The Clover Coffee Club free porn video

This story is a little creepy. Fair warning. The Clover Coffee Club By Joe Six-Pack The desire to create is insatiable in some people. They want nothing more out of life than to dream, to design and to build. No force known to man can stop a man when his mind his focused on the goal of making something. The need to leave something behind that shows you were here, that shows that you meant something, that demonstrates an existence validated by the object one brings into being. "Are you going to clean that up or do you expect me to do it?" Sharon Palmer said, tartly. Her son, Tommy Palmer, looked up, exasperated. He had been playing on the floor with his Legos and walked away two steps. "I'm not done yet," he said, as if it were plainly obvious. His grand space laser tower was only a foot high, after all. Sharon continued to read her magazine as she spoke. "You're not leaving them there where people will step on them, are you?" By 'people' she meant herself, as the two of them lived alone. Sharon was a single mother, and Tommy, at 12, her only child. "I'm gonna be back in a second!" Tommy whined, putting ten times more drama into his words than necessary. "Last time you said that, they were there for hours." Sharon glanced up from her magazine to make deadly serious eye contact with her son. "You clean them up now." "I'm gonna! I'm just.... I need to..." Tommy, try as he might knew his mother had a point, and he really did intend to come back to finish what he was working on. The problem was he knew quite well he could get distracted and not be back in a while. He had some dragons that were about to hatch on his computer, and he was going to tend to that for an hour or two. Or three. Or four. "Now, Tommy! You clean it up now!" Sharon insisted. "You clean it up right now or you don't get dessert." "But Maaaahmmmm..." He wailed. "You're not gonna step on 'em! There's plenty of space..." Tommy had a point. It was a large room with a very tiny and easily avoidable pile of plastic bricks off to the side. "You just lost dessert. You want to try for a grounding?" "That's not fair! You're not being fair!" "I don't have to be fair, I'm the Mommy! Now, clean up your mess!" Tommy dropped to his knees with a thud and started to shovel the bricks into his Lego box, with as much attitude as he could give such a mundane act. An hour later and they were back at it. "Are there onions in this?" Tommy asked as they ate spaghetti. "And what if there is?" Sharon snapped back. "Are you going to get all pouty if there are?" "They make me sick." The contempt on Sharon's face was quite visible. "Millions of people eat onions every day. You'll be fine." "I get pains in my stomach at night." "You're imagining it. Since when have you had a problem with onions?" "Every time we eat them," Tommy insisted. "You never said anything to me." "I tell you every time!" "Don't raise your voice to me!" Sharon braked. "I'd remember if you had said anything." "Can I have something else?" Tommy said, getting up. "No! Sit down, grow up and eat what I made for you! Don't be so fussy!" "But I'm going to be sick!" At this point, Sharon wasn't having any of it. "So be sick! I don't care! Eat your food!" "I don't want to! Can I just go to bed?" "You will eat your dinner! Every bit on your plate!" "Why? You know I'm gonna be sick!" "Because I said so, that's why!" Sharon said, pointing at her son, like her finger was a dagger. Later that night, when Tommy found himself on the toilet, he could only grouse to himself as he dealt with the stomach sickness he had to endure for the next two hours. "Quiet!" His mom yelled through the bathroom door. "It's two in the morning!" The next day went as most of their days together went. Tommy showered and dressed for another day in the 8th grade, and his mother was telling him to hurry up even as he was running on time. Sharon searched his backpack for contraband and took some Oreo cookies he had included for lunch. "Too much refined sugar," she said. "I bought those!" He objected. "With my own money!" "You're too young to have your own money," she explained, putting them in her pocket. She then practically pushed him out the front door before she went back to the kitchen to finish her coffee. Sharon almost did the laundry but was rescued by a three-hour phone conversation with Helen, her neighborhood friend. Later, she thought about throwing out the trash, but she decided it would be easier to get Tommy to do it when he got home. Meanwhile, she made another cup of coffee and added a shot of Drambuie. She only had a few precious hours to herself every day, and she made sure she was going to enjoy them. By the time Tommy came through the front door at 3:45, Sharon was clearheaded and reclined on the couch, watching Judge Judy. "How was school today?" She asked, without diverting her attention from the flat screen. "Fine," Tommy replied, taking his enormous book-filled backpack off with a clear look of relief after lugging it around all day. "Not here," Sharon objected. "In your room." Tommy picked it up and carried it to the hallway. "Did you take those dirty shoes off? Don't track your dirt all over the carpet." And Tommy turned back around, heading for the door so he could take his shoes off, still lugging the backpack. "Don't walk all the way back! That's going to leave more dirt!" Sharon said, who continued to be fixated on her show. Tommy sighed, put the pack down where he was and started to kick off his shoes. "I told you not to drop the backpack here! In your room!" Tommy was about to muster ever bit of his flagging energy and demand some kind of break, but he was stopped short when he noted the discarded wrapper of Oreo cookies laying on the couch beside his mother. "Mom! Come on!" Tommy yelled. That got his mother's attention and she sat up straight, an angry fire already lit behind her eyes. "Don't you talk like that to your mother, young man!" Despite her petite size, Sharon Palmer, at 33, was a quick- tempered woman who was ready to fight. Perhaps too ready. "You look at me and you apologize right this minute!" "No!" Tommy yelled. That got Sharon to her feet and she lunged for her son. "I said apologize! You can't talk to me that way!" She tried to grab Tommy by the arm, but he avoided her and dashed off towards his room. "Leave me alone! Leave me alone!" Tommy protested as he ran down the hallway and slammed the door to his room behind him. Sharon then went back to her couch and angrily sped through fifty channels in three seconds. "Think he can talk to me that way, does he? I'm his mother, and he'll learn some respect, oh yes he will!" She grumbled to herself. Still angry, she went into the kitchen and took the hot dogs she was planning to make for dinner off of the counter and put them back in the freezer. Instead, she decided on making meatloaf for dinner. It was far more work than she wanted to do, but she could pack it full of onions for her dear son. --- Then, some days later, a curious thing happened. "Is that your jacket?" Sharon said, pointing to Tommy's jacket which was laid out over the back of a chair. "Pick it up, please. Put it away where it's supposed to go." She returned to the kitchen where she was listening to the dishwasher churn and working up to courage to possibly defrost something for dinner. Tommy, who had been doing his math homework, got up from the dinner table he had been using as a desk. He was supposed to do his homework out at the dinner table so Sharon could "make sure he got it done and not lie about it." He then picked up the jacket and put it on a hook near the front door. Sharon stuck her head out of the kitchen again. "I said, pick up your jacket..." She then looked and saw it was gone. From where she was standing, she could also see it had been put away, as she requested. "Good," she said, "and make sure you do it every