Thankful

"I said, you're going to make her bald," Pris repeated. "You've been finger combing her hair for over a half hour."

"Oh, sorry."

"Nooo," Kelly whined. "Why did you stop him?"

Everyone, even Tina, had a good laugh at that. Even I chuckled while I blushed, but for a very different reason as I remembered an earlier moment when Kelly complained and asked me not to stop.

"Will you be a good girl if I continue?"

Kelly got it and giggled as she elbowed my shin. No one with that much muscle should have elbows that boney!

"Serves you right," Olivia said when I yelped. "She's not a dog."

For some reason, Kelly bent forward at the waist and laughed into the carpet so hard she snorted twice which cracked up the cheer couch. I didn't have the first idea what was so funny about what Olivia said, but smiled to hear Kelly continuing to laugh so that she snorted once more.

"How much do you charge for the attention she's getting, big brother?" Mom asked Uncle Billy.

"Pfft, I don't give nobody that much attention," Uncle Billy responded.

"Amen," Aunt Regina chimed in.

"Hey, now!"

"Eww!" Laurell said. "If you two are going to start that, I'm going to bed."

"But, it's early yet," Uncle Billy protested. "And Nick is going to take Beka and Pris back with him tomorrow. Don't you want to stay up and visit just a little bit longer, baby girl?"

"Well, maybe we would if there was something other than news on," Michelle said boldly. "As it is, it's either watch the news, watch Nick and Kelly, or listen to you and Mom getting gross."

"But, we watched movies last night!"

"And we watched the news and sports every night before that for months," Laurell said through a yawn.

Kelly had sat up once more and half twisted to lay her head on my knee and wrap her arms around my leg. I wasn't complaining, but it couldn't possibly have been comfortable contorting herself like that. I idly returned to stroking her hair. Kelly seemed to like that as she sighed.

Mom and Aunt Regina had been talking quietly and I don't think I was the only one surprised when they stood up together.

"What?" Uncle Billy blinked at them. "Where are you two going?"

"We're going back to the bedroom to talk and let the kids have the front room and the television," Aunt Regina said. "You can either come with us and visit with your sister and watch the news back there, or you can sit up here and grumble until you run all the kids off to leave you sitting here alone."

Uncle Billy did grumble a bit, but he didn't stand a chance once the cheer squad began chanting for him to go. Michelle went so far as to get up and go over to his chair, pushing him to get up, and commandeering it almost before he'd finished getting out of it.

"So, what do we want to watch, girls?" Michelle asked, flipping over to the movie channel.

I half-jokingly called for Uncle Billy to come back, earning another sharp elbow to the shin.

"Not on your life, Hoss," Uncle Billy called back. "I know when I'm outnumbered and it's time to retreat. Good luck, son. You're going to need it."

In a decision driven purely by estrogen, "Dirty Dancing" was once again chosen as it was repeated. I put up a token resistance, but as Uncle Billy said, I knew when I was beaten. Besides, I wasn't too serious as it was something other than news or sports. And I had Kelly lounging at my feet after she shifted to a more comfortable position.

I thought briefly that Laurell had decided to go to bed anyway, but she returned wrapped in a blanket and in more comfortable clothes with her makeup scrubbed off.

"Good idea," Pris said and followed suit with Michelle hot on her heels.

When they returned, each wrapped in blankets, each with make-up scrubbed away and wearing more comfortable clothes, Olivia and Tina headed off to the back.

Laurell stretched out on the couch usually occupied by Mom and Aunt Regina. Pris stretched out on the Cheer couch. Michelle reclaimed Uncle Billy's throne and put her feet up.

"Should we reclaim the couch?" Kelly asked me.

"And have Ollie jump me over it?" I asked. "Have I upset you somehow that watching her beat me would make you happy? Or are you uncomfortable?"

"No, I have you," Kelly said. "I'm good."

"Aww," came from three places in the room.

"Shaddup, and watch your chick flick," I said with a foolish grin as Kelly giggled.

If I'd given it the slightest bit of thought, I might have wondered what Tina would be changing into as she'd shown up with nothing but what she was wearing. As it turned out, she came back wearing a tight cropped shirt that was just short of exposing midriff and shorts that looked painted on.

"Hey, Laurell," Tina said. "I didn't have anything comfortable with me, so I raided your closet for something to sleep in. Okay?"

"'M'kay," Laurell said muzzily, half asleep.

