When We Were Young Ch. 14

"No. I liked the nipple clamps Jazz showed me, but being whipped or spanked doesn't sound appealing. What about you? What do you like?"

"I like making my partner happy, mostly, so I can get into things if I know it excites you. I wouldn't intentionally embarrass anyone, but knowing the effect it has on Tony, I would enjoy that. Similarly, it would excite me to torture your nipples, Linda, because I know the pleasure it brings you, like it does with Jazz.

"A woman in our group, Maddie, is very comfortable with the flogger, the crop, and a few other items, and she used them on me, so I would know how they feel and how hard to swing. Then I used them on her husband. He really enjoyed it, which made me happy, but it didn't excite me very much. Not in the same way it excited Maddie."

"Did you like them being used on you?" Lin asked.

She laughed. "Uh, no. I like pleasing, but hurting is definitely not something I care for. It's a mindset, I think, and I just couldn't get into it. I don't mind a little slap on the butt, but to lay over your lap for a spanking? Not my thing. I'm definitely more vanilla than most of the people in the group. I like being with them, because I care for them, but sexually, I'm pretty boring.

"Jazz is more adventurous than I am, so the group is wonderful in that way. She gets to try many things I have no interest in, and the things she likes, she gets to do them every month with our friends.

"That reminds me, will it be okay if we continue to meet here periodically? We are usually at the castle four times a year."

Lin and I looked at each other and shrugged. "I don't see why not. This is your home, Thea, and as long as you're not sacrificing goats or something down here, you can pretty well do as you like," Linda said, Thea's rumbling laugh so very distinctive.

"We'll save the goat sacrifices for times we meet elsewhere," she giggled. "Would you care to see if the group is something you would like to join?"

We shared another look. "That's probably something we should discuss alone. Okay?" Linda asked.

"Of course, honey, I understand. Looks like your friend Sharon is intrigued."

We looked over to see her slapping a crop against her hand, then her leg, a look of concentration on her face, as Smoke walked along the wall, taking everything in.

Miss Ruth hugged Smoke, then came over to us. "Time for us to leave, I'm afraid. We'll be back Monday evening. Will you be here?"

"I will, Mama and I are meeting Bridget Monday morning," I said.

"I'm not sure," Linda said. "School starts in two weeks, and I haven't done anything to get ready."

Miss Ruth noticed how anxious she looked and hugged her. "Whatever's best for you, honey. I've thrown a lot at you this last month, and you both must feel like you're being pulled in a million different directions. So, relax, tell us what you need, and we'll make it work, okay?"

"Thank you, Miss Ruth, we will. Have a wonderful time at the fair."

She hugged Thea and was gone, Cal waving at us from the door.

Linda turned to Thea. "It's such a beautiful day, could we have dinner around five out by the pool?"

"Sure, we have folding tables and chairs in the garage. Want us to see to everything?"

"Oh, would you, honey?" a relieved Linda replied. "Talking to Miss Ruth made me realize how stressed out I am. Tony and I need to go map out the next few months. If I don't, I won't be able to relax this weekend."

"Go. I'll explain to your friends and you two meet us out by the pool at five."

"Thank you so much, honey. Come on, Tone."

I smiled my thanks to Thea, and we slipped away without being seen and headed up to our room.

We flopped on the bed and fired up our laptops, laying out the next several weeks. When we were finished, one thing was clear; we were going to be spending a lot of time on the highway between school and the castle. The alternative, though, being away from each other for weeks at a time, wasn't seriously considered.

"Tone, what do you want to do for the wedding? Big, small, ceremony and reception in the ballroom? What do you think?"

"Well, I was thinking we could fly to Las Vegas and have Elmo marry us in the back of a limo as we drive down the Strip. Wouldn't that be great?"

Linda scowled at me. "I'm serious."

So am I, is what I thought. "Sorry," is what I said.

"If we invite my aunts, uncles, cousins, and their kids, that's, hell, I don't know, a hundred and seventy-five people? And then probably twenty or so friends. I mean, that's nuts, right?

"If you invited all your family and friends, how many is that?" I asked.

"Oh, uh, let's see, around a hundred, maybe one-fifteen. And then there's the 'Hills' people; Bridget, Amber, Lauren, Bert, Larry, Mary, John and Alma, their plus ones, and who knows between now and then. That's like four hundred people."

"Jesus."

"Yeah. I like Ronny's idea of big tents outside, though. Imagine carnival games for the kids, ring toss, duck hunt, face painting, cotton candy, stuff like that, in one big tent, and a beer garden in another. Cool zone fans, maybe pony rides, I don't know, but make use of all the lawns."