time." Sharon returned to the kitchen without using the choice words she was going to chastise her son with, and decided she was going to have to save them for later. Where was the fight? Where was the conflict? Sharon wondered if her son might be coming down with a fever. "I'm done. Can I go out?" Tommy said, about an hour later. "We're eating at six. Miss it and you go to bed hungry." "Uh-huh," Tommy replied. "Thanks," he said as he left. Curious, indeed. Fortunately for both Tommy and Sharon Palmer, they lived in a neighborhood with plenty of boys his age to play with. It had taken some time since the divorce for Tommy to get out and circulate once again, as the whole no-dad thing had hit him pretty hard. But now, it seemed, he was spending almost all of his is spare time hanging out with his pals. All of which was fine with Sharon. It meant more "me" time for her. Plus, that was really the only way to keep mother and son from fighting, and give either of them any kind of peace, and as long as they didn't come in the house and make noise, she was fine with it. Occasionally, she'd watch them from the windows, all six of the boys clustered together. They used to play football or kick around a soccer ball, but more and more, Sharon noticed they would just sit in the back yard, talking. Sometimes they?d be there for hours, formed in a circle. Sometimes they?d be talking intently, other times they?d be laid back and laughing. Once and a while someone would bring out a notebook and write in it. Sharon had considered that it might be some kind of study group, but they were really just a bunch of dumb boys. They were far more likely to be telling dirty jokes or planning a prank on some unsuspecting girls. One night, just as she was loading up the dishwasher, she got a call. It was from Barbara Atkinson. She lived down the block. ?Have you seen Joey?? She asked, a slight tone of desperation in her voice. ?He didn't come home for dinner, and I was hoping he was hanging around with his friends.? ?No, I haven't seen him,? Sharon said. ?But if he?s out with the other boys, they probably just lost track of time goofing off. Let me check with my son.? Tommy was at the dinner table, reading for his English class. ?I haven't seen him,? he replied. ?Not all day.? ?Tommy says he hasn?t seen him all day,? Sharon reported. ?Well, if you do see him, please send him home, okay?? ?If he shows up here, believe me, he?ll...? ?Thanks, Sharon,? Barbara said. ?If you hear anything at all.? Unfortunately, no one did hear anything. A full day passed without word, and all the moms of the neighborhood reassured Barbara that things would be okay, and boys might run off for a day, but they'd come home as soon as they got hungry or lonely. Then two days passed. The police were called in, and patrol cars were parked outside the Atkinson house. Still, there was no word. Posters were put up all over the area with Joey?s face on them, and the area was canvassed door-to-door by volunteers, Sharon amongst them, to spread the word. Satellite news vans were waiting in the street for live TV updates. Slowly, as the weeks went on, the activity all started to die away, the posters weathered and fell from the telephone poles, and the neighborhood went back to normal. Joey Atkinson, though, didn?t come home. ?Such a shame,? Helen said to Sharon as they talked on the phone. ?Such a sweet boy.? ?If my Tommy ever ran away, I?d hunt him down and kick his scrawny butt,? Sharon replied. ?I feel so bad for Barbara,? Connie said, another one of the neighborhood moms. She was mother to Billy, who was one of those that hung around with Tommy after school. The two single mothers had crossed paths at the mini-mart, buying powerball tickets. ?No one deserves to lose a child.? Sharon shook her head, ruefully. ?Some kids are just trouble.? ?I haven't seen or heard from Barbara for so long now,? said Connie. ?What has it been, a month? I feel so sad for her. She's taking it so hard.? Marsha, another one of the single moms in the area had her opinion, too. ?Ever since I met that boy, I knew he was going to give his mother fits,? she said, when Sharon ran into her at the liquor store. ?Is that too harsh? Maybe it?s too harsh. If he had been kidnapped, maybe it would be easier to understand. But running away? Do children ever think of what it does to their mother?? ?Boys? Not any boy I?ve ever known,? Sharon agreed. ?I was all set to worry about that kid until they found the note. That changed everything. Now he'd better stay away, or I?ll teach him a lesson, believe me.? Carol, mother of Oliver who was one of Tommy?s gang of friends, had her opinion, too. ?I think it was a kidnapping. I bet his farther took him and made him write the note, that?s what I think.? ?Wouldn't surprise me,? Sharon said as they talked to each other as they were out for a morning job. ?But I still don't trust that kid. He never seemed genuine to me. Like he was always plotting something.? ?Joey? Sweet little Joey?? Carol replied. ?He?s too... simple... to have any ulterior motives. He had worse grades than my son.? Sharon was feeling bold. ?He had scheming eyes.? Carol was aghast. ?Sharon! He?s just a 12-year old boy! And please don't refer to him in the past tense.? --- It was late in the winter when Tommy presented his mother with a form for her to sign. ?What?s this?? Sharon asked, when Tommy slid it across the dinner table. ?What am I supposed to do with it?? ?It's a sign-up form for scouts,? Tommy explained. Sharon lethargically put her glass down and picked up the form. ?Scouts? Aren't you a little old for scouts?? ?Not really, Scouts can be as old as eighteen.? She read the first few lines on the form. ?Who the hey are the Clover Scouts? Never heard of them.? She put the form down and slid it back towards her son. ?They?re starting up a troop here. The guys and I thought it might be cool.? ?Scouts? ?Cool?? Hardly.? Sharon picked up her drink again. ?You don't want to do that anyway.? ?What? But I have to!? ?Are you raising your voice to me?? Sharon asked, thinking maybe the old, volatile version of her son might be showing his teeth again. ?No...? Tommy replied, quickly backing off. ?I just thought maybe this was something... Can I please join the clover scouts?? ?What?s it cost?? Sharon asked, bluntly. ?Nothing. The fees are waived because they?re new. All the guys said I should join up.? Sharon scowled. That was going to be the easy way to get Tommy to give up this idea, now she was going to go to her ace in the whole. ?Well, I?m your mother, and I say no.? Then Sharon got her son?s one secret weapon. ?Pleeeease?? He begged. The single mother leaned back in her chair. She really didn't want to put up with this kind of nonsense. She knew scouting was just going to be a hassle she didn't need. Letting Tommy hang out in the yard with his friends was much easier. Still, she did see a way out. ?Clean your room every day, do your laundry.? Sharon smiled to herself for her ingenuity. ?That?s the deal.? Check and mate. Tommy took a second to think about it. ?Okay,? he said. That answer threw Sharon. She was positive that he?d back out. ?I mean it. Laundry. Every week. Making your bed and cleaning your room every day.? ?Yeah. I know.? Tommy sighed. ?I?ll do it. Can I join up?? ?Well... I?ll think about it,? Sharon replied. Now what am I going to do? She thought. --- ?Well, I signed Petey up right away,? Marsha said, when Sharon called her. ?He was so enthusiastic, it was hard to say no. Plus it gets that troublemaker out of my hair for a couple of hours twice a week.? That intrigued Sharon Palmer. ?It?s twice a week? For how long?? ?Tuesdays and Saturdays. Two hours, plus drive-time. That?s over four hours of freedom a week, Sharon.? ?Oh God, I signed him up before he even finished asking me,? said Connie, who Sharon called next. She was newly single, having just separated from her