The Talk Ch. 03

She heaved a sigh of relief at my assurance that I didn't hate her. Sue took a moment to collect herself and then sat up straight, resolved to answer whatever questions I would ask. "Okay," she said.

"First, are you using protection?"

"Yes. I don't want to get pregnant. I've been taking birth control for a year now." She paused when she saw the surprised look on my face and then added, "Mom didn't tell you?"

I shook my head. "No, she didn't. But I'm glad to hear it. Second question... has the emotional relationship between you and your brother changed? Are you... in love?" Inwardly I tightened up, afraid that the answer would be yes. That would complicate matters greatly.

"No," she answered resolutely, readily, and inside I felt myself exhale with relief. "We love each other, of course, but what we've been doing has been... purely physical. Just sex." A wry smirk crossed her lips. "We still have our fights, like any brother and sister. And he's still an asshole bigger brother sometimes. We're not going to run away and elope or anything like that. That's not what it's about."

"Okay. Then what IS it about?"

My daughter thought about it for several long seconds and then finally shrugged. "Sex. I guess. Dave hasn't been getting any since he started working. Too busy. And while I know that I could probably have any guy at school, most of them are just morons. Dave is my brother. We've known each other all our lives. I feel safe with him. Even when he's being a jerk, I know that he wouldn't hurt me. Until more guys my age get their shit together, I'd rather just not play around with them. Dave at least has his head screwed on straight."

I actually found myself nodding at that. As absurd as it sounded, it made more sense than getting raped by some testosterone-ridden jock at a frat party. If Dave had been the boy next door or some other guy she'd known all her life but wasn't related to, I'd have accepted that answer without another question. But the fact remained that Dave IS her brother. The law had been broken, both legal and moral. At some point they would have to answer for it.

"Who came on to who? Who started it?" At that question, she wasn't so quick to answer. "Susan?" I prompted. "WHO started it?"

"I did," she said in a very small, quiet voice. "Me."

"Why?" Again she didn't answer immediately. In that brief moment, the answer why dawned on me. "Because of the talk we had a few weeks ago about... this kind of thing? You were curious?" She nodded, pegged.

"Partly that. I was just plain curious. About everything. Sex, passion, incest, boundaries, what it felt like... everything."

At that point I made another astonishing realization and it was my turn to look at her with wide, surprised eyes. "You mean... HE was your FIRST?!?"

"Yes." That small voice again, her eyes cast downward at her feet. She didn't like admitting that, I think.

"But... you said, a few weeks ago, that you'd lost your virginity." I clearly remembered her saying that during the initial discussion about incest.

"Well... technically, that was true. I broke my cherry with a girlfriend's vibrator last year. So I kinda sorta DID have sex. Just not with another person." She looked up at me quickly. "I swear, Daddy. It was just me and the toy-thing. No one else. Even my friend didn't know about it until I told her later. So... well... anyway, my hymen was long gone before David and I... but he was my first MAN."

I ran my hand through my hair and huffed, like the wind had been knocked out of me. "Oh, shit..." I was almost stonewalled by my disbelief, but I knew that if I stopped now, I wouldn't be able to go on with the interrogation. I willed myself to push forward. "So... that day with the tick. You said that you'd only made out with him. That's what you told me. Nothing happened, you swore it. Was that true?"

My daughter looked up at me again, this time with stern confidence in her eyes and perhaps a little surprise that I'd even question her honesty. Considering the circumstances, could you BLAME me for asking? "I didn't lie to you, Dad," she said. "I didn't tell you the name of the boy I was with, but I didn't lie when I said that we'd only fooled around. The... people we were with really DID want to catch a movie and we really DID have to stop before it ever... progressed."

For the first time since I'd entered the room, I put my hand on her, just her lap, to calm her. "Okay," I said. "I believe you. All right. Next question: how do you think he feels about you? Have you discussed it?"

"Of course we discussed it! And we both agreed that what we're doing-"

At that I cut her off. "Did," I corrected. "For the time being you DID it. I think, for now, the two of you should stop. No more." She looked at me for a moment with, at first, defiant eyes, but then she backed down and nodded her assent. In the long run, it made sense for them to stop. "You won't like this, but I HAVE to talk to your mother about this. And believe me, that is not a task I relish doing, but she's your mother and she deserves to know."

