The Other Side of the Tracks

Disclaimers: As usual, this story is pure fiction. If you think you recognize anyone in my story, quit peeking into my mind. If anyone in this story is sexually active, they are over the age of 18. This story has a very slow build up, so be patient.

My name is Matthew Holloway. I'm closing in on my 30th wedding anniversary, to the most unlikely girl, a kid like me would have ever been lucky enough to marry.

I think a little back story might be helpful, here. I was born nearly 53 years ago, in the thriving metropolis of Colton, Washington. Even today, Colton has maybe 500 or so people in town.

It's located about 15 miles south of Pullman, Washington, the home of Washington State University, and about 290 miles southeast of Seattle.

About the only thing Colton is 'famous' for is the acres and acres of winter wheat that's grown all over The Palouse.

Growing up I was an only child, without a father, as he had a heart attack, when I was just 3 years old. He survived, barely. He couldn't work, so to call us poor, was an understatement. Yes, he got a small amount from disability, but that hardly covered his medical bills.

We survived, barely, with my mother being a great seamstress. Just as I was turning six, dad's second heart attack killed him. It nearly killed my mom, too. It took her nearly two months to pick up a needle and thread, again.

If it weren't for the kindness of some of our neighbors, we wouldn't have made it through the very harsh winters.

It was all I could do, to make it to school, for the first grade. Even in this rural setting, where everyone knew everyone else, I stood out as the kid who didn't have a father, and made the church mouse look rich.

Each student seemed to hear the 1966 Johnny Rivers recording, Poor Side Of Town, each time I came into our school house.

My saving grace was I learned to build and repair anything. I also had one particular girl in my class who genuinely liked me, without feeling sorry for me.

To call us polar opposites was an understatement. My mom and I had next to nothing, and her family had close to 50,000 acres of wheat. Where I wore hand me downs to school, she dressed in the nicest clothes. This never caused her to look down at me and my family situation.

Even in grade school, as good of friends as we were, I just knew Claire Dawson was just that, a friend. My mom always told me, all through school, to hold my head high, and never give anyone a reason to think of us as not being equal.

As I started the seventh grade, I started getting interested in football. Not being the biggest, or fastest kid, in a school this size, nearly any kid who turned out, got to play.

In the ninth grade, I stood 5'10" and was nearly 160. I also could catch any ball thrown in my direction. By my senior year, I was just over 6' and weighed 175. It was here, that I knew I wasn't destined to play college football, so I started looking into apprenticeships.

The best one I found was in Spokane, about 90 miles to the north. I also found that I qualified for financial assistance.

All throughout high school, Claire and I remained friends. I wanted to be more than just friends, but her parents had other ideas. The first time she let me kiss her, someone must have seen us and told her folks, because the following day, my mom got a call from her mom, saying, anything like this had to stop. Period.

Mom, relying on the townspeople for her livelihood, couldn't make waves and lose customers. We had a conversation after dinner, that night, leaving me feeling lower that snake slime.

The next day at school, Claire wouldn't even look at me. As I was leaving after school, she called out to me, but I just turned and ran back home, my eyes filled with the tears of someone hurt beyond belief.

The following Monday, I got to class, only to find a little note, folded up on my desk. When I opened it, my heart nearly skipped a beat. It said, "Matt, please don't judge me by my mother's doings. I am sorry for what she told your mom," it was signed, your best friend, Claire.

To this day, I still have that note, in a scrapbook at home.

All throughout our senior year, we would talk, laugh, and, yes, sneak a kiss, or two. Did her mother know? Probably, but Claire told her, she was very wrong to judge us by our possessions, and not by what was in our hearts.

As Senior prom was nearing, I asked Claire to go with me. I could see in her eyes that wasn't going to happen. She told me the son of a family friend was taking her.

"Do you even know, or like him?" I asked, already knowing the answer.

"Matt, I'm so sorry, I just don't know what to say."

With that she turned and walked away.

Needless to say, I didn't attend my Senior Prom.

The next week was graduation. I did my best to look happy, but I knew I wasn't. The best thing that happened was receiving a financial aid package allowing me to attend the school to learn everything possible about building homes.

