No Contest Book 2 Hard Fought 1991 93Chapter 28
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When Joe exited the padded room in the morning and passed the studio, Rachel called to him from there. “Is she up?” she asked him.
“In a hurry?” Joe chuckled.
“I’ve wanted this for a while.”
“She’s up. How about we have breakfast and then we’ll meet in Cheryl’s office. I’ll get Joanne and then get Cheryl.”
“For the contracts.”
“Yes.”
“I’ll go make coffee.”
“Thanks. See you in a minute.”
He sighed he when returned to the padded room and sat on the bed. “Rachel’s ready to meet,” he told Joanne.
“She really wants this done with.”
“So it seems.”
“Fine.”
The padded room had robes. Joe already wore his. Joanne put on one of Moe’s. “Think you can stand working with Rachel on breakfast,” Joe asked.
“I can try,” Joanne said.
“Just ignore her bullshit.”
“Yes Joe.”
Joanne got off the elevator on the main floor and Joe continued to the second floor. He knocked gently and poked his head into Essie’s room. She turned to him from her desk, wearing panties and a halter top. Joe’s breath stopped. She did that to him, especially dressed like that. Smiling she came to him and embraced and kissed him. He couldn’t help grabbing her young ass and pulling her into his rising erection. “Morning, beautiful,” he finally said.
“Hi handsome,” she returned. She ground into him. “I can tell you’re happy to see me.”
“Always.”
“Quickie?”
“Not when you’re mother’s here.”
“But...”
He spanked her awkwardly. “This is her weekend. We agreed you can be with me, even when she moves in.”
“Okay,” she smiled. “I’ll just borrow big Joe.”
“Big Joe?”
“I’m not going to insult you calling it little Joe,” she smirked, rubbing his hard-on.
He sighed. Beautiful, sexy women surrounded him. A new cute one probably naked a couple doors down. He’d been inside one not many hours before, who happened to be the mother of the one he held. But that last one could make him forget them all. The girl, barely a woman, her exquisite beauty and her perfect young body, captured his libido and his aesthetic appreciation like no other. Not to mention her amazing mind. “Esther,” he murmured.
“I love my name when you say it like that,” she murmured back.
“I...”
“Ssh.” She combed his hair with her slim, gentle fingers.
“You’re the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.”
“I feel the same about you.”
“No you don’t,” he chuckled.
“I honestly do, Joe. I’ve always thought you were the most handsome man in the world. And I’ll always think that. I know what Mom and I discussed, but that will never change.”
“Right now I wish I had just you to myself,” he confessed.
“No you don’t. Never say that! Cheryl? Moira? My mom? Cheryl told me how much my mom needs you because I didn’t understand. They all need you.”
“And I need them.”
“Yes you do. And that cute Chinese girl? I know you’ll make her life better, if you haven’t already. Like with Constance. She only relaxes around you. And Max and Caroline of course. But I think you even more. How many others have you loved and made better because of it? Maybe you can even fix Rachel,” she chuckled. “Yeah, I figured that was it was about the way my mom reacted. You should do it. Except Eddie...”
“Eddie will be fine.”
“Good. You can have me to yourself when it’s just us two.”
“That’s the way I am.”
“I know. So what do you need, Uncle Joe?”
“Besides my little vixen?”
“Later,” she giggled, giving his cock one last pinch before they separated. “The sooner the better.”
“Where did your mom put her stuff?”
“Oh. Next door. Her valise?”
“Yeah.”
“She sort of stashed it. I’ll show you.”
She started to open the door, which he hadn’t remember closing but thanked his unconscious mind for doing so. He had a feeling the clever young Liang probably had an inkling, but wanted to avoid her disapproval until things could be explained. Then it would be up to her to accept it or not. “Uhm, maybe something a little less revealing?” he suggested.
“Right,” she chuckled. “We have guests.” She grabbed some warm up pants from the floor. Messiness might have been her one imperfection.
He followed her into the smaller guest room. She reached behind the armoire. With its base curving in to the main part of the piece, it had created just enough space for the valise. “Worried Rachel would sneak it out?” Joe smirked.
“Yeah,” Essie chuckled, handing Joe the valise, adding a kiss. “Rachel doesn’t exactly attract trust.”
“True.”
“I’d love to see the configuration in your bed,” Essie smirked, “but that might not be a good idea.”
“Probably not.”
“You think Liang will stick around?”
“I think there’s a good chance of it.”
“Good. I think she’s a fantastic woman.”
“Me too.”
“She’ll figure us out if she hasn’t already.”
“I think she’s been confronted by people who didn’t accept her for who she is.”
“I think we can trust her too, but it is statutory rape.”
“Yeah.”
“Let me talk to her about it.”
“Now?”
