The Unwelcome Wedding Guest

Dear readers,

Since nearly all the feedback for "Quiet Betty" said I blew it with the ending, here's a sequel that I hope will be more to your liking. If you haven't already read "Quiet Betty", you don't really need to read it to know what's going on here, but it wouldn't hurt. Those of you who did, I hope this was worth the wait!

"You guys are lucky I'm so tired," Audra grumbled. She couldn't even bring herself to look at even Betty or Janice, never mind Rob or Nick, before she turned to go to her room. "But you'd all better be gone when I wake up!" She gave the order over her shoulder in hope that at least she wouldn't have to listen to any silly retort Janice might serve up.

Janice, to her credit, didn't say anything. But Audra hadn't even considered the response she did get, from Betty. "I wouldn't have it any other way!"

Tears of rage stood in Audra's eyes as she shut herself in her room, the laughter from all four of those losers ringing in her ears. What a time for demure Betty to grow a spine, and on behalf of that sissy Nick of all people! She'd just got done saying she would never stay over Mitch's place again, but if those two bitches were going to have not just Rob but Nick over...

Maybe, Audra finally admitted to herself as she undressed, she ought to come clean to Janice and Betty about Nick. There were two sides to every story, after all, and it wasn't as though she'd been the one who'd tied Nick to the tree or given him any of those bruises he'd ended up with. And the little brat had needed to learn a lesson about ratting people out to the teacher. The whole thing had probably made him a lot stronger -- or at least it should have.

But all that wasn't even really the point. Stupid Nick probably didn't even know the real point to this very day, which meant there was no way Janice or Betty could know it.

As for Rob, if that day in her backyard was why he'd never had the time of day for her all those years, maybe he ought to let his brother stand on his own two feet anyway.

With that settled, Audra lost no time in catching up on the sleep she hadn't gotten the night before. When she awoke some time past noon, she was feeling refreshed and over her earlier anger, especially when she found she was alone in the apartment. A long shower and a leisurely brunch on her own in the kitchen (which she was surprised but pleased to find the others had cleaned up) improved her mood even more, and she resolved to tell the girls the whole truth about Nick. No sense in alienating her two best friends any further, after all, especially when it might deprive her of a chance to steal the show at Betty and Rob's wedding.

With no sign of when Janice and Betty might return (or if they'd be on their own when they did), Audra put on her bikini and was off to the pool in the courtyard. There were more families with little brats splashing around than she'd have liked, but Audra wasn't there to swim anyway. She staked her claim to a deck chair far enough from the pool that she probably wouldn't get splashed much, and lathered herself up with suntan oil. It was easier than expected to tune out the children's screeches and laughs, although that did drive home her conviction that she would never have any of her own, thank you very much. She hoped Betty and Rob were smart enough to have the same plan -- what if the poor kid was a girl who inherited Betty's ridiculously hairy pussy, or a boy who was a wimp like his father and his uncle? -- but that wasn't really her problem, Audra reminded herself as she relaxed and enjoyed the blazing sun.

It was much too bright for Audra to have any hope of falling asleep again. Still, she thought it was a dream at first when she heard Betty and Janice talking.

"Oh, look who's here!"

"Is she asleep?"

"Probably."

Audra was furious with herself afterward for not letting them believe she was in fact asleep. Who knew what information she might have picked up if they thought she couldn't hear? Hadn't her mother taught her anything? She had taught her one thing -- "Audra, you're too honest for your own good when it comes to boys, you know that?"

Apparently the same applied to girls, for Audra had already opened her eyes and said, "No, she isn't." before she realized what she should have done. But it was too late, and she remembered her decision to come clean about Nick. "Hey, I'm glad you're both here," she said, and it was almost true.

She was, at least, relieved to see neither of her friends had been foolish enough to wear a bikini. Janice was much too heavy to pull it off, while Betty could never hope to hide that outrageous beaver of hers -- indeed, Audra saw wisps of it peeking out from behind her lavender one-piece suit. She couldn't help herself. "Betty, you know, my offer to get you an appointment for a waxing is still open."

"The answer is no, Audra, I told you!"

"No offense, but did you even look at yourself in a mirror in that suit before you came out here?"

