The Only Constant is Change Ch. 06

What Jeremy didn't know as he made his birthday plans was that Ava was way, way ahead of him. She'd already been planning for a few weeks to make Jeremy's 18^th birthday celebration the best of his life. She'd pulled in Serena as a co-conspirator, of course, and enlisted the help of most of their circle of friends. There were a number of conversations along the way between Ava and the other girls in his life; she spoke with Serena, obviously, but also Jess, Monica, Hannah and Lanie.

For her plan to come together, she was going to need some cooperation from his parents. But the conversation with his mother was the one that made her the most nervous. Just like their relationship itself, Ava's plans were unorthodox. But when they'd met over coffee and she explained her feelings to Mrs. Halperin, instead of yelling at her or criticizing her, Jeremy's mother actually thanked her.

"I must say, I'm surprised at what you're proposing Ava. You know you don't have to do anything like this, or rush things at all. My son's not really expecting...that is to say, he's not one to force anyone to...he'll be very grateful, of course."

"Mrs. Halperin, I know what kind of guy he is. That's why I...I love him." When Jeremy's mom had looked at her in surprise, she continued, "I can't explain it. I know it's only been a couple of months, and he's been up-front the whole time about not being exclusive and worried that a serious relationship won't last when he leaves for the Navy. I can't help it. He's exactly what I dreamed I would one day find. If you'd have asked me 6 months ago if I'd be okay with my boyfriend dating other girls, I'd have angrily denied it. But it hasn't been an issue at all.

Since he defined things up front, it's just part of the deal. Besides, it's not like I've suffered at all because of it. When I'm with him, I know that he's focused on me and my happiness. And I know he's the same way with Serena, too. So, I'm happy. I'm happy for him and the other girls who get to experience a guy like him, too. Really, this wouldn't be a gift just for him; it's a gift for both of us. At least, that's how I feel about it."

Mrs. Halperin had sipped her coffee, apparently weighing just how she felt about what Ava had said and planned. Finally, she said, "My son is a lucky young man. I don't know what the future holds for you, but I've seen the changes in him since you entered his life. He used to be reserved, lacking in self-confidence when it came to girls. Now, thanks to you and Serena, he's opened up and loosened up; I can't remember a time when I've seen him so happy. I'll be glad to help you however you need. All I ask is that you continue to look out for him. You're both still so young, and it's so easy for things to get complicated and feelings to get hurt at your age."

By the end of the evening Friday, Jeremy had learned three things. A) To paraphrase a famous saying, plans rarely survive first contact with girlfriends. B) He was more popular than he realized. And C) his parents were more devious than he'd have thought, especially when A) happened.

In hindsight, he probably should have smelled a rat as soon as he saw his dad waiting for him in the parking lot at school when the final, half-day let out. Until that moment, Jeremy hadn't even been sure his dad knew where the high school was. But sure enough, there he was with a big grin on his face and his arms spread wide. As Jeremy stepped into his hug, he clapped his hands on his back and said "Congratulations! How does it feel to be finished?"

"It's been a long time coming, Dad, I won't lie. But what're you doing here? Is Mom okay?"

His dad waved his hands, "Mom's fine. I thought maybe you and I could go do some stuff this afternoon, now that you're officially a man."

"Well, I'd never turn down spending time with you, you know that. What did you have in mind?"

His father put his arm around his shoulders and guided him towards his truck. "Let's go get some lunch. I've got some advice I want to give you, and we need to go shopping." That last part should have been the tell, because his dad absolutely hated shopping. Like, fake an ailment or injury to avoid going to the mall hate. But Jeremy was so excited to be done with school, and to spend time with his dad, that he didn't stop to think about it.

"So, where to? It's your choice today."

Jeremy didn't hesitate. "Round Ground. I'm hungry for a big ol' juicy burger with some curly fries."

By the time they'd gotten situated at the restaurant and placed their orders, Jeremy was chomping at the bit to hear what advice motivated his dad enough to risk a shopping trip. He'd learned through the years, though, that his dad would speak when he was ready; no amount of cajoling would hurry him up. So, he watched his dad and waited patiently for him to begin.

He was surprised to see that his dad was choking back tears. The only times in his life that Jeremy had seen his father cry had been at the funerals for his parents. All of a sudden, he was really concerned. "Dad? Are you okay?"