As our senior class only had 31 students graduating, it was hard to avoid the glare of my surroundings. What did make both my mother and me puff out our chests was when our Principal read about the scholarship I received.

Off I went to Spokane, for my two year training. I also knew that Claire was attending Gonzaga, just across town from where my school was.

It seemed as if she did her best to avoid me, so I soon quit trying to even have just a conversation with her. I did hear through the home town gossip that she had a boyfriend, a few years older, heading to Gonzaga's Law School.

As my first year was ending, I got hired by a contractor to intern during the summer. Not only did it give me a chance to hone my skills, I actually earned a paycheck.

Just before my second year started, I was out with girl, at a restaurant, near the Gonzaga campus. This girl was a friend, who just happened to be the first girl that I had sex with. While we were friends, with benefits, neither of us thought this would end in marriage.

As we were leaving, I heard the unmistakable voice of Claire Dawson, screaming at the complete asshole shaking her by both shoulders. Walking up to this jerk, I yelled at him to stop or I'd break both his arms.

Within minutes, Spokane Police responded, and much to my shock, Claire actually defended this clown, but when my girlfriend showed the cops pictures on her new, digital camera, the lawyer to be was arrested, much to my delight.

Two days later, Claire's parents were at my school, actually berating me for saving their daughter. I could tell she was very sorry for defending him, and when I told the Dawsons I should have let their daughter be assaulted by this piece of shit, I think they finally started to believe me. I just couldn't give them any chance to apologize to me, as I turned and walked away, without saying a word.

Two nights later, our community phone rang, and whoever answered yelled it was for me.

When I answered, it was Claire, asking if we could talk. My one word answer was an definitive NO! I then hung up. When I got back to my room, I just sat on my bed and cried.

The next morning, as I started walking to my classes, I heard a very familiar voice quietly saying, "please Matty, I need to talk with you."

Turning to face her, I noticed she had tears in both eyes.

"So, your fuck buddy gets to beat you up in public, and I get the blame?"

I luckily blocked her hand, as she tried slapping my face.

"Matthew Holloway, how dare you?! First off, you have no right saying that crap. And second, I'm so sorry about the other night. I talked very seriously with my parents, and let it be known I'd never be seen with that clown, again."

"I'm sorry, Claire, but from my point of view, it certainly puts my standing with you in jeopardy, right? I guess its foolish of me to think I'd ever come before your parents."

As I turned to go into my class, I felt her hand on my arm, and heard her very quietly tell me she was still a virgin.

As I took my seat in class, I thought to myself, maybe that's why that jerk off was manhandling her.

With my studies getting much more technical, my dating ground to a halt. I did receive a call from Claire's mother. When I heard her voice, I hung up without saying a word. Not ten seconds later, it rang again. Against my better judgment, I answered. Before I could hang up, I heard Carol Dawson pleading with me to listen to what she had to say.

"Go ahead, I'm listening."

"I can't tell you how sorry I am for the way I've acted, these past few years."

"It seems to me, Mrs. Dawson, you judge who's appropriate for Claire to date by their financial status. Doesn't bode too well for me."

"Can we meet in person, as I'm in town? Before you ask, Claire doesn't know I'm here."

"My last class gets out at 3:30, so I guess, 4:00 at the coffee shop across from my school."

Getting there first, I watched Carol walk in, by herself. I quietly said hello, and showed her to the chair across from me.

I sat back, waiting for her to start. I could sense just how nervous she was, when she began, by telling me she and her husband, Donald, were very aware of how bad off we were after my dad's first heart attack.

Between his two heart attacks, she told me her family helped us, behind the scenes.

"If I can ask, why then did you disapprove of me dating Claire?"

"I honestly don't have an answer, Matt."

"Are you going to talk with your daughter, so I don't get anything wrong? And before we finish, here, I'm not sure how I'm going to move forward."

"Please don't hold our bad behavior against, Claire, as she truly has strong feelings for you."

"Thank you for helping me to make my decision."

Getting up to leave, we both gave each other a nice hug.

"I'm off to talk with her, but she may take a few days to digest everything."

