Women: Conniving, Scheming...

Before I let him finish I slapped him. It wasn't a hard slap, but it got his attention. I hurt his feelings more than anything.

He put his hand where I'd hit him, "OK, I asked you over. I'll be honest. I'm worried. No I'm more than worried. I'm scared. I think Vonda seeing someone."

I'm a school teacher. Tough love, that's what we call it. I told him, "I do too."

He got a little snotty, "So what now. I go out and buy a shit load of electronics, and spy on her until I catch her. Then I hire a lawyer, get a divorce, and marry you."

By then he'd not only pulled his hands away, but had retreated to the far end of the sofa. I gave him an honest answer, "I like the last part. I mean about you getting a divorce and marrying me."

I could tell he liked that even less, but I had to be honest. God I wanted him! I went on, "I need to be completely honest about some things."

He rolled his eyes, "Christ honesty from a Van Dyke girl. That'll be a first."

That made me mad, "You want the truth don't you?"

I saw that might have settled him down just a little, "I'm sorry Sherry. I know you've never lied to me."

I was about to come clean, "No I've never lied, but I've been deceitful," I saw that didn't set well. I pushed ahead, "I've played some games with you, and I'm not proud of them. Let me tell you."

I watched as he sat back. He was even farther away now, where do I begin. I started, "All right there have been some parties at my parents. You remember the night late last winter when I showed up with the black guy?"

Del nodded.

"I only brought him to make you jealous. Once we walked in the front door I knew it didn't work. I could see you didn't get jealous that I was with a black man, you got disgusted. I know you're not a bigot, but I never thought about the once black never go back crap. I knew I was in the soup. You remember what happened?"

Del nodded again, "After a few minutes he got a call and had to leave."

It was my turn to nod, "Yes, I went in the kitchen and made the call. It was a set up. Jerry, the black guy was an old friend. He was in on it. He knew he was only at my parents to make you jealous. He saw your reaction too, and he felt real bad about it. He left. I had to wipe the egg off my face by myself," I watched Del and saw a light go on.

He smiled, he almost laughed, "Wait a minute about a month later you showed up with some big football player type who started pawing on you. You..."

I interrupted him, "He was another jealousy trick too. Remember that one worked. My dad, Hank, and Gary all pretended to ignore him, but not you. You got his arm and walked him into the kitchen. I don't know what you said, but he minded his manners after that. Later he and I had a laugh. I felt so good. You came to my rescue. That's when I knew."

"Knew what?"

"Come on Del; that's when I knew sooner or later we'd end up together," I saw Del start to get agitated again.

"You set me up with the boy from where, Michigan State?"

I nodded.

"So what's this with Vonda? Have you been setting her up too?"

Uh oh, this could get out of hand, "No Del I couldn't have set Vonda up. But I'll be honest. I know my sister. It was just a question of time. Vonda's always had a wandering eye. I know with all the doctors and internists and stuff sooner or later she might cross the line. Could I have stopped her? Yeah I suppose so. Did I want to? No, if I stopped her I'd never get you. I've always wanted you," I saw he wasn't buying all my reasoning.

"Suppose I catch Vonda. Suppose I decide to give her another chance?"

"I know my sister. She'll just do it again."

"You mean like once a cheater always a cheater?"

"Something like that. She has a history."

"What makes you any different? You're sisters."

"I'm not Vonda. I'm Sherry. I put your hand on my vagina. I mean it. I'm a virgin. I want you Del. I want you like crazy, but it's got to be on my terms," he started to say something. I held up my hand, "I love you Del. I fell in love with you the first moment I saw you. I know what you want, and I know what you need."

"Oh yeah? Tell me what I want and need."

"I'm not stupid Del. You want children. Vonda wants her career. My career, for what it's worth comes second. I want to be a mom. I want you to be my children's dad. That's the want part; the need part is easy. You need someone who will put you first, make sacrifices for you, you need someone like me; someone who wants only to make you happy."

Was I fucking over my sister or what? Well, maybe I was. Call me a scheming bitch I don't care. I know I when I'm right. She's the one who put the poison in the well, not me.

I saw he was struggling with this. Heck, he was still married to my sister, and I was getting ready to walk down the aisle to him right over my sister's dead body. I couldn't quit now, "Del you got the wrong sister. That's all."