His dad smiled through his tears. "I'm fine. I was just thinking how proud I am of the man you've become. You're kind and honest, loyal and loving, smart and strong. Here you are turning 18 and it just hit me how many years I missed while you were going from that scrawny little kid missing his front teeth that I remember to this handsome, confident young man that I see sitting before me. I'm sorry I missed so much, but even if I'd been there all the time, I hope you'd turn out just like you are."

Jeremy was having a hard time swallowing around the lump in his throat. "Dad, you know that Mom and I have never regretted your service, right? Even when we didn't know where you were, we would never have traded the lives we've lived for anything else. If you're proud of me, it's because I'm proud of you, and I hope I can someday live up to the standard you've set. I love you."

Neither father nor son said anything else for several minutes. The bond between them was palpable, and words would have only cheapened the moment.

Finally, his father wiped his nose and spoke again. When he did, the conversation started in a completely new direction. "Did I ever tell you about the time your Grandpa Harold caught me sneaking out of the house one Saturday night to go see my girlfriend?" Jeremy grinned and shook his head.

"Well, I was just a little bit younger than you, and I'd been dating Mary Lou Penrose for about 5 months. We liked each other a lot, but her dad didn't really like me at all. I think that was part of the attraction for us. Anyway, we'd been getting hot and heavy on our dates, and I was pretty sure we were gonna go all the way before too much longer. And then her parents went out of town for the weekend and left her all alone at home; I thought it was proof that God loved me.

Anyway, Mary Lou told me to wait until after dark, and then to sneak over to her house and we'd have some fun. Looking back on it now, I might as well have hung a sign around my neck that said, 'I'm getting ready to lose my virginity!' But I thought I was playing it so cool. So about 10:30 at night, I pulled the screen off my window and shimmied out onto the porch roof. I'm working my way down one of the poles when I hear, 'Nice night for a walk, huh Sammy?' It startled me so bad I fell off the pole into the evergreen bushes." Right about then, the server showed up with their food. Between the image of his father falling and the look on the young lady's face, Jeremy was cracking up.

His father had a sheepish grin on his face as he chuckled, and it was all he could do to take a bite of his sandwich. "So, there I am. The only light is from the moon, I'm flailing around in an evergreen bush, getting all scratched up and trying to find my footing, and my father is sitting on the same porch swing that hangs there now, laughing his ass off. He finally took pity on me and gave me a hand out of the bushes. 'Come sit with me a while, Sammy,' he said. And then he gave me some advice that I've carried with me through a lot of relationships, including the one I have with your mother.

'Sammy,' he began, 'I know where you were headed, and what you were planning on doing when you got there. I'm not trying to stop you. But I want you to think on something before you go. Making love to a woman is one of the most powerful, most intimate experiences of your life. And it's even more so for the woman for a lot of reasons. Think about it. Sure, you're both looking to have some fun, but she's letting a part of you into her most sensitive, intimate area. That's a big risk for a woman, because their sex is tied tighter to emotion and self-image, and because the long-term consequences can be so much greater. By sharing herself, she makes herself vulnerable to you, and she's trusting you in a way that's easy for a man to overlook.

Son, you owe it to Mary Lou, and any other woman you ever lay with, to always communicate honestly about your desires, your likes and dislikes, and to honor the gift she's giving you by doing two things: put her pleasure before your own and keep her safe.'" His father paused and shook his head. "I don't think your grandpa ever gave me another speech that long in my life; he wasn't really that much of a talker. But I'll be damned if he hasn't been proven right, so far as I'm concerned."

His father looked at him. "Do you understand what he was saying, and why I wanted to tell you that story, Jeremy?"

"I think so, Dad. I don't know when it'll come into play, but I won't be a virgin forever, right?" His Dad started to smirk but caught himself before responding.

"From the way those girls have been looking at you, and the way you've been drooling over them..."

"Hey!" Jeremy protested.

"...I'd say things are trending towards sooner, rather than later," his father finished.

