The Punisher

Her desk phone rang and she had to take it, so we saw ourselves out.

The very idea of having sex in school? It was so odd it was funny. At the same time, I thought we should probably test out this theory, it was just Way Too Bizarre. "Come on. You're going to show me the ladies locker room before anyone's in it."

Emma was visibly crying, as was Kara, but they walked with me though mostly empty hallways. I wasn't immune to the idea that they were emotionally in pain, it's just that I knew that the reason was a natural part of what they'd done.

It was entirely the correct response for them, losing their futures makes for pain. I had some compassion, but at the same time, it was a deserved fate, something they should probably have known was coming. I resolved I wasn't going to let it bother me.

They would have a lot of this kind of thing coming - the entitled over-superior past meeting a much more lowly, mundane, and reset of the real world present.

Whatever, I thought.

Big Mysteries awaited - but mostly life was so strange I wasn't quite sure what I could do or not, what were my constraints. In a way, I felt like it was pretty important that I find out what the real limits were, and if I didn't, one of us could be hurt, or we might even hurt someone else.

The door was intimidating, sort-of, but we walked right in, me leading the way, but the girls right behind me. I turned to them, not wanting to be walking in-front in case someone saw us. I spoke to Emma, "Show me? Give me a tour?"

It looked a lot like the Gents, rows and rows of lockers, labeled in sections (Frsh, Soph, Jun, Sen, Teams), some cages for athletic equipment, benches, etc.

There was some noise from the back, echoing in the concrete and steel. Emma (tears still sliding down cheeks but with a firmer stride) led us through. She paused with each area so I could see what was what, and pointed at things that were obvious.

I had a few questions - why were there a second set of showers, what's behind that door (a second swimming pool??!), etc.

In the back, the showers section was divided in two, a big open section like we had, but also a part where showers were in a row of alcoves, like they got private shower stalls in addition to a more open area with sets of showerheads together.

Girls DEF got better facilities than guys! I didn't think that was particularly fair, but then again, there were already lots of ways girls had different rules for whatever reason.

Coming around a corner to see the open showers better, there was a drying area - and WOW two girls were just finishing drying off!! OMG!

They were Naked!!!

Yeah, that's technically not something I should have been surprised by, they were obviously done with a shower.

Instead, the thing that just blew my mind was, these two were on the girls cross country team! I knew them really well, and... WOW!!

Glancing up at me as we walked towards that area, mostly they were ignoring us and talking about something casually between themselves. At that glance, I thought I saw one almost start a half-smile. As we got closer, I heard something about hills in the Harbourview area.

In other words, our being there, MY being there, was not worthy of discussion.

It's a strange thing I'd found about my autism, and that was that in some situations I'm much, much more shy than other people. In other places, I'm much more brave, probably because I don't really get what the social implications are and I don't know to be scared.

Some part of me wanted to keep walking, to just get through this, no more interaction with people than necessary. I didn't like conflict. I didn't know if I'd be making a fool of myself generally, and I had a feeling I frequently was.

Most of my life, people avoided looking at me in the face, from my scar. Even though that was gone now (a big thing I was coming to grips with), it felt odd that people had started looking me right in the face, without shying away or making a deal out of it.

Talking with these girls was going to be important, I just knew it.

I took a deep breath and powered through it, trying to be... normal? Casual?

The one kicker I'd gotten in all my conversations thus far (in the previous two days) was, I would get CRUCIAL information if I just went up and asked basic questions, and let people talk. They'd give me amazing clues as to how my new life would work, I just had to ask and then listen.

As I had changed direction, Emma or Kara had said something like, 'why are we here' or 'sightseeing'. The latter was true, to a point. I was kind of sightseeing, and...

Even trying to start talking, their beauty and HEADLIGHTS of boobs and... eyes? Their eyes, they were beautiful, too, and I had to work at it, stay focused and casual.

I leaned on the half-wall enclosing the shower-exit area and waited; they came over to me.

They weren't shielding themselves with the towels! Staggering orbs of soft happiness!

Managing a voice of calm I didn't know I could force to come out, I gave them a noncommittal, "Hey."

My mood was not quite so calm.

Coming up to me closer, enough that I had to look them in the eye, I asked, "Workouts before school?"