husband of thirteen years. ?I can't wait to have some weekend time just for me,? she said, unable to repress her joy. ?Billy can go give someone else a headache for once.? Sharon was still skeptical. ?Aren?t they a little old for scouting? And I?ve never heard of the Clover Scouts.? ?Well, Billy is 11, which I guess is a tad old, and I?ve never heard of this outfit either, but who cares? Honestly, if Billy had wanted to join the Foreign Legion, I would let him. You know what I mean?? ?Do I ever,? Sharon concurred. She next gave Carol a ring. ?He just gave me the form,? she said. ?I haven't had a chance to look at it, but I think it?ll be fine. You know who?s the troop leader?? ?I hadn't asked,? Sharon said. ?Barbara Atkinson.? ?Really...?? Barbara had been a virtual recluse since her Joey had disappeared. This was interesting news indeed. ?I figure this is her way of getting back in the swing of things,? Carol said. ?She?s putting it behind her. And good for her! You can?t let a thing like that hold you back forever, am I right?? ?So If I was going to sign Tommy up...? ?Call Helen. She's arranging the carpool.? ?Where do they meet?? ?The community college has a spare room they?re renting out for them.? --- It was the first day of spring when the Clover Scouts held their first meeting. The uniforms were simple enough, forest green dress shirts with a yellow scarf bandana tied in a knot around the neck. A pair of jeans and it was done. Sharon didn't even need to buy anything, as she had everything already. ?I think it?s a little suspicious, really,? Helen said as she sat in the drivers? seat of her car. She was running the carpool and was picking up Tommy. She already had her own son, Jimmy, in the back seat, who was flipping through a comic book. ?I mean, it?s only been a few weeks. Maybe she?s overcompensating for her missing boy by looking after ours. I hope she?s in the right frame of mind for this.? ?Barbara? Well, God bless her for doing it, is all I can say.? Sharon was leaning against the car as they talked through the driver?s window. They were both waiting on Tommy. Sharon was dressed in one of her standard outfits, a pair of khaki pants and striped blouse, covered mostly by an open cardigan sweater. Her bob-length brown hair was somewhere between curled and wavy. ?I?m going to really enjoy this. Decompressing with a little tea, sitting on the back porch and just... Not caring.? ?We?re mothers, Sharon, we?re always going to care.? ?Well, I?m certainly going to try. When Tommy turns 18, I?m kicking him out of the house and I can get back on with my life. After that, he?s going be the world?s problem.? Sharon looked around for her son. ?Tommy! Let?s go!? She shouted at a frightening volume. A distant door slammed somewhere in the house, indicating that Tommy was on his way. Sharon sighed. ?This was so much easier when I had a husband to look after him.? ?Before Simon ran off, he and Jimmy used to do everything together,? Helen said, sympathetic to her fellow single mother?s plight. ?I know he misses him.? ?But you don?t.? Sharon smirked. ?Hell no. He was just a child in a man?s shoes.? Helen leaned out the window a bit so her comic-book-reading son couldn't hear her that well. ?As long as the alimony keeps coming in, that?s all I care about.? ?Sing it, sister,? Sharon replied, knowing that she was in the same situation. In fact, all of her friends in the neighborhood were in the same spot. Single mothers with one son, as it so happened. Bad-mouthing their ex-husbands was a favorite subject when they got to talking. ?Here comes the kid.? Tommy ran towards them. ?I had trouble tying the knot,? he explained, tugging his scarf. His mother was cross. ?I tied it for you half an hour ago! Why?d you untie it?? ?I had to go to the bathroom!? ?Why would you need to untie a neck scarf... You know what, I don't want to know.? Sharon opened the door for her son and gleefully slammed it shut when he got in. ?See you in two hours.? ?Bye, Sharon! I?ll be back at seven.? ?Take your time!? Sharon said, walking away. --- Sharon heard the door open and close. She ruefully checked the clock and indeed, it was two hours later. ?Already?? She asked herself. She removed the romance novel from her chest, where it had fallen. She had been dozing pleasantly for the past hour and a half, reclined on the sofa. ?The Wicked Yearning,? was the title. She shoved it under a stack of magazines so it wouldn?t be seen. She yawned as she sat up, stretching out her arms. ?In here, Tommy.? Tommy quickly appeared, running at top speed. ?That was so cool!? He proclaimed. ?Clover Scouts rocks!? ?Mmm-hmm,? Sharon replied, trying to look interested. ?We did the scout pledge, scout history, learned about badges... We?re gonna earn badges! By doin? stuff, like outdoors stuff... We played games... We...? ?Yeah, yeah. You had a great time. Good! Glad to hear it. Did Barbara, I mean, did Mrs. Atkinson have anything she needed me to do? Insurance forms? Consent forms? Something I need to buy?? ?Uh...? Tommy was trying to slow down from his 100 mile-per-hour train of thought. ?No... She just said we?d be back on Saturday. Oh, and Mrs. Atkinson is the best.? ?Oh? Well, that?s good.? Thank goodness Barbara was handling this, Sharon thought to herself. She knows what a hassle this could be and she?s keeping it to a minimum. Points to Barb. ?What?s for dinner?? Tommy asked. ?Um...? Sharon tried to look like she was in control, and not like she had completely forgotten about it. ?It?s a surprise.? She was still trying to clear her head of cobwebs and visions of that brawny rapscallion Rafe from her book. Sharon wandered into the kitchen to try and figure something out. Barb was the last person she ever expected to do something like being a scout troop leader, Sharon thought, as she rummaged through the canned goods in her pantry. Even before Joey ran away. She would have never pictured it, and still couldn?t. But not only had Barbara done it, but Tommy had come back raving about the Clover Scouts. Barbara?s behavior was definitely questionable. Helen?s suspicions were no doubt definitely playing on Sharon?s mind. Maybe it was fine, she figured, but maybe checking it out wouldn't be a bad idea. Just to be sure, she told herself. --- ?You don?t mind? I?m perfectly willing,? Marsha said, as she and her son Petey approached Sharon?s car. It was Saturday, time for the second Clover Scouts meeting, and Sharon had volunteered to swap with Marsha for her spot in the carpool rotation, and was at their house to pick Petey up. ?No, no, I might be busy for my carpool day, so swapping makes sense,? Sharon said, lying. The truth was that she had become so preoccupied with Barbara she had to go see things for herself, and wasn't going to wait for her spot to come up. Marsha was needlessly apologetic. ?Okay! I just wanted to make sure...? By the time Sharon had picked up the fifth kid and loaded him into the minivan, the noise in the back was driving her nuts. Yelling, pushing, laughing ? it was a sensory overload. ?Thank God I stopped at one,? she said. She arrived at the community college and got a nice parking spot just a few feet from the room the scouts were using. The classes were out for the day, and the campus was largely empty. A hand-written sign on the door read ?Clover Scouts Meeting Room? and Sharon figured she had found the right place, which she was quite grateful for. Herding five kids was more than a handful. ?Sharon!? Barbara sang out when they came through the door. ?It?s been too long,? she said, as the two hugged. ?I was so heartbroken, I want you to know that,? Sharon said. ?I?m glad you?re moving on.? ?Well, thank you. But I haven't given up hope,? Barbara said. She was dressed in the same forest green dress shirt and yellow scarf the boys were dressed in, except she had on a black knee-length skirt and three inch heels. She looked great, and