As they continued their meal, the conversation turned toward the preparations they still needed to make at their property for the graduation party the next night. The firepit had been cleaned out, and wood for the bonfire had been gathered, but they still needed to construct the fire lay. They also needed to drag the big kettle grill out of storage and get it cleaned up for burgers and dogs. His father was already planning on putting a pork shoulder in the smoker before he went to bed tonight. Word had spread that the price of admission was a side dish or dessert, so Jeremy and his dad focused on the main dishes and beverages. He was just hoping that enough people would come that nothing would go to waste.

Leaving the restaurant, Jeremy asked his father, "What's next?"

His dad rolled his eyes and said through gritted teeth, "Shopping." There was a shadow of doubt that remained in Jeremy's mind. After all, if his dad hated shopping so much, why was he so set on going? But, his father insisted that every man should have a couple of good suits, a selection of dress shirts and ties, and the proper accessories to go with them. It took a couple of hours, but they found everything his dad said he needed. Between the extended lunch, and the selections and fittings at the men's store, it was close to 4:00 before they finished up.

Since his buddies weren't supposed to be at his house for a couple more hours, they decided to knock out the remaining tasks on the "to do" list before heading back. It was pushing it, timewise, but Jeremy was confident they'd be able to get everything done so that tomorrow would be a little more relaxing. His dad seemed to be working in slow motion, though, and the hands on his watch were approaching 5:30 before they were finishing up. Home was only about 15 minutes away, though, so Jeremy figured he'd have time to grab a quick shower before his buddies got there. They weren't always the most punctual people he'd ever met.

Just as they turned towards home, though, his mother called his father's cell phone. She'd forgotten to pick up her dress for the graduation ceremony tomorrow from the cleaners. Naturally, she preferred the "environmentally-friendly" cleaners all the way across town instead of the one nearer to their house. Since they closed at 6 and her guys were already out and about, they had a better shot of getting there before they closed. Out of nowhere, they were in a bit of a time crunch.

Had Jeremy been driving, they probably would have made back to the house before 6, even with the unanticipated errand. Jeremy wasn't driving, though. Which led to the second rare occurrence in one day: his...father...drove...the...speed...limit...all...the...way. He might not have had big plans for the evening, but Jeremy still hoped to be there to greet his buddies and maybe grab a quick shower while they waited for the pizza to arrive. For the first time that afternoon, Jeremy began to get suspicious. Call him a little slow on the uptake if you want, but he was beginning to think his dad might be keeping him away from the house intentionally. The shopping trip would have been enough on its own, but then there was sudden need to adhere to local traffic laws. And finally, his father was paying close attention to the road. A little too close. Like, looking anywhere but at Jeremy-level closeness. Jeremy didn't know exactly what was going on, but he knew his dad was up to something.

Any questions that remained about whether something was afoot were dispelled when they arrived at the house. The first thing Jeremy noticed were the bag lanterns placed along the walkway around to the back yard. A sign saying "Party" was pointing in that direction. The second thing, or things, rather, that Jeremy noticed were Ava and Serena hurrying towards them and giggling. Jeremy looked at his dad, who smirked and shrugged, like "What was I supposed to do?"

"Thanks Mr. Halperin! You're the best!" they exclaimed as they dragged Jeremy from the truck. "We'll take it from here." Jeremy couldn't help but admire the two beautiful young ladies. Ava was wearing a navy-blue, off-the-shoulder blouse with long sleeves open down the length, except for string ties. Her faded blue jean short shorts showed off her legs to perfection. Not to be outdone, Serena wore a loose, sleeveless halter top, salmon with white oriental flowering, held up by a behind-the-neck tie with the straps crossing in front of the neck. Her long legs were showcased by shorts just as brief as Ava's, but of white denim.

Ava gave him a hug and a kiss, and then directed him to go shower and get cleaned up. "Your clothes are already laid out, and you need to be at the gate to greet your guests in 20 minutes," she said.

"My clothes? My guests? What's going on?"

Serena gave him a cheeky little grin as she pushed him along. "No time to talk. It'll be clear soon enough." To reinforce the point, she gave him a little swat, followed by a wink and grin when he looked back.

Returning from his shower and feeling refreshed, Jeremy found a pewter colored silk camp shirt and dark olive cargo shorts waiting on his bed. Taking the hint, he strapped a pair of sandals on his feet and headed to the backyard.