"What if I told you I love Vonda? What would you say to that?"

This could be great. I had some answers, "I know you think you love Vonda. You're sincere that way, but you got confused. Men get like that."

I had to change course or he'd start thinking about how much he loved my sister, and then I'd be down the drain again. I took a different approach, "Do you know who bought you all your Christmas gifts last year. Do you know who wrapped them. Your birthday was just a month ago. Want to know who planned the party, who bought the gifts, who wrapped the gifts, who ordered the cake, and the balloons, and the funny hats, and the noise things. Remember we played that blind man's game, and you had to kiss some girl. Who was the girl you kissed. OK I tricked everyone on that. It wasn't easy, but that was me who got the kiss. Oh sure, Vonda paid for everything, but I was the one who did all the work." He was just sitting there with his mouth open.

"You did all that?"

"Del who's been washing and ironing most of your clothes, making your bed, doing most of your shopping when you didn't do it. Who's been cleaning your toilet when it wasn't you? Damn it Del," I was going to cry. I just cussed too. Now he was just staring at me.

"So you'd marry me if I caught Vonda cheating and decided to divorce her."

"In a heartbeat!"

"Why, so you could make up for what Vonda did?"

"No Del, so I could make up for all the time we've missed."

"So you think you love me?"

"I know I love you," he smiled. I didn't like it.

"You're just a crazy kid. You know that?"

"No I'm not a crazy kid. Look at me," I stood up so he could see me better. I wished I'd worn a push up bra, "I'm a woman, fully grown, and I'm a woman totally, deeply, completely, and a woman madly in love with you," I could tell I was about to be blown off.

"Sherry I think you should go home now. You're a nice kid, a great kid, but you're still just a kid. I'm married. I have a wife. I don't need another one."

I was crushed. Once again I felt like my world was spiraling out of control, but I'd been completely honest, no tricks, no conniving, well not much, it was all just me. I told him again, "I love you Del. I want you to be happy. If you'll be happier with Vonda then stick with it, but remember; you can let Vonda keep carrying the flag, but I'm still in the parade," he didn't get it.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means I'm going to go home and have a good cry. I hope Vonda is playing fair, but if she's not and you want to change sisters, I can wait."

He walked me to the door. We shook hands, I went home and cried. I knew I'd lost another round, but he'd been staring at my breasts just before I left. It was something anyway.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

I wasn't home more than a day or so before Del had me on the phone again. I was upstairs in my old room, at my old desk grading essays when my cell phone rang. I had to fumble around to find it, and before I could answer it had gone to voice mail. It was Del. I called back, "Del?"

"We need to talk."

"I can't come over tonight. How about tomorrow?"

"No not here, let's meet at Bixler's Tavern, say tomorrow around 3:00 p.m."

I was a little nonplussed; Del was usually at work that time of day. Even so I'd have to find a way to get out of school early. I answered, "Sure, see you there." It had only been two days; something must have happened.

I managed to get coverage for my last period class so I got to the tavern a little ahead of time. Del was already there. As I walked to the booth where he was sitting he stood up. I was wearing standard school marm attire; a simple white blouse, knee length A-line skirt, and tan sports jacket. Del was in his jeans and a long sleeved white button down shirt. He looked ashen; something was wrong.

As soon as I sat down I asked, "What's wrong Del?"

He replied, "You were right."

I loved this man. I wanted more than anything to marry him, have his babies, wash and iron his clothes, fix his meals, hold his hand, and do all the things lovers did, but I felt no joy in hearing what he'd just said. I replied, "How do you know?"

He pulled out what looked like a small laptop computer. I realized right away it was something else; some kind of electronic machinery I was unfamiliar with. He opened the lid, pushed a button, turned it around to me and said, "Watch."

It was a basketball game. It was the NBA game that, based on the date and time in the lower corner, had taken place just the night before in our city's arena. The camera panned around the court, and then up in the stands. All I saw were hundreds of people yelling and screaming at something important that must have happened on the court. I wasn't a big NBA fan; like my dad said, they broke too many basic rules, and none of the teams ever graduated any seniors. My dad said the players were all too big and too talented for the size of the court and the height of the net. My dad was usually right about those things.