Sharon?s opinion, she looked like she had lost some weight. ?Let?s get the boys set up. I?ll see you in two hours?? ?Well, actually, I was hoping I could sit in and watch.? ?Absolutely! The more, the merrier! Would you like to help out? I could use...? ?I?ve had such a rough day. I was hoping I could just take it easy. You understand, don't you?? ?Of course I do!? Barbara said. ?You look like you need a little rest. Now take a chair and don't you even think about moving an inch!? Same old Barbara, Sharon thought to herself. Polite but catty. The meeting went slowly, although the boys all seemed to be having a great deal of fun. In fact, Sharon was a little disappointed to have backed out of helping. The kids were having a ball. Sharon brought her romance novel to page through to pass the time, as she was satisfied that Barbara wasn't some stark raving looney bent on corrupting her child. As she read, she would occasionally look up to see what was going on. She saw them learning to tie knots, they were cutting out their hand prints with construction paper, they did some sewing, they learned how to read a compass, were instructed on basic cooking and if she wasn't very much mistaken, they were working an ironing board at one point. Unfortunately, she was right to the point in her book where Rafe had just been forced to return to the evil Baroness, instead of following his heart with the stable girl, so she wasn't paying a lot of attention. The meeting came to an end as the kids did a kind of chant, and then Sharon was amused to see the boys clean up the room diligently without even being asked. ?If I could get Tommy to clean like this at home...? Sharon said to Barbara, as they watched on at the side of the room. ?It?s just a part of the Clover Scout way.? Barbara looked almost smug about it. ?If there?s one thing I learned after my little... Ordeal... Was that if I owed my Joey anything it was simply giving him some of my time. I used to think that keeping a tight grip on my child and making all the decisions for him made me a better parent. Now I know that a child needs a little bit of gentle direction. All you need to do is point them in the right direction and they?ll do the rest. What he really needed to know was that I really do care, and love him unconditionally.? Sharon had her own take. ?Well, every kid is different. If I didn't practically ride Tommy?s back, he?d be lost.? ?Fair enough,? Barbara said. ?Did I hear a vacuum? What was that all about?? ?There?s more to learn than just wilderness training. Taking care of your little corner of the world is just as important as learning to start a campfire. The Clover Scouts have a lot of lifestyle badges to earn. There?s one for sewing, one for cooking on a stove, one for baking, and even three for cleaning.? ?Lifestyle badges? What about learning to skin a rabbit... or whatever.? ?They?ll learn a lot. That reminds me. They have a haircutting badge to earn, so to be able to cut hair, the boys need to let their hair grow out a little.? ?Easy enough. No trips to SuperCuts for a little while. Consider it done.? ?It was wonderful to see you again, Sharon,? Barbara said with another hug. ?Now, I insist that you come over with Tommy for dinner one of these nights. I feel like I?ve been out of circulation for too long.? Coming over to Barbara?s house was going to be kind of creepy, and Sharon had no desire to hang out in a shrine to her lost son. ?Oh, of course. We have to do that.? She wasn't going to commit one bit. ?Are you ready to go, Tommy?? She asked her boy. Chapter 2 The weeks went by quickly. Sharon regarded her two-hour respites, furnished by the twice-weekly scouting troop meetings, as just rewards for being such a super mother and wrung every bit of relaxation out of them as she could. The reasons she was congratulating herself on her parental skills were many. Ever since she had the idea to enroll her son in the Clover Scouts, the results had been slow but certain. The first thing Sharon had noticed was that Tommy?s grades had been on the rise. He had been a solid C student, but was now running a B-plus for the term, and flirting with the previously unthinkable grade average of A. His teachers reported he was more focused and attentive in class and never missed assignments. One even called him a ?delight? to have as a student. Sharon had to read the grade report five times before she believed it. As satisfying as that had been, what really impressed Sharon was her son?s dedication to doing the chores assigned to him. As they had agreed he would do in exchange for being a Clover Scout, he was cleaning his room and doing the laundry. She had expected the usual half-assed job out of him, but instead he was diligent in his duties and was doing better at them every day. Just last week, she had noticed that he was folding his shirts into tight squares and stacking them neatly in his dresser. Where he had learned that, she?d never know. ?Do you want to go out and play with your little friends?? Sharon asked her son one evening as they finished dinner. ?I have to do my reading for English, Mom,? Tommy replied. ?You?re doing fine. You can probably take a little time off and play.? ?The Clover Scout creed says that a Clover Scout never passes on his responsibilities,? Tommy said. ?Besides, I?ll see ?em at school and at scouts tomorrow.? ?Are you sure?? ?I?m sure, Mom,? Tommy said. ?Can I be excused?? ?What did you do? Did you fart?? ?No, I mean from the dinner table.? ?Oh. Yes. Sure.? Was he standing up straighter? Sharon thought to herself as she saw her son rise from his chair. They grow up so fast. Maybe he just seemed taller because Tommy was behaving in a mature way she had never seen from him. She knew it was likely some kind of phase. ?Can I help clearing the table?? He asked. Sharon looked at the two spent, sad paper trays from the microwaved dinners she had made. ?No, it?s fine.? --- The beginning of summer is a day parents dread, as it means that their kids were now going to be home all day long. The daycare service known as public school was no longer going to help them out. It was no wonder that summer camps have proven to be so wildly popular. So when Tommy came home with a flyer for ?Camp Clover,? Sharon could not sign her son up fast enough. The $400 fee didn't worry her in the least. The purchasing of luggage and supplies was of no concern. Her only disappointment was that the camp was only three weeks long. Barbara had rented out a couple of cabins at a park ground up state, and a shorty school bus to drive them there. ?A summer of growth and expanding horizons? was how she had phrased it, as she talked to the mothers. As they gathered in the parking lot of the Community college, Sharon had her boy ready and packed. ?Don?t you dare call home, either,? she instructed Tommy. ?I?m not coming to get you, no matter how homesick you get.? ?Okay, Mom,? Tommy said, looking almost embarrassed by his mom?s edict. ?I get it, Mom.? ?I mean it,? Sharon emphasized, using a finger to jab the point home. ?Now don't start any fights and don?t burn anything down. Don't embarrass me!? ?Yes, okay, Mom!? Tommy was starting to get the slightest bit testy. The other four campers climbed aboard and found spots on the bus. Then finally, they were underway. The boys were in great spirits, signing a Clover Scouts song as the doors closed shut. As they watched the bus drive off, a mighty cheer came from the mothers. That night, the five got together at Carol?s house for a celebratory night out. They dressed up a bit, eschewing their usual track suits, sweats and trainers for blouses, blazers, skirts and flats. Many even freshly styled their hair. The first stop was at a bar downtown, followed by another cross-town, and then a third a block away, and finally a fourth bar next door to the last one. Their ability to navigate the sidewalk without colliding with