Kelly made a sound suspiciously like a growl. I wondered why Tina hadn't bother from much healthier Michelle's closet since they were closer to size than anorexia battling Laurell.

Olivia came out wearing a baggy t-shirt and shorts and looked pleased when she spotted Tina before darting guilty looks at everyone else in the room. I smiled and winked at her and got a one finger salute in return for my trouble.

"Kelly?" Michelle asked. "Wouldn't you like to change into something comfortable?"

"Would you mind?" Kelly looked back at me.

"Why would I mind?"

"Well, you flipped out over what I was wearing when you woke up with me in bed with you this morning."

"What?!"

"Huh?" Laurell sat up at the identical shouts from her sisters and mine. "I'm awake. What did I miss?"

"Kelly was in bed with Nick this morning!" Pris said just a little too loud for my comfort.

"That's why," I told a giggling Kelly. "It's way more innocent than it sounds. At least I think it was. I went to sleep and she wasn't there. I woke up and she was beside me, sound asleep. I freaked out because I figured Mom and Uncle Billy would flip their lids."

"Yeah, probably," Michelle said judiciously.

"You know they would," Laurell yawned. "At least Daddy would have. Aunt Beka, I imagine, too."

"Damn straight," Pris agreed. "Mom would have gone ballistic and we all would have caught shrapnel. But, I want to know more about just how you ended up in my brother's bed, you hussy."

Kelly joined the giggles at my sister's half-joking demand. What she didn't realize, not knowing my sister the way I did, was that it was only half in jest.

"I don't know, to tell you the truth," Kelly finally replied once the giggles had died out. "I mean, I do know why. Sort of. But, I don't know how I found the courage. You guys know I don't sleep much and hardly at all when I'm over here. Well, Nick let me come in and kept me company while you were all asleep on Thursday and Friday mornings. So, anyway, I came in early this morning to find him asleep for his three-hour nap. Since it didn't seem to bother him Friday morning, I thought it might be all right if I watched television. I sat in Uncle Billy's chair for a little bit, but Nick was hardly moving and he wasn't using the other side of the bed. So, I laid down and stretched out next to him. And fell asleep until this crazy person woke me up dancing around and gibbering at me about what we were wearing."

"Did you now?" Michelle asked in a tone that made me give her a hard look. There must have been something residual in the recliner because I swear she sounded just like Uncle Billy, only with a higher pitched voice.

"And just what were you wearing?" Pris asked.

"A t-shirt and shorts," Kelly shrugged. "Probably same as you when you sleep over somewhere other than home."

"Well, being in bed together would probably have set Mom or Uncle Billy off," Pris said judiciously. "But, I don't see a problem with the clothes. Go make yourself comfortable, Kelly. If my brother shows his ass, we'll gang up on him and paddle it for you."

"Oh, goody," Olivia said as she cracked her knuckles causing everyone but she and I to chuckle.

Kelly disappeared towards the back.

"You seriously asked her to marry you after only knowing her for three days?" Tina asked once Kelly was gone.

"Well, yeah," I said. "But, it's been an intense three days."

"Still, isn't that kind of fast?"

"She thinks so," I said ruefully. "That's why she's making me wait for an answer. For us to just be boyfriend and girlfriend for a while."

"She's not your girlfriend," Laurell yawned. "She's your fiancée. That's completely different."

"Well, no," Pris answered. "He asked, but she hasn't said yes. She would have to say yes for them to be engaged. So, really, she's still his girlfriend."

"But, still," Tina interjected. "You're moving here for her?"

"Well, her and a job," Michelle said. "It's not like he's coming here with nothing but what's on his back just to be near her and looking for a job once he gets here."

"True," Tina replied. "True. But, would he be coming here for the job if she wasn't here?"

Instead of answering for me, everyone looked to me. Except for Laurell who's eyes had drifted closed once more.

"Probably not," I admitted. "Most likely I would have taken the job in Lubbock, even though it was half the salary, and lived with Mom and Pris. Well, Mom anyway. I have no idea where Pris is going to college."

"God, you sound like Mom," Pris wrinkled her nose at me. "Can I at least enjoy most of my senior year before I get all in a tizzy about college?"

"That depends on where you want to go," I shrugged. "If you wanted to go to Brown, for example, you should have already applied since they typically fill up by January."

"Why would I want to go to Brown, wherever that is? Texas Tech was good enough for you."

"Actually, Tech was a limited option," I said. "I wanted to go to Massachusetts Institute of Technology. But, Mom, and Dad to an extent I suppose, weren't going to let me go that far away at fifteen. Hell, you know what an act of Congress it was to get them to let me skip high school."