What awaited him there was beyond his imagination. So much for a simple night with the guys, he thought. The backyard had been transformed. With tiki torches spaced around the yard and strings of lights along the fence and in the gazebo, there was a warm glow throughout the space. Just off the deck was the table for food. Piled high with sandwiches, individual bags of chips, potato salad and baked beans, there was everything Jeremy could have asked for at a picnic.

As he perused the options, he noticed that at one end of the table, there was a big sheet cake with one of those edible pictures embedded in the frosting. It was a picture of Jeremy from when he was just a few months old, grinning a toothless grin at the camera, his chubby legs and cheeks on full display. The writing on the cake said, "18 years later, you're still making us smile. Happy Birthday! Love, Mom and Dad."

Jeremy was standing there wondering if there should be some sort of "accident" that destroyed the cake to keep his friends from seeing it when he heard "Look at those cheeks! You were adorable!" He turned and found Ava and Serena standing next to him, and his mother a few feet away making last minute adjustments to some table decorations.

"He sure was girls. And he had the cutest little butt..."

"Mom!" he exclaimed.

Of course, they were looking for signs of weakness, like ears and cheeks reddening, for example. That's when they go in for the kill.

Serena made a big show of checking out his back side, and then she said, "So what you're saying is that some things haven't changed?" This set all of the women giggling, even his mother, and deepened his embarrassment.

"Oh, you are so cute when your face gets that red," Ava teased, pinching his cheeks. "I almost wish you still had those big old baby cheeks."

Jeremy needed to make his escape, so he looked at his watch and said, "Wow! Look at the time. I just remembered I have a thing, at the place, with the people..." and trailed off as he hurried towards his post at the garden gate. It was a short respite, as his two primary tormentors came to give him final instructions.

"We couldn't let you spend your 18^th birthday sitting around playing video games with a bunch of guys," Serena began.

"So we arranged to have a few friends come by to help you celebrate," Ava finished. "Now, your job is to stay here and greet your guests as they arrive. We'll handle the rest of it." Having said that, she hugged him tight and kissed him firmly on his right cheek, before saying, "Happy Birthday, sweetie." And she walked off to finish making preparations.

Serena hugged him and firmly kissed his left cheek. Before joining Ava, she said conspiratorially, "Have fun tonight. And whatever happens, just go with it. It'll be worth it, okay?" Then she winked and walked away with a giggle. What the hell was that supposed to mean? he asked himself.

Before he had time to put too much thought into things, Hank and Mark walked up, accompanied by the Crosby twins, Addison and Allison. "Happy Birthday, Jeremy!" the girls exclaimed in unison. Then they proceeded to kiss him firmly, one on each cheek. Seeing the look on his face, they giggled and hurried into the party.

Mark and Hank were looking at him with a curious mix of amusement and envy. Jeremy wasn't quite sure what to make of what just happened, but the last thing he needed was for his buddies to be angry with him. "Hey, guys, I don't know what just happened, but I'm not...I haven't...the twins..."

Mark clapped him on the shoulder and said, "Relax. They warned us that your girlfriends put them up to something, but that it was innocent. Besides," he laughed, "I'd pay money to be in your shoes right now."

Hank grinned and squeezed Jeremy's shoulder. "It was worth it to see the look on your face and you stammering to explain it away," he said with a laugh. Looking at his friend a little closer, "I think, based on your face, that might be just the beginning. Good luck!" Then his two friends followed after their dates. Intrigued, Jeremy could only wonder what his girlfriends had cooked up for him.

As more and more of his friends and classmates began to arrive, the picture got much clearer. Not content for Jeremy to have a quiet evening with a couple of buddies, Ava and Serena had apparently conspired with his parents to put together a party, inviting just about everybody that he had even a passing acquaintance with from school. As the crowd grew, he was beginning to wonder if the back yard would be big enough.

Fortunately, Jeremy had better things to occupy his thoughts than to worry about the capacity of the back yard. Every girl that came to the gate, free or attached, no matter how tenuous his connection, pulled his face down and gave him a firm kiss to a cheek or his forehead. Early on, Jeremy was bewildered. But after seeing the smirks on the faces of Ava, Serena, and even his mother, he decided to take Serena's advice and just roll with it. As long as nobody's date got offended, Jeremy was going to enjoy it to the fullest. He'd figured out that the game was to cover his face with lipstick impressions, so now he was wondering if he'd have enough capacity on his face.