Gail was taller than me, lanky and strong without much rounding (meaning I could see some cool muscles moving as she walked and ran, normally), with shoulder-length dark hair. Her thin frame gave me hints of her pelvis bones but there was a six pack and sweetly defined muscles around it.

Trying to not look at her close-in chest with (given the cool air), crinkled nipples and all, I got to her eyes, staring happily into mine.

She said, "Oh, yeah, hey Kev. We keep a winter schedule, like coach said. Conditioning stays tuned in."

Jenna, standing near her, piped in with, "Good to run with someone. It's always harder to go out alone when it's dark in the mornings."

Jenna's build was more average-sized, with a medium chest (meaning larger for a runner) and shorter dirty blonde hair. She was really pretty without her glasses on.

She asked, "How's married life treating you? Room for more?" Her grin was infectious, I liked her a lot. She'd always looked me in my good eye and treated me nicely.

I admit I'd had some fantasies about her.

Emma started saying something behind me but Kara shushed her.

I talked over Emma and said, "Oh, pretty good, I guess. Hard to move in with people, making the house work for us, I guess? I get overstimulated, I have to work to stay calm. Too much change is hard, but I'm getting better at it."

"Oh, right. Yeah, that would be hard for you. Is it hard now, looking at us?" The question was genuine, not teasing.

I might have made a face as I realized it was a double-entendre, and Gail laughed and elbowed her (nearly in the boob!!!!!) with a 'That's rude!' and Jenna figured out she'd made a double-entendre, and laughed at herself.

Picking up the joke, Jenna continued, "I guess even if it is, you can always fix that need. Bathrooms are over there, we'll stand guard if you don't want to be disturbed."

I turned around and looked at Emma, who stared back evenly like it wasn't anything big.

There was some possibility there, but the important thing was getting info from these two.

I looked back at Gail's eyes, then at Jenna's eyes and said, "I'm having trouble seeing any more beauty than your eyes, but... honestly..."

Chancing it, I looked down at their bodies more slowly (they'd given me permission?) and I felt my joy bubble up at the sight, and my inhale and exhale stuttered, I think.

Looking back up at their faces, I realized they had connected with my mood and my so-plainly looking at them was an appreciated compliment.

Having to say something, I added, "If I was going to date anyone else, I might think to ask if either of you were free for coffee, but... I have to be careful. I already talked with my friend Bree Silverman about this, same stuff would apply as with her. Coffee is complicated, as fun as it might be. It leads to morning pancakes."

This was a line from a movie, where someone who really likes someone else says, "I'd love to wake up to her pancakes!" I was feeling that, in the moment, but I couldn't exactly say it out loud.

I was talking myself into a corner, my brain was filled with naked boobs and curves and caressable skin.

Turning back to Emma and Kara, I said, "Let's finish the tour and find a spot... for just us. This much beauty fills my mind, I'm already doing things in my imagination." They nodded and we pushed off to leave, but I turned back to Gail and Jenna and said, "See you soon, time [track season] is almost right. Thank you for the inspiration, I could get used to mornings like this."

They said 'Okay-bye' and we walked off, rounding the set of lockers and going back outside and down the hall.

Walking along, Emma asked, "So, would you marry those girls as well as us? Your eyes were very open, looking at them."

I laughed and thought about them. "I've known them for years and years. I've spent countless hours, in workouts near them, straining with my last energy. I guess I have a need to be ethical, near them, it's a habit? To live up to my potential? Running is like that."

The girls had no idea what I was talking about.

I explained, "Jenna and Gail, they've done the same thing, Right Next To Me. They both - like some other girls on the team - are determined, driven... they want to achieve. Married to me, they'd be tied down to being near me, at least some of the time I think. I guess... I guess I love them, like I love the rest of my friends, I love all my friends. But, I don't want to limit them. I'm willing to marry, sure, I'm a yes for that just like my other friends. Problem is, that might not be what they want. I'd want them to be free to achieve, do great things... help people? Discover things, whatever they want. It's not just about me."

Kara wondered, "Dude. They're yours if you want them. Did you see how they looked at you? You have the power, it's in their eyes. Do it. Plus, might make less laundry for me to do."