other people or stationary objects increasingly limited their choices of where they could go. At their final stop, Sharon had just come back from the ladies? room, intending to rejoin her girlfriends for the next karaoke song. It was about 2:00 am, and the bar had closed. They were in that wind-down time between the last drink being sold and when the staff would have to start pushing people out the door. But before Sharon could grab the mic for another rousing rendition of ?Take Me Home Tonight,? she spied Helen, who was just sitting by herself, staring into her drink. ?You look like someone just... Um...? Sharon said, trying to come up with the right phrase. The seven drinks she had consumed over the past five hours made sure that wasn't going to happen. ?Like your dog...? She sat down next to Helen. ?You look sad.? ?My little boy is growing up,? Helen said. Some folks get happy when they drink and some get depressed. Helen was one of those kinds of people. ?He?s all on his own, away from home.? ?He?ll be fiiiine!? Sharon said as she started to slide off her chair a little. ?He?s with his friends!? She hopped back in place. ?My Jimmy. He doesn't need me anymore!? Helen wailed. ?He needsh you!? Sharon slurred. ?What?s he gunna do without his mommy to clean up his meshes?? ?He already does. He?s keeping his room neat and clean, he?s making his own dinner...? ?What? Making dinner? My son makes me do that! Lousy good-fer- nothing...? Helen was ignoring her friend. ?Last week he was watching all my old home movies... When I got married, my high school graduation... That?s not something a little kid does! He?s so mature now... He doesn't need his mommy!? Helen started to sob. ?He?ll be back from camp soon, you?ll see. He still...? ?The Clover Scouts are doing this to him! He?s growing up so fast! I don't know what they do to him, but he?s not the same boy anymore! He?s not my Jimmy!? ?You?re drunk,? Sharon observed. ?You need some coffee to sober up.? ?Coffee? Yesterday I found Jimmy drinking coffee...? And Helen started to cry even more. ?Where did my little boy go?? ?You know, I?m just gonna go sing, okay? How about that?? Sharon said as she stood, wobbled, and then joined the other moms at the karaoke stage for ?Hooked on a Feeling.? --- Three weeks later, Sharon was back in the Community college parking lot, waiting on the bus to bring her boy back home. It had been a great three weeks. She had binge watched all the shows she had been meaning to catch up on, let the dishes pile up in the sink, didn?t have to dress most days and went out on the town every night like she was a student again. In fact, she was fighting off a powerful hangover this particular morning as the bus finally appeared around a corner. ?So much for freedom,? she said to herself. She looked around at her fellow mothers who were also dealing with pounding headaches as they had all gone out together for one last crazy night bar hopping. ?Hi Mom!? Tommy said loud enough to make Sharon feel like part of her brain had just liquified. He bounded off the bus and bounced over to her like a cheerleader after winning the big game. She wasn't very patient as she just wanted to get home and put an ice bag on her head. ?Have a nice time at camp? Great. Let?s get in the car and go, okay? Let?s go.? She didn't even give her son a hug. She barely even gave him a glance. Otherwise, she may have commented on his hair, which he now had gathered in a tiny tail at the back of his neck because it had grown out so long. ?Come on, in the car,? she said, with the enthusiasm of a death row prisoner. The ride home had been silent, and the next words Sharon spoke to her son were after they had arrived home. ?Don?t dump your stuff and keep it quiet, okay?? She said as they came in the front door. ?You can tell me all about camp later. For right now, Mommy just needs some peace and...? She looked around for Tommy, only to find the room empty. She headed for his room, and found the boy putting away his things in the dresser and placing his spent clothes in the hamper. ?I have been dying to do the laundry,? he said. ?Some of this stuff is beyond unpleasant.? ?Oh, yeah.? In the list of things she expected Tommy to do on his first moments home from camp, the laundry was not what she would have picked. ?Do you have anything that needs washing?? He asked. ?I can do us both.? ?No, I?m fine,? she said. Here she was, expecting a motor-mouthed retelling of every last moment of his time at camp. She expected a torrent hyperbole, declaring the everything ?awesome? and ?cool.? Sharon was almost disappointed. ?Camp must have worn you out,? She said. ?No, we had a great time! Absolutely wonderful time.? Tommy stood up, and that was when Sharon nearly lost her balance in shock. She hadn't given her son a real look since he had come some, and only now did it strike her that he had sprouted up like a bamboo tree. He looked like he was at least two or three inches taller. ?You?ve grown!? She said. ?Really grown!? She stood back-to-back with her son and used her hand to measure it. There was barely an inch between them. ?You?re almost as tall as I am!? ?5 foot 4,? Tommy said as he bent down to pick up a laundry bin. ?Or something.? He walked out without any further comment. Now of all the strange things her son had done in the past few months, that reaction was the strangest, Sharon thought. What kind of kid wasn't excited about getting taller? --- ?I don?t like it,? Helen said. ?I think I should pull Jimmy out.? Sharon laughed on her end of the phone. ?Of the Clover Scouts? Are you nuts? If I even hinted I was going pull Tommy out, he?d throw a fit. He?d never forgive me.? It was about a week after the boys had come home from camp, and the two mothers were just chewing the fat, as they tended to do on any given afternoon. ?I know. Jimmy loves the scouts ? but too much.? Helen sounded a little on edge to Sharon. But that wasn't odd for Helen. ?He?s always in his room, by himself, door closed. When I ask, he says he?s working on ?Scout matters? and won't talk about it.? ?And you?re worried? Helen, that?s a gift. Silent and staying out of trouble.? ?It?s not healthy for a young boy!? ?Young? I tell you, Tommy is practically gone from 12 to 20 overnight. You know, he?s almost my height.? ?The same with Jimmy,? Helen said. ?If it were just that, I wouldn't be so... Concerned. But I know he?s been reading my diary. The one I used to keep back in high school. He goes up into the attic where I keep it and doesn't say anything about it. I swear, he?s been going through all my old things. Like he?s researching my life.? ?He?s probably just working a surprise or something. When?s your birthday?? ?In three months.? ?There you go. He?s probably just getting a head start on doing something special for you.? ?I don't know, Sharon. I really think he?s up to something. It all started with these Clover Scouts.? When Sharon hung up on Helen, she was worried for her. She was becoming paranoid. She didn't want a friend who was always paranoid, like watching the skies for government drones or going on and on about fluoride in the drinking water. Still, that night, she did check for her journal. Even at 33, she occasionally still wrote in it, as she had since she was a teen. Sharon kept it in her bedside table drawer. When she was about to turn out the light, she just flipped open the drawer, and it was still there, where it had always been. Although, it wasn?t buried under some other stuff, like she remembered seeing it last. ?Damn it Helen,? she said to herself in the dark. ?Now you?ve got me paranoid.? --- After hearing that Helen was having her son make his own dinner, the door was open for Sharon to teach Tommy how to make it for himself. Like any kid his age, Tommy was already a microwave chef par excellence and was a genius with pizza rolls and hot pockets. She decided to start him off easy