."

"Family Christmas gatherings?"

"Yes, of course. Unless any of us has other commitments we always ended up here for Xmas."

On the strength of that Ryan was arriving with a blank DVD hoping to be allowed to copy some scene-settings from granddad's library and hopefully something of family arrivals and key social highlights.

A stooped guy with white hair but plenty of it emerged to greet Ryan as he drove into the driveway.

"Hello young fellow, I'm Jed. My granddaughter says she wants to live with you."

"Yes sir, in the plutonic sense. We haven't really discussed...well, you know what?"

"You mean sex?"

"Well, um, yes."

"Is my granddaughter not good enough for you or do you only like guys?"

"Go easy Jed. I'm not against ass-kicking old guys if they start heaping crap on to me."

The old guy roared with laughter and he strode up and slapped Ryan on the shoulders. "You'll do me son. Come into my den for a whisky."

A woman's voice capable of cutting through ice barked, "You'll do no such thing young man. I want you into my kitchen to be interviewed."

Ryan looked at the scrawny grandmother and saw a something of Avon in her. She would have been a looker in her time.

Ryan removed his cap and half bowed. "How do you do Mrs Mellows?" I regret to have to say the offer of a whisky came first. You'll have to wait your turn."

"Well at least you're not a weak-kneed bellyacher," she smiled and then leaning forward to Ryan stared and said, "Christ, you're him."

"Of course he's Nova's cabin host. You said yourself you wanted him here at noon."

"Shut up you fool," grandma told her husband. "It's him -- Rogan Stone. His mug is on everyone of my favorite books."

"What, those crappy books you snigger over the sex and say 'disgusting' and cry when the hero says it's painful to say goodbye?"

"You wouldn't say it was disgusting if you remembered the other purpose of you penis."

"Would so."

"Would not."

Nova ran out the door and shouted, "Gran and granddad stop it! I wish to formerly introduce our guest, Ryan Silverstone."

"We've met him," said grandma. "How on earth you managed to latch on to him interests me because he seems no pushover. Methinks he's more likely prey for Avon."

"Gran, Avon is a married woman and a mother."

"Try reminding Avon of that darling. Now inside all of you. Nova you fetch coffee."

The afternoon was anything but plain sailing. Ryan hadn't been aware old people could openly argue so much and even rip into each other quite aggressively although those two seemed to spin out of it without a feather being ruffled. He realized he was on a learning curve.

Nearing the time to leave, Ryan took a risk. Looking at granddad and Gran he asked, "Mr and Mrs Mellows. May I ask do you two have any outside interests?"

Gran said, "The weather would be number one."

"Yeah, shoveling snow is my recreational interest of the year," Jed said.

"I mean do you belong to clubs, call on other people, go on bus tours."

Granddad pulled at an ear, thinking. "We walk to the supermarket Mondays and Saturdays and walk to the library Tuesdays and Fridays. What are you trying to tell us son?"

Nova chipped in. "He's trying to say politely if you two joined clubs and went out more you wouldn't have time to scrap so much."

"Humph. I don't think that's very polite at all," Gran said. "You wait until you're locked up in a tiny cabin with Ryan for several days in a row with nothing to do but to eat and climb back into bed to screw."

"Gran! That's disgusting. Ryan's relationship with me has not proceeded beyond a chaste kiss."

"Well that will change tonight honey, believe me. When reading those filthy passages out to me you've commented where on earth does the author get such a variety of ways of sending a woman into obit."

Hugely embarrassed, Nova said she'd fetch her bags, as if they left without delay they should get to the cabin before dark.

Gran cackled, "That's not the reason to rush is it? You haven't had a man for quite some time."

"Gran!"

As they reached the SUV Nova held up the DVD and asked what was that for.

"Um, I'm writing about family gatherings. I brought it along just in case your grandparents had anything that might think could interest me and download it for me."

"Granddad?"

Nova explained what she wanted and Jed told her to go and get it.

"As Nova raced off, Jed said Nova's next oldest sister had stayed with them for a month to just before her second baby arrived. "She copied best bits from old films that had been copied on to CD and film clips in recent years downloaded on to disk and piled best picks onto DVD and made a heap of copies for family."

"That's great, thank you sir. Here, you keep this blank disk. Mr and Mrs Mellows, I lost all my grandparents early and then my parents so it has been a pleasure talking to you guys today and observing you two interact and interact with your granddaughter."

"Oh, so we'll be in one of your novels, disguised of course?"

"Yes Gran, er, I mean Mrs Mellows."

"Gran or grandma is okay with me. Now you appear to be a stable man and I do think you are a bit old for Nova, but she needs a bit of stability right now. She'll talk about that when she's ready. Just look after her well, do you hear?"

"Yes ma'am."

Jed scratched and said, "Invite him here in May."

"Oh yes, if Nova is still with you on the second Sunday in May I'd like you to be here with us."

"The second Sunday -- shouldn't Nova be with her own mother?"

"She will be. You'll see. Now no more of this crap about us joining clubs, fitness centers and going on to the lake paddling boats, do you hear?"

"Yes ma'am."

As Gran went off to walk Nova back to the vehicle Jed cleared his throat. "Young man, if you think Nova is great I can tell you all our grandchildren look great. But you wait till you see Nova's oldest sister -- a guy could get his rocks off just looking at her."

"Really sir? I must remember that piece of advice."

Gran snapped, "What advice was that?"

Jed and Ryan turned to see Gran and Nova staring at them.

"Jed advised me to watch for crazy young drivers on the back roads."

"You're all right son," Jed grinned, shaking Ryan's hand and then giving him a hug.

As the SUV was turned and they drove off after final waves, Nova said, "What did granddad really say to you? Gran and I knew his explanation was bullshit."

Time to become creative, Ryan thought. "He said if you dump me I would be welcome to stay for a while because there were some sexually dissatisfied younger women living in Ripley."