I looked over at her. "Seriously selfish, Kara. Shame on you. People deserve to be happy, and fulfilled, and have mutual love and support. It's not about laundry. Besides, you're the Obedient Do-ers of work, if you shirk one duty, you'll just have a built-in next task anyway. And, I know, you're 'devoted', right? So, you want to do that stuff, right? It's part of your thing. There's no chance to do less, it's what you're Supposed To Do."

As I said that, Kara's face clouded over. I mostly thought she didn't understand what I was saying, more than anything. It might have been out of her experience. My saying 'shame', though, I think hit her with some force.

We'd gotten to a wide spot in the hallway; a few people were walking to and fro, so I pulled them over and asked blatantly, "So. You're expelled. What's your plan?"

Kara looked like she was going to cry, probably from the shame comment. She said, "What the fuck does it matter? We have to be here. We just sit around bored all the time, you're the one having fun."

"You have your math books?"

"No, those are at... in the room, in our room." She hadn't said, 'at home', which made sense, it probably didn't feel like home yet.

I just had to shake my head. They were clueless. If I didn't say something, they'd probably just mope around and read cosmo or whatever it was that entitled girls like them normally did.

"Kara. Emma. You... You've guys got the whole day free now. This could be a good thing. They probably have a math textbook at the library... or, maybe in that office the math teachers use... Heck, let's just go ask."

We walked off, the library wasn't that far off.

The librarian, Mrs. Boochlieber, was at her desk. She helped me get two Algebra textbooks checked out (they had 20 copies). The girls couldn't check anything out, they weren't students anymore and Boochlieber knew it. One of the supernatural effects was everyone already knew all the bad stuff the girls had done.

One of my priorities was to get the girls off their entitled high horses, so I asked, "Do you have any books that have, like, Perspective - big P - on how people's lives are sometimes crap? Told from a way maybe so these two can understand?"

She thought for a minute and went over to a 'Prize Winners / Classics' shelf behind her, picking out a couple, then taking them over to check them out to me. The pile included Candide, Part-Time Indian, Night by Wiesel, and Lies My Teacher Told Me.

After I checked those out, I thought of going out on a limb. I asked, "In the future, could my wives check out books for me? I'd ensure they got returned?

She chuckled and said, "Actually, yes! I'm glad to honor your word, sir. These scumbags? Not so much."

The casual hatred and disrespect was still surprising since normal people don't talk like that, but it was kind of funny, too. I had to wonder what the girls thought of it.

Then I remembered them eating someone else's jello that previous morning (had it only been a day! Wow!).

I asked, "Mrs. Boochlieber? When I come back at the end of the day, can you have a list of anything these two have done that disrespects you, or other students, or the library in general? I can't watch them full time."

She smiled, but obviously was taking the responsibility seriously. "Oh! Of course. Glad to help. I'll keep a list."

It was almost time for my classes, so I shouldered my bag. "Girls? You didn't pack lunch today. Come to the south cafeteria, right by the outside entrance, at 12:15. I'll get you a sandwich or something. Those books? [I pointed] Read them. Imagine yourself in those situations, and Feel the Feelings, it... might help you. Write what you feel. Now... I gotta get to class. Don't embarrass me."

They nodded, and I saw a little fear in their eyes. I wasn't trying to make them afraid, I was trying to get them to not be total douchnozzles. My ring felt warm as I was leaving, though I might have been imagining it. It itched a little, but I couldn't scratch underneath it, it was like it was part of my hand.

== Grocery Shopping ==

Classes went fine, though I did get noticed by a lot of girls in each of my classes. Some - both guys and girls - came up and shook my hand with a 'congrats on the wedding, dude' idea. A lot of them added, "Sixteen kids, huh? That's a bunch. Hands full."

Obviously the common-knowledge thing about what was going on had pervaded their awareness, but after that initial handshake, it was back to normal for me.

At lunch, I got three sandwiches instead of one, though I had to pay extra, and handed them off on time when the girls came down.

I sat with Brian and two friends from chorus, also nerds, but a few other girls came up and sat with us, too. It felt kind of odd, but good, to have normal conversations like we actually could do that. I wasn't used to eating with pretty girls.