"Audra, grow up!" Janice said, giving Betty a supportive pat on the back. "She loves her body the way it is, and it's none of your business."

"And if you had Rob over for the night, I guess he pretended to like it?" Audra chirped.

"Pretended?!" Betty laughed. "If only you knew, dear!"

"Don't tell me he's one of those guys who really do like it!" Audra conceded privately that she really wasn't surprised. Why should Rob have any more sense here than anywhere else? "But look..." her voice dropped to a whisper. "Betty, you do realize you're...on display down there? And there are children here! Of course, I've been meaning to ask the management if we could have an adults-only time for the pool, but until then..."

"Until then I've got nothing to be ashamed of, and it's no one else's business what shows as long as I'm wearing a swimsuit." Betty smiled as she said it, and Audra could see all too well she was enjoying her newfound resolve. She supposed she ought to be happy and proud of her friend, no matter how misguided that resolve was.

"All right, all right, whatever," Audra said. "Listen, I've been thinking, I owe you both an explanation about Nick."

"No, you don't," Janice said. "We've heard all about what you and your friends did to him that day in your backyard. Audra, I knew you had a mean streak, but how could you be that sadistic?"

"There are two sides to every story!" Audra pleaded.

"What could possibly be the other side of this one?" Betty said. "You lured him into your backyard so your friends could tie him to a tree and beat the daylights out of him! There's no excuse for that!"

"Let me guess," Janice added before Audra could say anything. "Your mother's involved in this somehow, with some stupid advice."

"It wasn't stupid!" Audra snapped. "My mother knows more about men than the two of you ever will, especially if you're going to fall in love with a couple of sissies like Nick and Rob. But that's just what I'm trying to tell you..."

"What are you trying to tell us?" Janice asked.

"Yeah, this I've got to hear, as much as I don't think I want to!" Betty added.

"What you don't understand is..." Audra sighed, and the sad and wistful look on her face was utterly sincere. Just for a wonderful moment, she and her two old friends were truly friends again. At least it felt that way to her. "I mean, I'm sorry, but Nick is a sissy in every sense of the word, always was, going back to kindergarten. Remember, I've known him all my life, and he was always into playing with the girls instead of the boys, hopeless at sports -- really, I'm surprised he turned out to be straight, but I'm happy for you, Janice..."

"Sure you are," Janice chuckled, giving Betty a can-you-believe-this look.

"No, that's what I'm getting at!" Audra said. "I really am! You see, from way back when, I loved Nick!"

"You've got an awfully funny way of showing him," Betty said.

"That's what I said about two sides to that story," Audra plowed ahead. "It's because he was such a sissy that I liked him! I mean, boys were icky back then, you know, and don't either of you expect me to believe you didn't think so too when you were little. But not Nick. He was always a sweetheart, so cute and shy and polite, and he actually liked the girls, you know?"

"You had a crush on Nick." Janice said it like a statement rather than a question, though she clearly did not believe it.

"On and off for years," Audra said. "Until sixth grade anyway, when he turned into the world's biggest crybaby, always coming in from recess in tears."

"Because of how you treated him, you moron!" Janice snapped. "Did you know he thought about slitting his wrists? At age eleven!"

For once, Audra was struck dumb. She gaped at Janice for an uncomfortable moment. "No," she finally said. "I didn't know that, and I'm sorry. But I only joined in on the teasing when the boys had already been doing it forever. Heck, they would've bullied me too if I hadn't."

"Oh, well, that certainly makes it okay," Betty said.

"I didn't say it did! But look, Nick brought it on himself by always crying so easily! Besides, those boys bullied everyone else too, until we showed them it didn't bother us. This one boy, Jason, the summer before sixth grade he even cornered me one day after church, I was wearing a skirt, and he yanked it up in public! Did I cry about it? No!"

"Wait a minute," Janice said. "Jason...is this the same one who tied Nick up that day in your yard? That's what he told us."

"Same guy," Audra said. "Yeah, he was a real asshole."

"And you played along with his plan to attack Nick after he flipped your dress up in public?!" Betty demanded.

"Boys will be boys," Audra said. "My mother always said so, including that time. She also said they pick on you because they like you! Can I help it if Nick couldn't see that was all I was doing to him?"