“Why not? I’ll feel her out, but I find it highly unlikely once she’s finally with you, that she’ll run to the hills. Quite the opposite actually.”
“And she seems to be getting close with Rachel.”
“I noticed that too. I really think you found a remarkable woman.”
“Me too.”
“And I think she’s kind of sexy.”
“That’s good.”
They shared a chuckle.
“I bet she’ll hope you get naked when you go into your room,” Essie said.
“No bet.”
“Maybe you should invite her into the padded room.”
“With Joanne?”
“In a way it’s you at your best. Commanding and confident. And she can see how much it does for my mom.”
“It could be dangerous.”
“You need her to see you in your entirety, Joe, if she’s a keeper.”
“Maybe delay talking to her about us?”
“Maybe. But I do want to get to know her. Maybe she’ll help me play with your wives.”
“Esther!”
“She did check me out.”
“Of course she did,” he sighed. “Even a straight woman checks you out. And she’s not.”
“And if I suggested it would put her in a compromising position, you’d probably spank my butt, even if I certainly won’t mind that. I won’t do anything until I’m sure she won’t turn on you, okay? You know I’m good at bringing out the truth in people.”
“Be absolutely sure, Esther.”
“I promise.”
One more kiss and Joe exited the small room and headed to the master bedroom. Three sets of naked breasts presented themselves to him. Moe in the middle and Cheryl and Liang close beside her. Two dildos, a strap on and a vibrator also lay on the bed. Cheryl giggled when she saw him notice.
“You ladies obviously had fun,” Joe said.
Liang’s blush revealed some embarrassment, but she didn’t cover up what Joe saw were perfect tits on a soft white torso. Just that vision tempted him. “We did,” she said. “You going to join us?”
“As much as I want to, I need Cheryl to get her gorgeous fanny up. Rachel’s being an impatient bitch.”
“What a surprise,” said Moe.
Cheryl revealed her nakedness crawling out of bed. Joe watched every moment of it until she embraced and kissed him. “Is that Li?” he asked.
“Sweet hunh?”
“Yeah.”
“I know you guys have history,” said Liang. “But I actually like her.”
“I know you do,” said Cheryl, putting panties on, and a t shirt and warm up pants. “And I think that shows what a cool lady you are.”
“It is pretty amazing,” Moe admitted.
“She doesn’t have female friends?”
“None that I know of,” said Cheryl. “And not a lot of male ones either.”
“She must be lonely.”
“I guess she is,” said Moe.
“What are you guys up to?” Liang asked.
“Joanne’s relinquishing managing Eddie to Rachel,” Moe said.
“Wow. It doesn’t seem you guys trust her.”
“It doesn’t matter what we think,” Joe said. “It’s what Eddie thinks.”
“But he trusts you,” said Liang. “You’d advise him.”
“I don’t know if he does,” said Joe. “Especially concerning Rachel. But I’m actually okay with the choice.”
“I’m still confused by that,” said Moe.
“I talked to her,” Joe shrugged. “Certain answers convinced me she’d have Eddie’s back. That she won’t be the selfish bitch we always thought she was. Mostly concerning his finances. And you know she’s smart.”
“And tough,” said Liang.
Everyone agreed with that.
“That Joanne’s papers?” Cheryl asked, and Joe handed the case to her.
“Oh,” said Joe to Liang. “Expect a visitor.”
“Who?” said Liang, both curious and a little worried.
“Esther. She wants to talk to you.”
“Uh oh,” Moe chuckled.
“Uhm...” Liang reacted.
“Don’t worry,” said Cheryl. “I know you’re attracted to her. She knows it too. Let’s just say she’s a lot older than she looks.”
“I thought she looks older,” said Joe.
“You know what I mean.”
“I do,” Joe chuckled and winked.
“How old is she?” Liang asked.
“Fifteen,” they all said.
“But...”
“You’ll see,” Moe chuckled.
Cheryl and Joe greeted Essie outside her door with a kiss. She’d gotten rid of her warm up pants.
“I thought... , “ Joe started.
“Are they naked, Cheryl?” Essie asked.
“Yep,” Cheryl giggled. “Just ... be sure she’s cool.”
“I will.”
“Good enough for me. Joe?”
Joe sighed. “Okay.”
Essie chirped with delight and paraded her tight young ass to the master bedroom door, both Cheryl and Joe enjoying the view. She winked at them before disappearing into the huge bedroom.
“That should be interesting,” said Cheryl.
“What isn’t around here?”
“True,” she giggled.
They joined Joanne and Rachel in the kitchen, a tense truce between them. They worked on a scrambled eggs, veggies and potato concoction. A casual frittata. Cheryl unloaded Joanne’s case on the kitchen table, perusing the documents. “Finances?” she asked.