Seated as we were, I was the first to see Kelly reemerge. And almost swallowed my tongue. She'd chosen to eschew the baggy t-shirt look and gone back to yet another set of her workout clothes consisting of a sports bra and tight shorts. Just looking at her, I wanted to take her somewhere and play connect the dots with my lips and tongue.

Michelle was the next to see her and let out a wolf whistle, drawing everyone else's attention to her as she rounded the couch. And waking up Laurell again.

"That," Pris said, "is not a t-shirt."

"This is what I wear at home most often," Kelly said. "It's comfortable. Should I go change."

"No," Pris said after a long moment. "I guess not. As long as you are comfortable, and we're all here to chaperone, Mom, or Uncle Billy, shouldn't flip out too bad."

"I think she looks good," Laurell murmured as she nestled back into her cocoon.

"Yeah, she does," I said, smiling at Kelly who beamed shyly back at me.

Rather than sit between my feet once more, Kelly chose to lay down on her back with her feet to me and her arms behind her head as she pretended to watch Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey practice their dance in secret.

"Subtle," Michelle laughed. "Real subtle."

Kelly tilted her head back to grin at Michelle and then turned her grin on me. I was too busy trying not to drool or gibber to grin back. Kelly's eyes softened as she looked at me looking back at her and one hand came from behind her head to trace a lazy pattern on her rock hard abs. If her intent was to entice me, it was wasted effort as I was already lost, tracing constellations dancing on her skin with my eyes.

Laurell was most likely already out like a light, but I had no idea our other two shopping conquistadors had faded into the embrace of the Sandman until Kelly broke my fixation by sitting up and moving towards me.

"I love the way you look at me," Kelly said softly as she touched her lips gently to mine.

Feeling a bit bashful, I glanced around the room to see only Olivia and Tina still obviously awake.

Tina had moved to the floor at some point, leaning her back against the couch, with her knees up and spread in a way that I imagined I could have seen as much as her gynecologist if her shorts hadn't been quite so tight.

Olivia was looking grumpy, still on the couch, with her arms folded and staring down at the top of Tina's head.

The movie on the television had changed and, for some reason, Andrew McCarthy was carrying a mannequin around under his arm.

"I love you, Kelly," I said, returning my attention to her. "Marry me."

Kelly's smile faded a trifle and her eyes looked sad as she reached a hand up to cup the side of my face.

"Give me time, Nick. Just love me for now and let that be enough. Just for now."

"For now," I sighed and leaned forward to kiss her once more.

Uncle Billy chose then to come in and chivvy the girls back to the bedrooms. I don't know why they all sounded so disappointed. The cheer squad had all been asleep anyway.

Kelly gave me one last kiss before she walked away and one last glance before she passed out of sight.

Sighing, I got up and started folding out the couch into a bed. I was a bit surprised when Uncle Billy came back.

"So, where are you going to live when you move out here, Nick?"

"I don't know yet, Uncle Billy," I admitted. "I only made my mind up today."

"Well, there's no big rush," Uncle Billy said. "You know you are welcome to stay with us for as long as you need."

Stay with them? On the fold out couch, I supposed. With very little to no privacy. No way to be alone with Kelly? And with Olivia thrown into the bargain? Not bloody likely!

"Thank you, Uncle Billy," I said gravely. "We'll have to see when it gets a little closer to time. Fort Worth is a longer commute from here than I would like. Especially since I never got around to getting my driver's license."

Uncle Billy hemmed and hawed and finally wandered back the way he had come after a couple more iterations that they would be glad to have me stay with them.

I laid down and hoped that Kelly might come back before I drifted off to sleep.

I hoped in vain.

In my defense, if there is one, I was having a really nice dream about what Kelly had done for me with her mouth. I'd only been asleep thirty minutes, but the dream was well underway, as was my body. It didn't really register that all of the sensations I was feeling were not just in the dream until they ceased and a crushing weight fell on me.

"... the fuck!" I wheezed as I fought for breath.

Kelly had Tina by the hair and the throat, both of them sprawled across me as Olivia looked on with balled fists.

"Get off me, bitch!" Tina snarled as she fought to get a hand in Kelly's face.

"What the hell is going on?" I managed to ask.

"You tell us, Nick," Olivia growled. "We came in to find Tina with her shirt off and your dick in her mouth. You tell us. What the hell is going on?"