"So you're saying you bullied him halfway to suicide because you had a crush on him," Betty said.

"And you blame him for not knowing it was because you liked him," Janice continued.

"And even after at least one of the boys did something disgusting to you, you still helped him corner Nick and beat him up," Betty concluded.

"They just wanted to even the score!" Audra insisted. "He got them in an awful lot of trouble always telling on them back in sixth grade. They just wanted to get even."

"He got them in trouble?!" Janice stood up. "I've heard enough of this!"

"Janice, wait!" Audra could see her chances of making a splash at Betty's wedding receding by the second. "You're right, I should've left him alone, and I should've told Jason and them to leave me out of it. You're right. The thing is, that day at my house..."

"Don't expect me to believe you didn't know he was going to get beat up," Janice said.

"Of course I did," Audra admitted. "But I figured after it was over, the others would leave and I'd be able to go out there and nurse him, and then maybe one thing would lead to another. How was I supposed to know he'd be able to untie himself and go home while I was still inside with the others?"

"Right, it's his fault," Betty said. Janice was too furious to say anything; Audra could see it in her eyes.

"Well, okay, I can see why he wouldn't expect me to come help him out, but I did mean to. Besides, how much trouble do you think I got in? His parents even called the cops on us!"

"Why on earth shouldn't they have done that?" Janice asked. "I would've!"

"Because we were just kids! I was lucky, my mom had friends on the force and she was able to convince them it was Jason and his gang who forced me into it, but then I was never allowed to have any of them over my house again! So it's not like I didn't suffer any consequences or anything."

Betty and Janice looked at one another and burst into frustrated laughs. "Come on, let's get in the pool," Betty said.

"Can I join you?" Audra asked, politely ignoring the laughs.

"You're the one who said you wanted no children in the pool, remember?" Janice said.

"All right, fine," Audra said. Seeing no alternative, she said, "Could I just ask you one favor?"

"This ought to be good," Janice sighed.

"Could you tell Nick I'm sorry? And that I really did like him? I mean, that was the whole problem!"

"Fine," Janice said.

A few minutes later while they were splashing around in the shallow end, Betty asked, "Are you really gonna tell Nick she's sorry?"

"Doesn't hurt to try, and at least I'll be able to say I did it," Janice reasoned. "Besides, we do still have to live with her until the wedding. Speaking of which, I made up my mind yesterday. Now that you and Rob definitely are back on, I'm moving out too. I'll find a studio somewhere, or a one-bedroom place if I'm lucky."

"You're not moving in with Nick?"

"Too soon. But that might be on the horizon, too. He is such a sweetheart, you know?"

Betty nodded. "I do. They both are."

That night in her bed, Janice saw just how easily Nick cried. Deep in the afterglow, while she still had him clutched deliciously deep inside her, he buried his face in the pillow beside her and whimpered.

"Nick, what's wrong?" Janice didn't dare assume the tears were for joy, even though she was feeling nearly that wonderful herself.

But they were. "Sorry, I guess I should've warned you you were falling in love with a hopeless romantic!" With the secret out, he raised his head and let her look in his teary eyes. "Just...I've never had a crush on anyone and have her say yes before! The way I used to imagine this, and I never dared hope it'd come true..."

"Oh, Nick!" Janice hugged him tightly. "That's so sweet, and I think I know what you mean. I've had my share of crushes, too, and never had the nerve to ask the guy or even flirt with him. Not on purpose, anyway."

"I'm just glad you only listened to one of your roommates," Nick quipped, and his crying turned to laughing. "I'm sorry, I know you and Audra are friends -- "

"Were friends," Janice corrected. "Betty and I always knew she had a mean streak, and she does have redeeming qualities, but if we'd ever known what a monster she was before..."

"That's just it, she wasn't," Nick mused. He slid off Janice and curled up beside her, immediately cradling her breast in his hand to her delight. "When we were kids, she was great. I even used to help her with math back in fourth grade, and I think back then she really liked me. We got along fine."

"She did," Janice said. "She told Betty and me all about it today."

"Really?"

"Really. She also -- and I wasn't even going to tell you this, but -- she asked me to say she's sorry. And that she always liked you."