with mac n? cheese out of the box. Next she?d graduate him to spaghetti and finally hamburger helper. Sharon tried to make it like a fun ?challenge? for Tommy. The ingredients were puzzle pieces and the instructions were like reading the teachers? edition of a textbook. She painted a grand picture of toil and tribulation, as if preparing dinner were the most vexing problem facing mankind. ?You put peas in it?? Sharon said when he served up the mac n? cheese. ?Ugh.? ?Try it,? Tommy said. Sharon reluctantly brought the bizarre, hideous mix of cheese sauce, pasta and peas to her lips, knowing she had no choice. This was her bright idea and she was going to have to eat it. ?That?s really good,? she admitted, after two minutes of shoveling it into her delighted mouth. ?It?s sweet!? ?Most people overcook peas,? Tommy explained. ?You just have to defrost them, not cook them. They get all mealy otherwise.? ?Where did you learn that?? Sharon asked. Tommy finished chewing before speaking. ?Internet.? ?Oh,? she replied. The next night, she stepped up the challenge, because Sharon was now trying to defeat her son in the arena of cooking. She had no desire to be shown up by him, and have to admit her own boy was better at making delicious food than she was. She jumped all the way to hamburger helper and it?s daunting frying pan. Much to her dismay, the double cheeseburger macaroni was the best she?d ever had. ?It?s... Okay. What did you do?? ?I added to the mix. I shredded real cheese and added some chopped tomatoes in at the end.? ?We have tomatoes?? Sharon said. ?I got some at the store this afternoon.? ?I see.? ?What should I make tomorrow night?? He asked as they finished up. Sharon had quite enough of this and was ready to reassert her dominance in the kitchen. ?I?ll make dinner tomorrow night.? ?It?s no trouble,? Tommy said. ?I like cooking. It?s fun.? ?Yes, well, I want to show you what an experienced cook can do.? Sharon knew she was talking herself into a corner. She had never learned to cook, and if it didn't come out of a mix packet, box or a can, she was hopeless. ?You have a lot left to learn.? The next day, though, Sharon had completely forgotten about her boast until Tommy asked what she was making. ?I don't want to ruin the big reveal,? she explained. She hurriedly grabbed her purse and keys. ?I need to run some quick errands, will you be okay for a few minutes?? ?Sure,? Tommy replied from his room, where he was doing his homework. ?Back in a flash!? She said as she left. Now all she needed to do was try and figure out what she was capable of making that was going to turn out decent. Maybe if she could stop by a restaurant and pick something up, she could pass that off as her own cooking. She?d done it before, back when she was married. But unfortunately, her wallet was still laying on the dresser back in her bedroom, which she discovered as she was in line at KFC. ?Just had to check on something!? She said as she returned home, stepping in the front door. She dashed to her room, and sure enough, her wallet was still on the dresser. What caught her attention, though, was her son standing next to the dresser in her good high-heeled shoes. ?Tommy?? She inquired. He looked a bit ridiculous in jeans, t-shirt and in a pair of red heels. ?Mom!? Tommy blurted. He quickly bent down to remove the shoes. ?I can explain!? ?Oh, God,? Sharon said, closing her eyes. ?This is the last thing I needed to deal with.? ?It?s not what it looks like!? Tommy insisted. ?We have a merit badge thing and...? ?Just put them back where you found them!? Sharon commanded. ?Get out of my room, and never come back in here!? She swiped the wallet from the dresser and stuck it in her purse. ?I swear to Christ.? ?But Mom, We have this balance and poise merit badge, and I figured that it would help if I...? ?Tommy!? Sharon barked, stopping him talking. She made direct eye contact with her son and scowled like the boy had never seen her scowl before. ?I don't need this! You never go into my room again, you never touch my things! If I ever, and I mean ever catch you pulling this kind of crap again, I?m not responsible for my actions!? ?Mom...? ?Go back to your room and we?ll act like this never happened, okay? Now go!? She bellowed. ?I?ll be back with dinner,? she said, as she went for the door and slammed it behind her when she left. ?Give me strength,? she said to the air as she got in her car. --- It was two weeks later when Sharon was waiting alongside the street for Helen and the carpool. As usual, Tommy was running late. ?I can see her car, Tommy! Get a move on!? She yelled. There was no way her son could hear her from inside the house, but the yelling made her feel good anyway. Helen pulled up and Sharon made and over-exaggerated shrug, as a way to apologize for her son?s tardiness. ?He?ll be here in a moment,? she said when Helen came to a stop and rolled down her window. ?No worries,? Helen replied. ?Did you do something to your hair?? Sharon said, noticing a difference. ?Just a trim,? she said. There was an awkward silence after that, as they both waited. ?Tommy! Now!? Sharon yelled to fill the time. With another threat of awkward silence, Sharon bent down to be able to talk to Helen without being overheard. ?So. You?ll never guess what I found Tommy doing the other day.? ?Oh? Do tell,? Sharon said with a smirk. ?I came home and found my son wearing my best heels,? Sharon said. ?Can you believe it?? ?Really?? Sharon replied. ?And the worst thing about it?? Sharon knew this was going to really get Helen?s attention. ?He blamed it on the Clover Scouts. Something about a merit badge.? ?The Balance and Poise badge!? Helen said. ?Yes, that?s what Barbara suggested.? ?I just hope Tommy?s not turning into some kind of twink,? Sharon said. ?Pardon? Barbara suggested it?? she asked, realizing she had gotten an entirely unexpected reply from her friend ? especially because it had to do with the Clover Scouts, her favorite subject to complain about. ?I had... Jimmy... He was practicing for days,? Helen explained. ?Balancing on thin pieces of wood in the backyard and walking around with books on his head. He was too embarrassed to ask to use a pair of heels. But he got the badge anyway.? Upon the mention of Jimmy?s name, Sharon took a look in the back seat where Jimmy was seated. He was mashing his thumbs away on a hand-held video game, ignoring the outside world. ?There really is a ?Balance and Poise? merit badge? That?s nuts. What kind of a scouting organization does that?? Helen laughed, surprising Sharon. ?Oh, Sharon! Clover Scouts is the best thing that ever happened to my Jimmy. I think you worry too much.? Was this the Helen who had been reduced to tears when it came to the Clover Scouts? Sharon couldn't believe it. ?Me worried? What about you?? ?I admit, I had my doubts, but now, I?m all in. Jimmy and I are closer than ever.? Sharon took another look at Jimmy, who was still hammering the buttons of his game. ?I see he got his hair cut.? ?Yes! Back to my old Jimmy, just the way he should be. I was getting tired of seeing that long hair on him.? ?That Haircutting badge is almost just as ridiculous as Balance and Poise, if you ask me.? ?Ready!? Tommy declared as he was running towards the car. ?Sorry! I had to iron my shirt!? ?Jump in, Tommy!? Helen said. ?Are you ready for another great Clover Scouts troop meeting?? ?Yeah!? he replied. Sharon wasn't sure at all what had gotten into Helen. Maybe she was experiencing some sort of bipolar thing. ?Oh wow!? Tommy said as he sat in the back with the game-focused Jimmy. Tommy looked at Jimmy with awe. ?He got his hair cut,? Sharon said, assuming that was what had impressed him. ?I hope you?re next.? ?I wish!? Tommy replied. ?See you later, Sharon!? Helen said as she put the car back into gear. ?We?ll be back soon.? As the car eased away, Sharon could hear Tommy ? and Helen ? singing the