"I don't know," I said. "I was asleep."

"No, you weren't," Tina cried. "You were humping my face with your hands on my head. You were enjoying it! I know you were."

"Shut your cum hole," Kelly snarled.

"What in the Sam Hill is going on in here?!"

All four of us froze and looked around at Uncle Billy.

"It's after two damn o'clock in the morning!" Uncle Billy bellowed. "Why aren't y'all in bed and at least acting like you are asleep like sane folk? Jehoshaphat, woman! Why are you naked?!"

"I was asleep!" I defended blearily. "I have no idea what is going on."

I belatedly became aware that my stiff cock was standing in the wind with my shorts trapped under my balls. And it was wet with saliva all down the shaft.

I glared in Tina's general direction, unsure whether to look at her lips or exposed nips.

Ollie, Tina, and Kelly had started babbling all over each other at the same time I offered my defense. If Uncle Billy could glean anything from their intertwined voices, he was more adept than I.

"I don't give a rat's foot," Uncle Billy declared finally. "It's too late for this bullpucky. You three don't belong in here. All of you, back to Olivia's room. You, Nick. Go back to sleep. And, you, Tina, put that damn shirt on before you put someone's eye out!"

As the three formed a parade back out, I reached out and caught Kelly's hand, pausing her in her tracks.

"Kelly stays," I said.

"I don't think so!"

"Kelly stays," I repeated. "I've already been the victim of one sexual assault. Kelly stays to make sure it doesn't happen again. I want her here to watch over me while I sleep. To defend my honor and her fiancé."

"Sexual... You mean rape?" Uncle Billy goggled at me. "But, son, you ain't a woman. And she ain't a man."

"That doesn't matter," Aunt Regina's crisp voice came from behind him. I hadn't known she was there. "Technically, Nick is correct and within his rights to file charges. I happen to know an assistant D.A. that would drool all over himself to have this case."

"What? But, Honey-"

"No," Aunt Regina said sharply. "No 'but'. You and I might skate out of being implicated in the first one, but I assure you if it happens a second time, we will be equally culpable. Nick has stated his preference for a guardian and he will have it. You two, back to Olivia's room. If it wasn't after two, you could damn well get the hell out of our house, Tina. You, back to our room. You two, get comfortable. And get some sleep, if you can."

It was some time before the furor from the other side of the house died down as Aunt Regina made sure everyone was situated where she wanted them. Kelly sat on the side of the fold out, stroking my hand until all was quiet.

"You might as well lie down," I said, yawning. "I'm not going to last much longer."

"Were you really asleep?" Kelly asked.

"Uh huh."

"Because you were fucking her mouth," Kelly said. "And you really looked like you were enjoying it."

"Dreaming," I mumbled. "You. Yesterday afternoon. When you did."

I faded away and knew nothing else for two hours and twenty-seven minutes when I awoke with Kelly holding me tightly, cradling my head to her breast with one hand and my crotch against her hip with the other.

I managed to worm enough room to look up at her face and saw she was sound asleep with a bit of drool at the corner of her mouth. It was, dare I say, cute?

Cute caught the crazy train as I tried to shift and give her a little more room so she didn't have to keep her head propped at that awkward angle. Kelly's arms squeezed me so tight several vertebrae popped, and possibly a rib or two, as her eyes snapped open and her lips twisted into a snarl.

"It's okay," I gasped. "Kelly, it's okay. I'm awake. I just woke up."

"Sorry," Kelly said, relaxing her grip. "I thought that gold digging cunt was back."

"'Gold digging'?"

"Well, yeah," Kelly said, blinking at me. "I saw her face when you were explaining to your uncle how much money you would be making at your job here. Then she turned into Super Slut."

Ah. I'd thought I would have to make a pile of money to interest a woman as gorgeous as Tina. Luckily, I'd come to Thanksgiving and met an even more gorgeous woman in Kelly who wanted me for me.

Or at least to fuck me just to fuck me and not what she could get out of me other than my cum.

"Here," I said. "Stretch out. It's my turn to keep watch."

Instead, Kelly sat up and wrenched her head over with a loud crack that made me wince.

"Ow. Don't want to sleep," Kelly said with a yawn. "You're leaving today."

"Only for a while," I said. "You could come with me, you know."

"Eh? Where would I stay? What would I do?"

"You'd stay with me. With us," I corrected. "And I would imagine you would do the same things you do here. Work out and compete. The only difference would be you'd have me around to fuck whenever you want."