"Honey, would you like a big wedding?" I asked, pretty sure I knew the answer.

Lin blushed a little. "I think every little girl dreams of a fairy-tale wedding. You know, beautiful white dress, bridesmaids, flowers everywhere, all the friends and family, handsome fiancé, the whole nine yards."

"Then let's do it," I said.

Linda looked at me. "What?"

"All of it. Four hundred people, the big tents, pony rides, everything."

"But, Tone, I mean..."

"You know, I was thinking the other day, this whole thing, two average people falling in love, then being plucked from obscurity and given a castle and a lifetime of wealth, is a little like a fairy tale, isn't it? Well, what would a fairy-tale love story be without a fairy-tale wedding? So, let's do it. We'll hire Ronny, lay out everything we want, and let her figure it out."

Linda's eye's sparkled, and she leaned over to kiss me, my finger on her lips stopping her.

"What?"

"Linda, honey, I would never deny you anything, but if this all goes tits-up, I want it on record that I voted for Elmo in a limo, okay?" I said, tapping my finger on her nose.

Her nose twitched and her eyes scrunched, then she kissed me softly. "Wanker."

"Knobhead."

We smooched a little while, then spent thirty minutes writing down every idea we had. What emerged was a day for our families and friends to enjoy the castle and the grounds, with a wedding, a dinner, and a reception thrown in for good measure.

I knew that my relatives, who probably had all been made aware of my good fortune by now, would be wondering what the castle and Ferguson Hills were like, and would want to see it for themselves. This seemed like a good way to satisfy everyone at one time; just give them the run of the place for a day.

Just before five, we called Ronny and told her we would like to hire her.

"Oh, that's wonderful. Just think, without your performance at Peaches, we would never have met. Oh, I'm so excited."

"Don't thank us just yet, Ronny. You haven't heard everything we want," Linda said.

She laughed. "Oh, as long as you're happy, we can make it happen."

"I'm going to be out of town the next couple of weeks, but I'd like you and Tony to get together before then and go over what we want, so you can put together what your fee will be for everything."

"Got a list, have you?" she laughed. "Okay, Tony, can you meet Monday afternoon?"

"Sure, how about I buy you lunch? Just name the place," I said.

"Oh, I know the perfect spot. Bobo's Grill has wonderful food. One PM?"

"Where is it, Ronny? I've never heard of it."

"You can't miss it, honey, it's two doors down from Peaches, and I know you know where that is. I'm afraid you'll need to wear clothes, however," laughter in her voice.

Linda laughed, and I blushed, of course. "That will be perfect, Ronny; he'll see you then."

"Yum. Toodles!"

**

We headed downstairs, finding Mama and Jazz in the kitchen.

"Ah, Meester Thoney, is perfect time. You take outside for me, yes?" and handed me a bowl of pasta salad.

I stepped outside, the weather absolutely perfect. Eighty degrees, no humidity, and not a cloud in the sky. Two picnic tables had been set up by the pool, and music coming from the cabana. Our friends were scattered about, Thea setting a platter of chicken breasts and hamburgers down on a table, Mar and Sharon adding beer and other alcohol to an ice-filled cooler, and Smoke coming out of the cabana's bathroom, smoothing out her sundress.

I set the salad down, Mama and Jazz right behind me, carrying fruit salad and a pan of fried mushrooms.

We ate and drank, talked about the castle, Smoke's job, which started on Monday, and any number of things, enjoying each other's company.

"So, what did you think of the playroom, Sharon?" I asked.

"Oh, so many possibilities, right, honey?" she said, patting Smoke's leg, who blushed.

"Have you used any of the items before?" I asked.

"No, we've only used my hand, and a thin leather belt I have. I thought I was the freaky one, then I hear Mar has been to a sex-toy shop. The same shop Linda says you own twenty percent of. How did we get to be the boring ones?"

Everyone laughed.

"Is it okay if we spend the night there? There are a number of items we want to try out," Sharon asked.

"Of course, honey, anything you want," Linda replied.

"I need another beer," Smoke said, everyone laughing as he opened the cooler.

Mar stood up and walked around to Sharon. "Can we talk a bit in private, please?"

"Uh, sure. Is everything okay?" Sharon said, standing.

"Everything's fine," Mar said, the two best friends walking into the gazebo.

"What's up?" Smoke asked.

"Mar has decided to become a therapist, like Carmen, and has applied to the same school here in St. Louis that she went to," Mama said. "If she gets in, we'll be moving in here in the next couple of weeks," she added quietly.

"Oh."

I took Smoke's hand and she sat on my lap sideways.