Clover Scouts anthem. --- The very next morning, Sharon was up, regretfully beginning her day. She didn't have a lot planned, but supervising her son as he did the laundry and cleaned up was usually good for a little bit of entertainment, and the rest she could kill with some TV. In fact, she thought to herself, she really didn't even need to do her hair. She wasn't planning on going out. Why couldn?t she just let it be? But Sharon got up and did her morning routine anyway. She showered, did her face and then her hair. As she was holding a curler in place for a few minutes, she had to muse that being female was mostly okay, but it certainly had some drawbacks. She knew that there was a certain expectation to being a woman, and if you didn't look presentable, you were treated like dirt. Of course, if she had her way... Sharon?s train of thought was interrupted by a noise. A creak in the floor. It was coming from just outside the doorway to her bathroom. ?Tommy! I told you not to come in here!? She barked. She would have gone to scold him, but the curler, attached to the outlet, kept her rooted to the spot. When she thought it was done, she leapt out and tried to catch her son red-handed, but there was no one there. She returned to the bathroom, and started working on the other side of her hair. Now listening for noise, there was no doubt in her mind she was hearing some bumping just outside the bathroom door. If she hadn?t left a pile old junk in the way, she could have closed the door for privacy. Then there was another creak. ?I?m not kidding, Tommy,? she said, with her voice lower. Since there was a tiny chance that she was imagining this, she didn't want to yell too loudly. ?You don't want to let me catch you!? Another creak. --- It was the hottest day of the summer so far, and the AC in the Palmer household was the only thing between civilized behavior and total lizard brain panic. Sharon barely had enough energy to speak, let alone stand. She was splayed out on the couch, dripping sweat, even with two fans pointed directly at her. She hadn?t budged in over half an hour. Her immobility was about to come to an end, however, as her son walked past her dressed in his scout uniform. She had completely forgotten it was time for another troop meeting, and that meant she had to be courteous enough to go meet the car at the curb. She was going to delay it until the last possible second, though. It was sweltering outside. Connie was the scheduled driver today, but when she pulled up, she got a surprise. Her son Billy was driving. ?I?m working the brake,? Connie explained. ?So don't worry.? ?Is that a good idea? He?s only 11, Connie.? Sharon could see that Connie, though in the passenger seat, had a leg stretched over to hit the drivers? pedals. ?He?ll be twelve next month... And this was part of our deal.? Sharon desperately wanted to go back inside, but she had to ask. ?Deal?? ?Billy agreed to do the laundry, clean the house and cook,? Connie said. ?In return, I give him driving lessons.? That sounded like a pretty poor deal to Sharon, but before she said anything, she realized that was pretty much what Tommy was already doing for her, and not getting anything in return. ?Lately, it seems like Billy just follows me everywhere. He wants to help me do everything. Last night, he helped me with my hair.? Connie shook her hair. ?Like it?? ?It?s shorter,? Sharon observed. ?Just a little. Billy helped you... With your hair?? ?I think it makes me look younger.? ?Hey Billy,? Tommy said as he got in the car. ?Hey Tommy,? Billy replied, turning around to talk. ?Pretty cool, huh?? Tommy shrugged. ?Yeah, but I can wait.? Jimmy was already in the back seat, playing his game, just like he was last week. Sharon wondered when Helen was going to wise up and take it away from him. ?All right, I?m gonna go back inside. It?s brutal out here.? She was already planning on stripping out of her blouse and shorts. Two hours of not having to be dressed sounded like heaven in this heat. ?You should probably switch back before you hit the highway,? She said to Connie as she made her exit. ?Oh yeah,? Connie said. --- A few days later, Sharon was hearing things again as she stood in front of her bathroom mirror. She thought she would have scared Tommy off, but as soon as she started her morning routine, she could sense his presence, just outside her bathroom door. Sharon just had to chalk it up to childhood curiosity, and assume he?d see whatever he came to see and then back off. At his age, he must have been curious about femininity. That day he found her in her heels was probably something similar. Sharon had read on a website that at his age most boys so have a brief ?experimental? phase of imagining themselves as women. She was only going to get worried if it got any worse. Maybe it was a side effect of not having a father figure in Tommy?s life anymore. As she worked on her concealer, she knew she was being watched. She could feel it. She decided there was no point in trying to catch Tommy and rubbing his nose in it, an opinion probably influenced by the fact that she had already proven to herself that she couldn't catch him. After some powder, Sharon moved on to her the corners of her eyelids to pencil them. Her eyes darted from her reflection back to the door, hoping to get the tiniest glimpse to prove to herself she wasn?t imagining things. Through doing her mascara, her cheeks, and her lips, her attention was completely divided. When a man watched you get ready, it was kind of sexy, but when your own son is doing it, it was decidedly creepy. When her hair was done, she made a deliberate show of putting things away and walked slowly to the door, and was rewarded by more bumps and creaks. She stuck her head around the doorframe and saw nothing. A peek into Tommy?s room saw that he was lying on his bed conspicuously reading a book. She returned to her bedroom to get dressed, sure that she hadn't quite seen the end of this. --- It was Sharon?s turn at driving the carpool, and she had taken a dose of Midol to deal with the inevitable headache that would come from the rambunctious noise her passengers were going to make. Jimmy was the first to pick up, who was still fixated on his video game player, and Helen was all smiles as she bid goodbye to her son. Whatever drug Helen had discovered to turn her into a carefree, up-beat person, Sharon wanted to know what it was ? so she could avoid it. Connie was waiting at the curb with Billy who immediately began to jaw off with Tommy when he got in. Petey was the third on the route, and he, too was now playing a hand-held video game like Jimmy was. ?Is it some kind of fad?? Sharon asked Marsha, his mother. ?Just a great game, I guess,? she replied with a shrug. ?He loves it so much!? A second look at Petey revealed that he had freshly cut short hair, finally getting rid of the long hair the other boys were still growing. ?He finally got his hair trimmed!? Sharon said to Marsha. ?About time, don't you think?? Marsha replied with a smile. ?I hope Tommy?s next.? ?Oh, I can only pray,? Sharon replied before heading back on the road. Carol was waiting with Oliver, and he practically threw himself into the back with Tommy and Billy. When it came to chatter, math should have dictated a 33% increase in noise, but it seemed to double. Sharon massaged her temples. ?See you in a couple of hours, Carol.? ?Have fun!? Carol replied. ?I?m going to be in the tub with a bottle of wine.? ?Lucky you.? They pulled up to the Community college parking lot, and Sharon?s carpool ordeal was just about over, at least until she had to take them home. ?Everybody out!? She said. When nothing happened, Sharon took a look in the back, and saw that Jimmy and Petey were completely mesmerized by their games, and since they were sitting next to the door, they had to move to let the other boys out. ?Jimmy! Petey! We?re