Upon hearing that, she buried her face in her hands again and sobbed. "Oh, no!" she cried and then she looked up at me with wide, frightened eyes again. "Do you have any idea what she'll DO? She'll flip out! She'll go nuts! You saw the way she acted when you removed that tick and I made that joke! She'll go ballistic on ALL of us!" She grabbed my hands in supplication and got down on her knees in front of me. "PLEASE don't tell her about this, Dad! PLEASE! I'm begging you!"

I stared down at her dumbly for an eternal second and all I could see was the incredible amount of cleavage my daughter had accidentally shown me. Her breasts, I could see, were still somewhat sweaty and now they heaved as she breathed heavily with fear. I shook my head firmly, to regain my senses, and helped her back to a sitting position on her bed. "C'mon. Sit and calm down. You don't understand, Kitten," I said. "She's my WIFE. When I married her, I made a lot of pledges and I intend to stick by them. I made a solemn oath to be honest and to honor her. If I held this back, how can I justifiably make good on that promise?" I searched her steel-blue, watery eyes carefully for any hint of understanding. Even though she'd just asked me to withhold the truth from Kathy, I could see that my daughter did indeed understand the importance of what I'd said, even though she dreaded it at her very core. "Listen," I said consolingly, "I'm not just going to blurt it out, okay? There is a time and place for everything. I will FIND that time and place on my own, but I STILL have to do it. And don't underestimate your mother, sweetheart. She's got a LOT of fire in her belly, but she's no fool. And she DOES love the both of you as dearly as I do. Yes, she will probably be upset, but she'll think things through first, just like I am, before she makes any concrete decisions. TRUST that, okay?"

Susan took a very deep, very pensive breath and searched within herself. I didn't say another word until I was sure that she'd found her center again. Finally she gave me a slow nod. "I'll try," she said nervously. "And I pray that you're right, Dad. But I'm scared."

I nodded. THAT was certainly understandable, valid and, actually, pretty damned healthy. "Okay. Last questions, Kitten." I gently held her chin and turned her face toward mine. "Did either of you consider the consequences before all of this started? Did you expect to get caught?"

"Yes to the first question, no to the second," she said. "We talked about it a LOT before we actually went... all the way. But we didn't think we'd get caught." Again, I found myself impressed with her candor and bravery. Even in the middle of this weird mess, I felt assured that we HAD indeed raised our children markedly better than we could have ever dreamed. Most other children her age would have just shrugged and said, "I dunno" to both questions. I was proud that my daughter had grown up to become every inch like her mother: she was courageous to the very last and held her head up high in the face of a challenge. And her willpower, I guess, was probably somewhat a blessing from my own loins. She went on, "We weren't like sex-crazed maniacs, Dad. We took our time and were patient. We didn't do it every chance we got, but made sure that we would be relatively safe. We planned it out every time. To be honest... this was the first time we took an opportunity when we saw it." She grimmaced. "I guess this just proves what you taught me about chess: defeat comes shortly after you deviate from your strategy."

I was silent for a moment as I thought about that. Then I said, "Honey, I don't know if I should be glad or not that you deviated from your plans. I can't say that I'm happy to learn about what you and your brother have done, but I can't say I'd be any happier if it had gone on for any longer." Stood up and looked down at her. She looked up at me with doubtful, wondering eyes. "I suggest you go ahead with that shower, young lady, while I go talk to your brother. And I guess it goes without saying that, starting right now, you're grounded. And, to be honest, being grounded may be just the beginning of your punishment."

Sufficiently sobered, she nodded glumly. "Dad?"

"Yes, Kitten?"

"What are you going to say to David?"

"David's different," I said truthfully. "He's a guy, so he'll respond to things differently. With him, I'll probably skip the Q&A and just get down to the point. Why?"

Sue looked down at her feet again, ashamed. "Well... even though we was a willing participant, Dad, he's really kinda innocent in all of this. It wasn't his idea. And he did it only to make me happy, as warped as that may sound. I know I'm asking you a lot, considering the situation, but... please be gentle with him." Then she looked up at me with earnest eyes. "He was worried sick about you guys finding out and hurting you. I was the one who convinced him that we could hide it from you. He was just..."

I cocked an eyebrow and decided to go with the blunt approach. "A cock who happened to be attached to your brother?"