"But Linda will still be there, and Mama and Mar will be up every weekend for the group meeting, and I'll be up some, too."

Smoke took a long drink. "Thanks, Daddy. It'll be okay, but that big house is gonna feel awfully empty." She laid her head on my shoulder, while I stroked her smooth, tanned leg.

Linda got up, kissed Smoke's cheek, then went into the cabana.

I turned my head to see Jazz kissing Mama, while Thea nibbled her ear, whispering. When I looked back a few minutes later, they were gone.

I chuckled.

"What? Where'd they go?" Smoke asked.

"I dunno. Off to have their way with each other, I imagine. Miss Ruth says they're very sexual, that hardly a day goes by they don't have sex with somebody, and that certainly seems to be true. They're amazing."

"You ever stop to think how crazy it is we get to have sex with so many beautiful women?"

"It is a big change from a year ago, isn't it? My hand has become extremely jealous."

Smoke giggled, then began nuzzling my neck, hand stroking my hair, while my hand roamed a little higher under her dress. Her ass was simply incredible.

A few minutes later, the girls emerged from the cabana, subdued, but mostly happy, I thought. They opened some wine, and we sat around drinking.

"Where's Mama?" Mar asked.

"Jazz and Thea led her away fifteen minutes ago, undoubtedly to lead her astray," I replied.

Mar smiled, and Linda shook her head. "They're insatiable. Also, very good and giving lovers. I'm sure you'll experience them before the weekend is up."

"Shall we go find them?" Mar asked.

"You two go," Sharon said to her and Linda. "I want to spend some time with my woman with the magic cock and her hunky friend."

Linda and Mar giggled and went off, hand in hand, leaving Smoke, Sharon, and I alone.

"Daddy, honey," Sharon said to us; 'Daddy' was something she rarely called me.

We looked at her, expectantly.

"I need to hurt this evening."

"So soon, Mum?" Smoke asked, concerned.

"Yes, honey."

"But it's only been a month."

"I know, honey, but I really need it."

"Smoke, go grab us a bottle of tequila. Let's go for a walk," I said.

"We can go into the cabana, can't we?" Sharon asked, as Smoke headed for the kitchen.

"I've got someplace else in mind."

Smoke returned with the bottle, and we headed off toward the gazebo, barefoot in the wet grass. We sipped from the bottle and held hands as we walked slowly along the little creek, up from last night's heavy rain, toward the bridge.

"Why, honey?" I asked, above the noise from the rushing water.

Sharon shook her head, sipping from the bottle.

We crossed the little bridge and drifted toward the pond and gazebo. I told them about Miss Ruth and the gardener, Raul, her friend Lucy watching them with binoculars. They chuckled.

"Why, Mum?" Smoke asked.

Sharon looked at her a moment, then shook her head again, taking another drink, her eyes wet.

We crossed the beautiful, gray-stone bridge, and settled into the big swing.

"We'll do it, honey, but I, we, need to know why you need to hurt tonight. You were fine an hour ago," I said, Smoke squeezing her hand.

Sharon is not a heavy drinker and gets tipsy pretty easily, hence the tequila. I took the bottle from her, took a drink, then passed the bottle to Smoke, who took a swig, then passed the bottle to Sharon.

She looked at each of us and took a big swallow, then immediately began coughing, as the liquor burned going down.

"I can't," she said, crying.

We held her while she cried, quietly, saying nothing, passing the bottle back and forth.

"I love Mar, so much," she said, her voice barely a whisper. She took a big swig and handed Smoke the bottle.

"Back before everything, she was so fun!" a clearly inebriated Sharon said.

"Then she was gay and 'POOF', she was gone, just like that," she said, trying to snap her fingers.

"All my fault. MY fault," poking herself in the chest.

"It's true!" she looked at me, tears in her eyes.

"What happened?" I asked, quietly.

Sharon sighed. "She told me and Melon, that's Linda, you know? Told us she was gay. She was so scared, but we were excited. Our first gay friend. It was so cool!

"She, she made us promise not to say anything. She was so scared. Where's the bottle?"

Smoke handed her the bottle, and she took a little swig.

"I was leaving school, and there he was in the parking lot!"

"Who?" Smoke asked.

"I believe you mean 'whom', baby," she grinned.

"Whom?" Smoke asked.

"Who what?" Sharon replied.

"Who was in the parking lot?"

"Parking lot? The Weasel. Waiting for my Mar. He rolled the window down and waved at me. 'Hi, Sharon', he said, all friendly and smiling, the Weasel!

"I said, 'Hi, Mr. Williams, isn't it just so, like, cool?', and he said, 'What?', all smiling, the Weasel.