I looked over at Del, he said, "Keep watching."

I looked back at the tiny screen. At first nothing seemed all that unusual; at least not until whoever was operating the camera zoomed in on some of the crowd activity. That's when I saw them. Vonda was sitting beside some man. He was older. He must have been in his late forties at least; grey hair, kind of a dapper appearance, probably a doctor maybe some kind of administrator. They were holding hands; no Vonda's left hand was holding something else. She was obviously stroking the man's penis from the outside of his trousers. Vonda was watching the game, but it was clear she was concentrating on what her hand was doing. The man was smiling.

I know my face was turning red. Del must have been the cameraman! How awful for him. I hated, I mean I really hated my sister! I wanted to scream at her! I hated, I mean really totally hated my sister! Oh God, poor Del!

I closed the little device, "This was last night?"

"She left home a little after 5:00 p.m. She said she had to go back in to complete some paperwork, and wouldn't be back till after 12:00. One of the other cameramen had asked me to spot him a favor. I don't usually do sports, but when Vonda said she needed to go back to work I called my buddy and told him I'd pick up the game. I had no idea..."

I asked, "Do you know who he is?"

"I met him once. He's a hospital administrator of some sort, names Metzger."

This was what I thought I wanted, but one look at his face and I knew this was just too painful, "I'm sorry Del," I reached my hands across to his and grabbed them. He didn't flinch back or anything. He just sat there, "I know I said it's what I wanted, but somehow...I don't know. What are you going to do?"

He clasped my hands, "Right now nothing. She's out again tonight. I've got to think about this."

God I felt awful. I got up, "Come on. Let's go home. I'll take you home tonight. We'll come back and get your car in the morning."

He looked at me, "I just feel so numb. I feel like I'm going to throw up. I don't know what to do."

I hated my sister, "We'll get you home. I'll get you on the sofa. I'll stay the night."

"She's supposed to be coming home later this evening. She said she had an important meeting first."

"It's all right Del," I squeezed his hands, "We'll tell her you had some bad ham or something, and I came over to nurse you. She'll believe that."

"Sherry I don't know. I took tomorrow off. I need to think this through."

"I'll call in tomorrow too. We'll figure something out together," I was so unhappy, "I'm so sorry Del. I know what I said, but to say it and then see it. Well it's...I'm sorry."

He only nodded.

It was like he was in shock or something. Of course he suspected something, but to find out while he was on a job; to find out this way. I knew I had to be there for him. I loved him.

We drove home to his house in my car. He started to open up a little bit.

"Sherry this is the worst. This could be the worst day of my life," he looked over at me. Oh the sad look in his big beautiful eyes. He went on, "Have I done something wrong? Am I not good enough? God Sherry I try to give her everything she wants. I thought we really had something. I never dreamed...I mean...I thought...I thought she was the one. Now I don't know. I just don't know."

I was crying.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

I got Del home, and tried to comfort him, "Maybe you should just go lie down, take a nap. I'll rest down here on the sofa. When Vonda gets home I'll tell her you're sick," he looked at me in an odd way. Del's not the kind of person to show a lot of anger, but I could see it coming.

He told me, "I'll never sleep in that bed again. I'll never sleep with that woman again. I've had it! I'll sleep in the spare bedroom tonight; he hesitated, then he went on, "Sherry I want you to stay tonight. I'm not trying to hide or anything like that, but right now I'm not real sure how I'll react if I have to see her alone."

Del walked over and wrapped his arms around me, "Sherry I guess I should be mad at you too, but I'm not. I mean before the other day at your parents, though I had my suspicions, I was still pretty much in a state of grace."

"Del I can't tell you how sorry I am. You know I want you, but I rather thought I could steal you away. I want you. You're all I want, but more than anything I want you to be happy."

He hugged me even tighter. I could sense he wanted to cry, or more likely break something. His arms felt so good around me. He wasn't any Hulk Hogan or big football player, but he was big and strong. My head fit neatly right against his chest. I put my arms around him. Though I knew he was hurting; I never felt so peaceful. I softly kissed the material of his shirt right where his right nipple was. Right then I wished I hadn't foresworn making love until after I was married. His body was so firm. He smelled of Old Spice; the same fragrance my dad used. I murmured into his chest, "We'll get through this, you'll see."