She visibly winced at the way I'd phrased it. "I wouldn't put it that way, Dad. He was more like a... pawn."

I put my hand on her shoulder. "Even pawns have their roles to play," I said, running with the analogy. "But I'll give your request some thought. I can't speak for your mother, though. And, personally, I think he's a lot more culpable in this than you're willing to admit. But I already promised him that I wouldn't hurt him, not intentionally. And, as with the vows I made to your mother, I fully intend to stand by that promise. Okay?"

Somewhat appeased, she nodded and stood up. She hugged me and I returned the embrace. We held each other for several long seconds while she again sobbed on my shoulder. Finally, she said in my ear, "I'm sorry, Daddy. I really, REALLY am."

We parted and I held her at arm's length. "I know, Susan. I know. Now go take that shower." I kissed her tenderly on her forehead and left her alone.

When I got back to David's room, I was glad to find that he had not taken the coward's option. He sat upon his bed, clothed in blue jeans and a white T-shirt now, and looked up at me as I opened the door. With a glance over his shoulder I saw that he'd opened a window, as I'd asked, to let the smell of sex out of his room.

"Hello, son," I said.

"Hi, Dad." When I closed the door behind me, he said, "I guess I should start to pack my stuff, huh?"

I took a seat next to him on the bed. "Is that what you want?" I asked. "To leave?"

"No. Not really. I just can't think of anything else." He slumped like a beaten man, already, so soon into the conversation. "This is all my fault."

I looked at him with surprise. "Your sister said the same thing about herself, though not so succinctly. The way she tells it, she all but seduced you."

My son shrugged indifferently. "It was her idea, yeah. But I still had a choice. As the older brother, I should have said no. So it's my fault."

"Bullshit," I said calmly. "You know what they say about the tango." He looked up at me then, speechless, his golden-brown eyes sharp and cunning. "You're wondering if I'm angry," I said. It wasn't a question. I knew he was wondering that. It was written all over his face. He nodded silently. "When I got home and I heard the two of you together," I told him. "I thought you were with another girl, someone else. I was actually proud of you. I thought you'd gotten past that silly shyness of bringing your love life home. That it was Sue hadn't even entered my mind until I heard her voice through the door. THEN I was surprised. Then a little angry. But you know what?"

Neither of my kids are idiots. They'd read some of my psychology books. They knew The Process as well as anyone. "You realized it wouldn't help anything to be angry?"

"Bingo." We sat there for a few silent, thoughtful moments and then I sat up straight. "Right, then. Here's the deal," I said. "You and Susan are grounded. Indefinitely. You go to work and then come home. That's it. And that's most likely just the beginning of your troubles. Second, neither of you talks about this to ANYONE. Period. Third, this has to stop. Now. If you and Susan so much as FLIRT with each other, I'll ride you outta here on a rail so fast you'll wonder how it happened. No exceptions. Fourth, the two of you will be under constant supervision until I feel that I can trust you again. Fifth, I'll be talking with your mother about this-"

Upon hearing that, Dave took a sharp intake of air through his teeth. He'd been stoic about everything up until that point, but he knew that it was coming, I don't doubt that for a minute.

"Do you have a problem with that?" I asked him.

He was slow to answer, but finally did so. "No... sir."

I scoffed. "Cut the 'sir' shit, son. I'm either Dad or Paul. This is a family home, not the military. Now... I'm guessing that the hardest pill for you to swallow is that your mom will find out. Right?"

"Dad, she'll KILL us." He said it with such utter certainty that I was surprised. I know my wife a far-sight better than they do. I didn't doubt that she'd be angry, but she would not resort to violence- that would be even more out of character for her than it would be for David to have a normal sex life under his parents' noses.

I took that in stride, though. "What she does or does not do remains to be seen. And, frankly, it's a moot point. Fact is, she's your mother and my wife. She and I have always worked as a single unit in this house and we've made every decision together. I will not have her in the dark about this and I'm fairly certain that, if she were in my shoes, she'd feel the same way about me. And give me some credit, will you? I'm not stupid enough to just hit her with it as soon as she walks through the door. I'll pick the time and place, but I WILL tell her. After that, she and I will decide what to do next." I looked at him squarely and noticed that the golden hue to his eyes had turned darker, almost copper. "You DO understand, however, that you moving out MIGHT be a possible scenario, right? If that's what the two of us decide, I need to know, right now, how you're going to take it."