here! Meeting time! Let?s open that door!? She turned around, not getting any reaction. ?C?mon! Chop chop!? There was still no response from the two boys. Not even a acknowledgement. ?This is why I don?t let you get one of those,? Sharon told her son, smugly. ?Look what it does to you.? Tommy reached over the two immobilized boys and undid the door latch himself, finally sliding it open. With a gentle push, Jimmy and Petey started to move, and followed their friends inside. --- During the meeting, Sharon thought about going to a movie, but wound up sitting in the parked minivan drinking coffee and trying to find a radio station that didn't tick her off. ?Shoulda just gotten the satellite,? she said, as she passed on the sixth news-talk station in a row. With nothing better to do, she wound up returning to the Clover Scouts meeting a little early. ?Sharon!? Barbara said, welcoming her with an embrace. ?Good to see you!? ?Barbara,? Sharon answered, returning the hug. ?How are you? I have to say, I?m so grateful for what you?re doing with the Clover Scouts.? ?You know, I wasn't sure at first, but everything is going so well. I think I?m enjoying it even more than the scouts.? She turned to look them over. Three were engaged in using desktop computers. Two, namely Jimmy and Petey, were just sitting at the side, playing their games. Sharon pointed at them. ?Isn?t that awful? They just can?t put their games away.? Barbara shrugged. ?They really can take over a person?s life, can't they?? ?You should just take them away.? ?There?s little sense in making a scene. They?ll participate when they can,? Barbara said. ?I?d just yank them from their hands,? Sharon said with a grin. ?Sorry! Confiscated!? ?And you can be the one dealing with irate, difficult children for two hours.? Sharon, rebuffed, looked at what the other three boys were up to. ?Are they doing... Schoolwork?? She asked. ?A little history lesson,? Barbara said. ?They have a pop culture merit badge coming up.? ?I mean, God bless the Clover Scouts for giving me peace during the week, but they have the most screwed-up merit badges.? ?To be honest...? Barbara bent over and whispered in Sharon's ear. ?Some of them are just time-killers.? Sharon giggled. ?That reminds me, I am barely able to keep myself from snipping off Tommy?s ponytail. Tell me that the haircutting badge is coming up soon for him.? ?Well... To be honest, I think he might be a little farther away. Billy and Oliver are probably going to finish that off before Tommy.? ?What do they have to do, exactly? Because...? Now it was Sharon's turn to whisper. ?I think my son has been watching me do my hair in the morning. Secretly.? ?Oh, that?s probably my fault,? Barbara said with a smirk. ?I?ve been trying to help Tommy along with that Haircutting badge. He just doesn't get how hair layers and how it naturally waves and curls. So I suggested he... Well... I said he should watch someone do their hair.? ?Barbara!? ?But I didn't mean in secret!? Barbara put her hand on Sharon?s shoulder. ?I?m so sorry.? ?No big deal. He?ll work it out in therapy in ten years.? Sharon focused on what the scouts were reading on the computer screens. ?Are they reading about the 1990?s? For a history badge?? ?Time-killers,? Barbara whispered. --- Driving back to drop off the boys, Carol?s was the first stop. When Sharon pulled up, Carol had a sublime expression of someone who had just spent two hours in total bliss. Sharon hated her immediately. ?I hope I didn't pull you out of the bath,? Sharon said, dryly. ?Oh, don't think anything about it,? Carol replied. She waited for the door to open so Oliver would hop out, but it remained closed. ?Um... Am I supposed to open the door?? ?Oh for goodness sake,? Sharon said. She turned to address the boys in the back. ?Will someone please open the door?? Petey and Jimmy were non-responsive, and were blocking the way again. As one of the boys unlatched the door and it popped open, Sharon turned back to Carol. ?Can you believe it? They play these video games like the rest of the world doesn't even exist.? ?They?ll get themselves hurt if they don't pay attention.? Carol replied, with a disdainful expression. ?They?ll drop into an open manhole.? ?I was telling my Tommy that was why he doesn't get to play video games,? Sharon said as Oliver squirted out the minivan door. ?Same here. My Oliver is not going to become a video game zombie like those two.? She waved goodbye to Sharon as her boy sped past into the house. ?See you next meeting.? ?This time I?ll be the one sipping wine in the bath,? Sharon said. --- Sure enough, when Carol came by for the next carpool, Sharon made a show of coming out to meet her while dressed in a bathrobe. ?Good afternoon, Carol!? She said with a smile. Carol was in a good mood and was excited to see Sharon. ?Hi, Sharon! Isn?t the weather just wonderful? What?s the robe for? Going to take a shower?? ?A dip in the tub with some wine,? Sharon said, disappointed that she needed to explain the joke. ?Sounds relaxing,? Carol replied. ?But be careful not to overdo it.? Maybe it had been too long, Sharon wondered, and Carol had forgotten about last time? ?Tommy! For God?s sake! The car is here!? Sharon yelled, waiting for her son, as usual. As she waited, she took a look inside the car and saw that Carol had already picked up Jimmy and Petey, who were still playing their games. ?How long is that game?? She said to herself. Then she spotted Carol?s son, Oliver, who was also tapping away on a hand-held game. ?Carol!? Sharon said, alarmed. ?A video game player? Honestly!? ?Well, all his friends are addicted. He just had to give it a try.? ?You told me that you would never allow him to become a video game zombie.? Carol laughed. ?I don't think I really meant that,? she explained. ?I?m pretty sure you did,? Sharon replied. ?And Oliver?s hair is cut! Is it some kind of ritual, get you hair cut and win an addictive video game? What?s the connection?? ?Hey Mom!? Tommy said, darting in between her and Carol. ?Just a second, honey, the adults are talking,? she said to her son. Then she leaned around him and talked to Carol. ?Now, what in the world is going on here? Why is...? ?Mom! Mom!? Tommy said, begging for attention. ?Do you want me to cook dinner when I get back? Mom!? Sharon was ticked off at her son. ?Just a moment! We?re having a conversation!? She tried to get past her son?s intrusion. ?Carol! Is something going on?? Tommy wasn't going away. ?I can cook some pasta! We can have burgers! What do you want?? ?Thomas Wilson Palmer! Would you please stop interrupting me!? Sharon yelled. ?Sorry, Mom.? Sharon had worked herself up into full lecturing-parent mode. ?I have come to expect better than this kind of rude behavior, young man!? ?I just wanted to ask...? ?I will tell you what we are going to have for dinner when I decide. Not a moment sooner! And you will behave yourself, especially in front of my friends! Is that explicitly clear?? ?Yes, Mom.? ?When you come home, we will have a further discussion about this! And expect to be grounded!? ?Why?? Tommy whined. ?Because I?m the Mommy, that?s why!? Sharon snapped. ?Now get in the car!? As the car pulled away, she watched with her arms crossed, quite satisfied that she had reasserted her authority. ?Now... I was going to ask Carol something...? She said to herself. ?What was it?? Chapter 3 Sharon got up one morning, and was relieved to find that her son, for once, was not watching her. She knew exactly where he was, vacuuming the living room, and could hear him working. She dressed for the day in one of her usual outfits, a pair of olive relaxed-fit capri pants, a button-up blue-grey blouse and an off-white cardigan. She added a pair of modest heels, as the increasing height of her son was starting to make her feel self-conscious. At 5 foot 6 inches, She liked being taller than her little boy, and was going to try a