"Do you believe her?" Nick flicked playfully at Janice's nipple, which was once again hard with his touch.

"Ooohoo, Nick, keep that up! And no, I don't believe her. I think she just doesn't want to lose her invite to Betty and Rob's wedding. But knowing her, I do believe she picked on you because she liked you. It's just the sort of stupid thing her mother would tell her. In fact, she said she did tell her that."

"That figures," Nick said. "Her mother's a real jerk, she even got my mom in some trouble once over a class party back in grade school. And I agree, she's just out for herself. But thanks for letting me know."

"You're welcome, and I'm sorry, but..." Janice took his hand in both of hers and moved it to her other breast. "You're making this one itch to be touched like you wouldn't believe!"

"Sorry!" He set in to teasing her left nipple just as he'd done with the right, and for good measure, he climbed back on top of her and kissed her right breast passionately.

"Oh, yessss, Nick!" Janice threw her head back and indulged in the intense pleasure. "You are so good with those!"

"So glad to hear it!" he said between lavish kisses, still rubbing both of her breasts with his hands while Janice gave in to cooing and moaning her approval.

"I love how you pay so much attention to my breasts!" she grunted.

"You do?" he looked up at her, but continued rubbing them playfully. "Good, I was worried I was overdoing it with them."

"What? Why would you think that?"

"I just figured, most guys probably gave them too much attention, you know?"

"You're not most guys, are you, Nick? Come here!"

She leaned up to kiss him, and as their lips met, she felt his right hand come away from her breast. She had just enough time to be aware of that loss before she felt his fingers caressing her vulva. With their lips still locked together, she let out a squeal of joy that vibrated wonderfully in both their mouths.

"Guess you're ready for another round?" he asked, feeling her renewed wetness on his fingers.

"I was just hoping you'd be!"

"I am!"

Without another word, she welcomed him inside her once again. Her little room and the apartment and the city and the world vanished in a blaze of vivid colors as Janice closed her eyes and savored the joy of their intense connection. All her insecurities and her cares were but a distant memory as their bodies moved in their wonderful rhythm. He'd been so sweet to express that concern, but right then there was nothing Janice didn't love about her body. Or Nick's.

She gave no thought to time, but her first orgasm seemed to come far too quickly -- she didn't want it to be over yet, but sure enough, it wasn't. Nick slowed down just enough to enjoy the sight and sound of Janice lost in the joy of the big moment. "So beautiful," he whispered, still flailing away at her a bit more slowly than before. Once she was back down off her cloud, he kissed her cheek and neck and then went back to full speed.

Janice could scarcely believe the sounds she heard herself making. But she couldn't have stopped for anything, nor did she have any desire to. It was a brief but beautiful scene of nothing but the sounds of their passion before she knew Nick was about to come; that wonderfully serene look on his face and the way he pushed even harder than before was already unmistakeable to her.

"Oh, Nick..." she sighed as she admired that look when he came to a stop deep inside her and let out a slow thick breath through his gaping mouth. She drew her arms tightly around him and welcomed his head on her shoulder again.

"Want me to finish you off again?"

"No need, I came." She kissed him tenderly.

The matter of what to do about Audra lingered on Janice's mind. But she needed no time to decide she wouldn't let that interfere with such a beautiful moment. She'd passed on the apology to Nick, and that was that.

Across town in Rob's dark bedroom, Betty was also thinking about the apology but not talking about it. Fresh from the shower after an evening out, she was standing naked at the open window and brushing her hair in the moonlight.

"I've created a nudist monster," Rob quipped from his perch on the bed, where he'd put on a t-shirt and shorts after the shower.

"Nah, you've just reawakened one," Betty said with a grin. "I told you before, how I used to love my body before...you know, before." She turned toward him. "So, thank you for helping me rediscover that."

"I can't believe you ever thought your body was anything but amazing," Rob said. "But you're ever so welcome."

"Oh, don't put me on a pedestal." Betty turned back to look out the window, thrilling to the knowledge that she just might be visible to anyone who happened to look up from across the street and three floors below. Not likely, but just possible enough to give her butterflies. "You know how being different in any way sucks when you're a teenager." That, of course, brought Audra to mind. But she did her best to forget about all that.