"I said, 'Mar being gay, of course,' and...and...I DIDN'T KNOW!!" she wailed, hugging Smoke hard, tears rolling down her cheeks.

I rubbed her back as she cried, a pretty good guess as to what had happened next. Mar's dad, Mr. Williams, aka The Weasel, had not thought it was 'cool', not even a little. He'd confronted Mar that afternoon, pulled her from school, then shipped her out west for two weeks of conversion therapy.

I knew from Mar's sessions with Carmen that she had been bullied, yelled at, demeaned, and all but smacked around physically during this time, and came back broken.

But she hadn't taken it back, hadn't said she was confused, that it was a mistake. The one thing she wouldn't give up was her identity. Mar Williams was gay.

So, her mother packed two suitcases, hugged her daughter, and through tears, said goodbye to her only child. Her father drove to Sharon's house, dumped her and her suitcases at the end of the long drive, and drove away. Asshole.

Mar never said how he had found out, and maybe she still didn't know, all these years later.

Meanwhile, Sharon's need to hurt was somehow tied to the guilt she felt for unknowingly outing her friend. What a fucking mess. Sharon was crying quietly in Smoke's arms, then jumped up, stumbled to the railing, and threw up into the pond, while Smoke held her hair.

I grabbed a couple of bottles of water from the mini-fridge, my head swimming when I stood up, drunker than I thought. I handed one to Smoke, who helped Sharon rinse her mouth out, then we eased cautiously back onto the swing.

Trying to concentrate, I asked Sharon why she needed to hurt tonight.

"Puh-lease, Daddy! I deserve it!" she said, her head lolling in my direction.

"What happened tonight, honey?" Smoke asked.

"God, you are cuuute, baby! Uh, Mar is coming here to be Carmen, which is great, her ass is mmmm-mmmm good. I wanna dance!" she said, jumping up, then nearly falling over, Smoke and I standing and holding her.

"I think that's all we're going to get, Daddy. Let's get back before we all end up in the pond."

"Yeah, I'm drunker than I thought."

"Lightweight," Smoke said.

She and I each downed a bottle of water and, with Sharon between us, staggered our way back toward the pool.

"Are you gonna hurt me, Daddy?"

"Yes, I am."

"Gooood. I deserve to be punished; I was a bad girl."

"Yes, you were," I said. I didn't believe that, but didn't want to start a pointless argument with a very drunk Sharon.

"I'm sorry, honey!"

"I know you are, Mum, I know," Smoke said.

We made it to the cabana and sat down heavily, as night descended around us. I got up and grabbed a couple of bottles of water, as Sharon tried to unbutton her blouse, concentrating like only a drunk person can.

Smoke and I drank some water, chuckling as we watched Sharon struggle. She looked up and grinned at us.

"When something good happens to her, I feel guilty for all the pain I caused her," she said, clear as day, then flopped back on the bed, out like a light.

Smoke and I pulled her up on the bed, removed her blouse and shorts, and covered her with a sheet. Smoke told me to get undressed, and went into the little bathroom. I did, and lay on the bed, naked, feeling sorry for Sharon.

I woke with a start, a thin blanket across me. Smoke lay half on top of me, hand on my chest and a leg between mine, her hair covering half of her face.

I tucked her hair behind her ear and slowly eased out from underneath her, headed for the bathroom. I came out and noted it was five in the morning, the faintest light in the eastern sky, and Sharon wasn't in bed.

Panicked, I headed for the pool. There she was, sitting on the edge, her feet in the water, blanket wrapped around her.

Breathing a sigh of relief, I sat down next to her. "Morning," I said, quietly.

"Not so loud," she whispered.

"Sorry," I whispered back.

We sat like that for a few minutes, Sharon's feet slowly moving through the water.

"That was mean," she whispered.

"I'm sorry."

"I told you?"

"Yes."

Sharon sighed. "You think I have an oversized personality and a big mouth now, you should have seen me when I was sixteen."

She continued, talking very softly. My head was pounding, I could only imagine how much she was hurting.

"I always knew what was best for everybody, and I was free with my opinions. She asked us not to say anything to anybody. She was so nervous and afraid, and I just thought it was cool, edgy, can you imagine?

"I didn't know people could be so mean, so, so hateful, so cruel. I thought everyone would be excited, like I was, especially her parents. I was so stupid, Tony!

"He was shocked, of course, when I told him, all bubbly and excited. I knew something was wrong by his stony, stunned reaction, so I left. I was in the parking lot, standing by my friend Dave's car, waiting for him, and I saw Mar get into the car.