The 'few days' turned into nearly a week, when I had a message waiting for me, when I returned from school. All it said was, lunch, Saturday, at the burger bar, on Gonzaga's campus.

I actually thought about not going, but knew I should hear her out.

Lunch was OK, but there was way too much silence.

Finally, I just had to say my peace.

"Before we started high school, we were always best friends, or so I thought. But when it came time to think about dating, that's when you changed. And whether or not it was your parents, or you, things changed. Dramatically!"

"Are you saying if we are going to be friends, we can't date?"

"I think, to start, that might be the idea, Claire. Also, I have a job offer with a large company in Pullman, when I finish in less than two months."

"Matty, I truly want to be your friend, again, really I do."

Getting up to leave, she did give me a very sincere hug, then surprised me with a very soft kiss.

"I really do love you, Matty."

And then she turned and was gone. I thought I heard her softly crying as she left the restaurant.

Wow, I had a lot of thinking to do. Do I want the trouble of dealing with her parents? Could we be a couple without dealing with them? I had to admit to myself that I did love her, too.

Just a few weeks to go until I graduated, with the job waiting for me. One afternoon, as I was leaving class, the jerk who tried manhandling Claire was waiting in front of my school.

"Hey, you shithead, the Gonzaga law school won't admit me, because of you calling the cops on me, a while back."

"Good, we don't need another lawyer who thinks he's above the law," I said in all honesty.

I thought he was going to take a swing at me, be he thought better of it, as a campus cop car drove by.

Moving down to Pullman, being just over 15 miles from mom, just put a new spring in my step, my construction job, as an electrician was just what I wanted, both for financial security, and to prove to myself I could do that job.

Yes, I had a few dates, but something just didn't feel right.

Getting off work, one Friday afternoon, who do I see standing next to my car?

A smiling Claire.

"Can we have dinner, tonight, just the two of us, please?"

"OK, but I need to go home and clean up."

"Can I see your apartment? I promise to behave."

"Follow me," I said with a grin.

She waited in my small living room, while I showered and changed clothes.

Off we went to dinner, where we kept the conversation light. We talked about my job, which I absolutely loved. After about 20 minutes, she told me she had transferred to WSU, for her final year or so, that she needed to get her degree.

"Are you living at home?"

"Nope, in an apartment with two other girls, I know."

Smiling, I told her that if we start dating, or just having dinner sometimes, that would be a good start for me.

She agreed, giving me a nice kiss on one cheek. Holding her in my arms, I returned the kiss, but on her lips. God, that felt good. So good, in fact, I kissed her again. And again. Others in the restaurant started to whisper, so we decided to act a bit more casual. I was very glad those people couldn't see the bulge in my pants, as we were seated in a booth.

We finally did finish our dinner, and just started walking around, holding hands, and talking.

"I know this is a bit forward, but can i come back to your apartment?"

"Are you 100% positive?"

"I've never been surer of anything in my life, Matty"

"You do know that you are the only person I let call me that, don't you?"

Stopping to kiss a few more times, now with my hands firmly holding her nice, round behind, I just thought about how long I've had this dream of being in bed with the first girl who ever showed me any kindness.

Back at my apartment, we just stood in my livingroom, kissing, and hugging. When I felt her hand touch the bulge in my jeans, I knew where this was going. To the place I'd been thinking about since I learned what sex really was.

I slowly took the bottom of her blouse, and lifted it over her head. I then reached behind her and unhooked her bra, letting me see her gorgeous B cups, topped by rock hard, pink nipples.

Moving toward my bedroom, my shirt and pants were off. My hands gently pushed her panties down, over her hips and cute behind. She moved to lower my briefs, letting our naked bodies fall on top of my bed.

Kissing both her rock hard nipples, I felt her hand touch my manhood, which reacted, accordingly. As our kissing progressed, she moved down my body, taking my sex in her hand and licking all around the head. Nearly as fast as she took my cock in her mouth, I knew I was more than ready. Before I could announce my pending eruption, I started shooting stream after hot stream of cum. My darling Claire let it all run back down my shaft.

It took a few minutes for me to catch my breath, while she did some mopping up. Tossing the tissues in the garbage, we just cuddled, gently kissing each other.