I felt him stiffen. I'd gone too far.

He gently pushed me away, "I need to go lie down. I have a lot of thinking to do before tomorrow," then he broke my heart...again, "Sherry, I know how you feel. Sweetheart I don't want to lead you on. You're a great little sister, but I don't love you." He took his hand and put his thumb and index finger on my chin and then he lifted my head up so I had to look at him, "I'm glad you're here. You're great kid, and I'm sure you'll find someone. I kind of think what's going on with you is more like an adolescent crush than anything. Remember I married Vonda. I love your sister, or at least I think I do. Love is one of those things you can't just turn on and off. I want to give Vonda the benefit of the doubt."

I reached up and cupped his face in the palms of my hands. His cheeks felt so good. I leaned up while I pulled his face down. He didn't resist, we kissed. It was a soft gentle kind of kiss; the kind of kiss I expected from a man like him. I told him, "You go on upstairs. I'll hang out down here. When Vonda gets home I'll tell her you got sick from something you ate. I'll find something to fix for supper while you and she work things out."

He kept holding me, but only at arm's length, "I'm not going to confront her with anything tonight. It looks bad, real bad, but I still want to make sure, you know?"

I nodded, "I'm here for you Del."

He smiled and kissed me on the forehead. That was humiliating; not at all what my fantasies were like. In my dreams this was always when he reached out, enclosed each of my breasts in one of his hands, kissed me on my mouth, cheeks, and neck, and then went down on me, sliding his strong masculine hands down my waist and hips to my abdomen while he puckered up and kissed his way down my stomach and over my navel. In my fantasy world I could feel his lips on my labia while his tongue climbed between each fat lip searching for my G-spot.

I could feel myself getting wet. I was glad I had on a skirt. If I'd worn the light brown slacks I'd originally planned today there'd be a big juicy spot right where my pants legs came together. Now that would be humiliating! I knew later tonight wherever I slept my fingers would be giving my pussy a workout. I'd do it and pretend it was Del's thing up inside me. I wondered if Del had any idea the affect he had on me.

I sat down on the sofa in their living room while Del went upstairs. I was glad I wasn't in that spare bedroom. I bet he broke every light and every piece of furniture in there. He was scaring me. Men are like that; they respond to frustration with aggression. I knew he needed to get it out of his system. Every now and then I involuntarily jumped when I heard something really big get thrown or broken. I only hoped he hadn't broken any windows.

He did a lot of yelling and cussing too. Del had never been a hollering or a cussing kind of person, but I heard some of the things he said. I mean I couldn't miss it. Pardon my French but I bet he must have called my sister at least forty-seven different kinds of motherfucker and probably a hundred different kinds of whore. I was sure glad I wasn't that man with her at the basketball game. That man didn't know it yet, but he was in for some real trouble!

I hid in the living room and turned on the TV. There was nothing on. It was getting close to 6:00 p.m., and I had no idea when Vonda would get home. I decided to call my dad, and tell him and mom where I was. I punched in the number on my cell phone.

My mom picked it up, "Hello is that you Sherry?"

I thought, the wonders of modern electronics, "Hi mom, I'm at Vonda and Del's. Del got something bad to eat so I picked him up and brought him home. I'm going to hang out here till Vonda gets home. I think I'll fix dinner for them."

My mom told me, "Sherry don't you get mixed up in anything. If they're having problems let them work things out themselves."

I replied, "I don't think there's a problem except Del's stomach, but don't worry I'll be careful. I've got to go now." Then I wondered; had last night's game been on TV? What if Del's camera shots made the nightly news? What if Del's close up made the highlights? Wouldn't that just take the cake? I flicked through the channels till I found a station still carrying the news. I couldn't wait till the sports segment came on.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Vonda didn't get home until close to 7:00 p.m. When she walked in she was surprised to see me, "What are you doing here? Where's Deli?"

She sometimes called Del Deli; it was some kind of endearment I guess, "He's upstairs. He called me around 3:00 this afternoon. It seems he was out working and grabbed a bite of something that made him sick so I brought him home."

"He's upstairs now?"

"He's in the spare bedroom."