After school, I picked my wives (it felt odd to say it, or think the phrase, still) up from the library. Knowing they had no idea how the bus worked, and since I sometimes took it when the weather was bad (but avoided it because of bullies), we got on my bus and were home in 20 minutes instead of walking for 45.

Right after school I went downstairs; I was super-horny. Emma had me lie down, and she sucked me off very nicely while I played with her tits and Kara kissed me.

After I came, I laid there for a couple of minutes, then went on a quick run and did a playground workout set, more full even than normal. I had a lot of strength reserve and when I did stuff that usually got me tired quickly, I just felt like I could do more.

When I got home, the list we'd put on the wall of 'essential things' had grown from being furniture (a dresser, bedside tables) and drugstore stuff (pads, conditioner, soap, moisturizer, etc.) to also include (in my mom's handwriting) sandwich makings, veggies, frozen entrees, ramen, cereal, milk, and a couple of other things.

Obviously I was being told that I had to provide for them, but I didn't have a lot of money. From lawn mowing over the previous summer, I'd made about $2k, but that wouldn't last long if it was buying groceries, I knew how much that cost.

Mom came down just before dinner to see what was going on, and generally wasn't unhappy with what she saw, I think, though she was dour in general. She handed me an overnight mail envelope, "Came for you... Also, your father and I expect you three to use this downstairs kitchen from now on. Your wives will be cooking for you, that's one of their duties. Not all wives - these two are special - but they need to do it Down Here. Away from me, their faces disgust me, nobody wants to look in a toilet before dinner. Ruins my appetite."

I nodded and the girls watched, standing formally and nervously in front of my mother. I know Mom can be imposing sometimes, but it was a little odd to watch that.

They were all looking at the envelope she'd handed me, and Mom even made a 'go ahead' gesture. I pulled the tab and took out the thick paper folder inside.

A cover letter read:

"Mr. Kevin Cooper:

Enclosed please find dissolution documents for an educational trust set up in the name of Emmaline Paulsen. Also find docs for two new irrevocable educational trusts I've set up. One is for you personally, and the other is for your biological children, regardless of who the mother is."

"The first fund totals CAD$17m, and the second totals CAD$34m, though this will be marginally sufficient given your anticipated / announced plan of having sixteen (16) children per spouse. Debit cards for these are included."

"On behalf of my entire office staff, please accept my condolences on the loss of your friend, Danielle McGraw. We also extend condolences in having close dealings with her murderers. We would kindly ask that they remain outside if you ever visit our offices. We prefer to avoid sewage where possible."

"Cordially yours, Tenford, Mergeffsheld, Jeffers, and Roy, Solicitors and Barristers"

I took out the card. Not wanting to give away anything to my mother or really to the girls, I said, "Right. Got some cash from an unexpected source, enough for groceries for a while, sounds like. We need some, so I'm going."

Getting a phone pic of our need-it board, I grabbed my lightweight school backpack and put the packet in there, and told the girls to keep working on the basement, and to start with cleaning, folding, and putting away my clothes, before their own.

== ==

After the office store (shelving, safe, laser printer, laptop, organizers, etc.), I had grocery shopping to do, or we wouldn't have food. Mom had made it plain they should be cooking soon.

The problem was, I didn't know what I needed, really.

So, naturally, I called Mary. She had mentioned before that she sometimes cooked dinner for her family.

Nevermind my intention to just ask questions, she showed up at the store about 10 minutes later, out of breath, and latched onto the problem. We looked over the list and I described what we had and didn't.

We had plates and flatware, but no pots/pans/implements, an old fridge and oven but no food, a pair of entitled-fucking-idiots who have never cooked in their lives and needed to learn skills, and a medium-sized budget that would support establishing a full kitchen.

Right there in the aisle next to the cereals, she stopped me, turned me towards her, and took my hands. "Kevin."

Her eyes bored into mine. I could look at her; sometimes she was too pretty and powerful and amazing and I couldn't, but somehow I could then. "Yeah?"

"I want you to think about this. What are you doing right now, with me."

"Uh... I'm renting your time, schooling me on how to not be a schlub husband." Shlub was a favorite word of Bree's and meant talentless waste of space. "I figure I can pay you back sometime by fixing a sink or something." I'd done that once, at her house, when her dad was out of town.