David fell silent as he thought it through for a long time. I could almost SEE the throught-processes as they occurred. First he considered whether or not he could financially afford it on the income from his current and only job. Then he considered his relationship with his sister, and then with the entire family. Then he considered what he would have to tell the other people in his life- co-workers, friends, classmates in college... if he ever made it to college. What he may and may not be able to ask for help with from his mother and I in the future- and he was certain that he'd need help at some point. The effects on his psyche and emotional states, the possession of his car (his mother and I had co-signed... would we break that contract as a possible punishment? Are we that spiteful?). Loads of questions, facts and figures zipped through his mind at an incredible pace. Part of me was proud to see my son struggle with the kinds of issues that all adults have to consider even though I hated the reason behind such intense introspection.

I didn't want my son to leave the family, not in this way. But I DID want him to consider the possibility and be prepared for it. The exercise would be good for him even if we didn't decide to kick him out, just so that he would have an inkling of what he might expect when he eventually DID leave home to be on his own. I waited patiently for his answer.

Finally he looked at me, his face a study in resignation. "I won't like it, but if that's what the two of you decide is best for the whole family, I'll do it. I'd be gone in an hour. If that's what it took to make everyone happy."

I cocked an eyebrow at him. "And if that's what we decide, do you think we'd be happy with the decision?"

And that stumped him. Confusion swept across his face like a thundercloud. In his thoughtful silence, I heard the shower in the bathroom down the hall, between his and Sue's bedrooms, come on. Sue had finally started her much-needed shower. I tried to block out of my mind the fact that she took that shower so that she could wash my son's cum out of her pussy, a pussy I'd only two weeks before seen very, very up close. "No... I guess you wouldn't."

I gave him a weak smile, but avoided looking too confident. "Then I suggest that, for the moment, you put that idea out of your head. You're right. Kicking you out would NOT make us happy." I faced him completely and turned my body towards his. "Son, you're a part of this family. Kicking you out would break the family up. And reporting this to the police would be no better an option and would, in fact, have the same result. Sending you away from the family would be our LAST option and I'd like to think that we can find another solution before it comes to that. And that's why abstinance will have to do, for now. I need to know if you're okay with that, if you'll respect that condition. Point blank, no-more-fucking-your-sister."

It was David's turn to visibly flinch, as his sister did when I had brazenly called it as I saw it. His mouth twitched at the use of such up-front language, but his face quickly fell back to a business-like demeanor. "Done," he said solidly. "And if she even makes a MOVE in my direction, I'll run the opposite way. Promise."

I eyed him carefully. This was a man I was talking to. For a man to turn down sex from a beautiful young woman, even if the woman in question IS his sister, would take an incredible amount of effort. Couple that with the fact that said man is 19 years old, and the effort becomes Atlantean, bordering on saintly. Nevertheless, I saw in his once again confident and almost bright gold eyes nothing but pure conviction. If Susan found a way to be alone with him, he WOULD turn her down. Even if she pulled every seductive trick in the book.

Gratified by the steely look in his eyes, I nodded. "Good," I said. "David, I can't have this blow up in our faces. I love both you and your sister very much and it would ruin me to see either of you go. The two of you have screwed up hardcore- no pun intended- and you're about to face some very loud music. If the two of you never lose sight of the fact that we love you, I think we'll be able to hold this family together. Now... I know that the two of you are sorry you got CAUGHT. Frankly, that means shit to me. Are you sorry it happened AT ALL?"

Again, my son was stone silent as he thought it over. His answer actually caught me by surprise, "Only if it hurts you and Mom." He saw both my eyebrows arch highly, so he continued. "Listen, Dad. What Sue and I did... that was for us. And we both knew what we were doing. We're sorry we had to hide it from you. We're sorry we broke the law. We're sorry, yeah, that we got caught. But I can't honestly say that we're sorry it happened. That doesn't mean we're in love or anything like that," he was quick to add, "but it DOES mean that we're not entirely ashamed of making each other feel good when we already loved each other. She's my sister, Dad. I DO love her. And I'd do anything for her. And you. And Mom. She asked..."