Staring into each other's eyes, I started kissing down her body. Both breasts, her tight tummy, and right between her now open thighs. Her breathing increased as my tongue found her very sensitive clit. She closed her knees on either side of my head, holding me in place.

The more I licked, the more her body shook. and the faster her breath came. After her second or third orgasm, I found my hidden condom and moved between her still quivering thighs.

Gently entering her sacred area, I felt her body's reaction to my entry. All I heard her say was to go gently. So I proceeded with care. My rock hard seven inches slowly moving in and out. After a few more thrusts, she started moving her hips into my thrusting.

My God, this was far more than I ever imagined. As our speed picked up, I felt her fingernails digging into my back. Nothing slowed me down, as I took one nipple at a time, biting, very gently, as our thrusting just took on a life of its own. As we both neared our conclusion, I was hoping none of my neighbors were listening, as her vocabulary became rather salty, if you get my drift.

In all the years we've known each other, this was the first real swearing I'd ever heard her use. As we rolled away from each other, we just looked at each other, letting our breathing calm down.

Without saying a thing, we turned to each other, with tears in her eyes, she mouthed to words, I love you.

We both must have fallen asleep, as when we opened our eyes, it was dark.

"Was that dessert?" Claire asked, grinning.

"I hope we might have an encore, if you want," I responded.

Our kissing and groping began, again, with our hands feeling every inch of our bodies. It didn't take too long for another condom to appear. I made the daring suggestion for her to climb on top of me. Figuring out our new venture, she leaning over me, kissing me deeply, with me thrusting upwards as we were hanging onto each other. With her boobs right at my eye level, I sucked on each nipple, making them hard enough to cut glass.

Just as we were both ready to explode, she bit into one of my shoulders, almost hard enough to draw blood. After catching our breath, we showered together, making sure every important part was properly cleaned.

We started seeing each other a bit more regularly, with her staying the night, a few times.

Going into our third month of regular dates, and her staying at my place, a very important topic came up.

"Do your parents know about us?"

"Some, but not every detail. I had to remind them that I'm turning 22 in a few weeks, and mature enough to make these decisions."

"What did they say to that."

"They couldn't say much, with me being almost 22, could they?"

"Claire, I hope you know how much I love you."

"Would you marry me?

"Before you answer, I want to show you one of the two rings I've been looking at, tomorrow."

"Matty, I want to marry you so bad, I'm sure either ring is fabulous."

"Two things, should we tell your parents, and should we wait until you graduate?"

"Yes, and yes."

Our kissing resumed, only interrupted by my phone ringing. When I answered, it was Carol, Claire's mother. Taking it in my living room, out of earshot, I wondered what sort of shit storm might be brewing.

Much to my surprise, she came back to my bedroom, smiling, and told me we're invited to dinner, the next night, Saturday.

"Let's take my mother to dinner, tonight and tell her our good news."

No sooner than we agreed, my phone rang, again. My mom, this time, giddy as a teenager.

I had known for several years that mom was working at The Mercantile, the local store that sold anything and everything you could want.

"Matt, I've been wanting to tell you, that the man who I'm working for, at The Mercantile, and I are dating! And I think we just might get married."

What great news, I thought. Dad has been gone going on 16 years, and mom has needed some company and stability in her life, for years.

"Mom, Claire and I want to take you and Jerry to dinner, tonight, OK?"

"Fine with both of us."

That night, after work and school, we met mom and Jerry at the one nice family restaurant in her town. I hadn't seen mom this happy in years. She had nearly the same glow that Claire had.

Could it be that my mother would be getting married about the same time as me? Only time will tell.

Getting settled at our table, mom looked ready to burst.

"I know you kids have some great news, but can we go first?"

Without waiting for our answer, she just let their news out of the bag.

"Jerry and I are going to be married. Probably within a month, or two."

I knew Jerry was divorced, with two sons, both living in the Spokane area, each with two kids. Wow, not only was mom finding a great guy, she was getting four grandchildren.

"Now, I bet you two are thinking marriage, too, am I correct?"

"Jeez, mom, that's our surprise for you."

"Don't be mad, but Carol and I have talked a few times, and both of us have been hoping for this news."