“Sally,” Joe said.
“I told her we’d call her today,” said Joanne. “She’s got a fax machine at her apartment.”
“You okay with Joe’s Sally handling the money?” Cheryl asked.
“She’s not...” Joe started.
“Not since she found another cute guy to cheat on her husband with,” Joanne winked at Joe.
Rachel chuckled. “Yeah. My accountant sucks.”
“Sally’s the best accountant around,” said Joanne. “And completely trustworthy. But I think she should get a raise.”
“Sure,” said Rachel. “Better than extortion.”
“You’re father’s accountant?” asked Joanne.
“Yeah.”
“We’ll conference call when we head upstairs to my office,” said Cheryl.
“When is Eddie going to join us?” Joe asked.
“He’ll sign what we give him,” said Joanne.
“Yeah,” said Rachel. “He hates this part of his life. He just wants to get high and play.”
“Kind of limited life,” Joe commented.
“You mean the songs? He gets out there. He reads, but he also does his Clark Kent thing. Dresses like a dweeb with clunky glasses worse than Cheryl used to wear. Even gets jobs for a couple weeks.”
“Eddie Frank’s a pretty recognizable name,” Joe pointed out.
“He never legally changed his name, Joe,” said Joanne. “He’s still Mayer Gold to the taxman.”
“You’re shitting me.”
“Eddie Frank’s like a corporate name,” Joanne continued. “It’s on his charge cards and his checkbook. There’s a legal contract that stipulates he can use it.”
“Although he doesn’t use them much,” said Rachel. “Mostly it’s me or his bodyguard when he’s on the road. Everything accounted for and paid back by Eddie or Joanne, or Sally I guess.”
“I send him cash, Joe,” said Joanne. “Messengered by people I’ve vetted.”
“Still dangerous,” said Joe.
“It’s not the smartest way to do business,” Joanne agreed.
“In a way it’s better with me being his mate and manager,” said Rachel. “One step less. It’s my name on his house in the valley. Joanne actually gave me the funds. And I’ll buy whatever when we get here.”
“Using Eddie’s funds?” Joe asked.
“Through his corporate account,” said Joanne.
“So your father’s accountant?”
“Personal funds Eddie gave to me to have the asshole manage it. Ironically it’s in Eddie’s dad’s bank.”
“You’re going to move it?” Cheryl asked.
“Yeah. We’ll find a bank here.”
“Sally can advise you on that,” said Joe.
She nodded.
“Trevor’s contract,” said Cheryl.
“Tear it up,” Rachel muttered.
“In other words, it’s not transferring.”
“Definitely not. Although he still seems to be driving Eddie or into him at least.”
“Let’s table your homophobia for now, Rachel,” Joe said. “Okay?”
“Fine.”
“Are you looking for a place?” Joanne asked.
“Yeah. I’m thinking the village for sentimental reasons, but Eddie wants a place near here.”
“Let him have it Rachel,” Joe said.
“But...”
“We’re working together now. If you want, get yourself a place there.”
“I’ll think about it.”
“Remember Eddie not driving? And needing a driver?”
“Definitely a valid point,” Rachel chuckled.
“Trevor’s going to be our driver now, and...”
“I got it Joe. Fuck.”
“Right.”
“Here’s the legal agreement you talked about, Joanne, regarding corporate Eddie,” Cheryl continued. “And ... shit. It’s a partnership.”
“Uneven,” said Joanne. “I get twenty percent.”
“You cool with that, Rachel?”
“Of course. You really are rich, Joanne.”
“Yes I am. Eddie and Joe both.”
“You certainly don’t flaunt it.”
“A lot of it got funneled into my arts work. A lot of anonymous donations. I don’t pay much taxes. Most are in trusts for my kids. But I do like flying first class,” she laughed.
“You could probably buy a jet.”
“No, but Eddie could. The only thing he spends money on is real estate. The Valley. Barbados. Paris. And Barbados is a corporate thing. We, or I guess you, actually get money from renting it for productions.”
“Eddie needs his studio,” Rachel nodded. “The others are nice, but Barbados he spared no expense. I bet he’ll want something like that here.”
“I guess I could expand mine,” Joe offered. “It was just meant for fucking around.”
“No. We get a place, it’ll have a topflight studio.”
“Sounds like you might need a townhouse like this,” said Joe. “Lord knows he can afford it, even if they’ve gotten a lot more expensive than when we bought this one. Cheryl managed to find a deal.”
“The place was a mess,” Cheryl nodded. “But no one seemed to get it had great bones.”
“At least one when Joe moved in,” Rachel snickered.
“True,” Cheryl giggled. “But we pretty much had to take our time refurbishing it, because that cost a fuck of a lot.”
“Have you been looking?” Joe asked.
“Yeah,” said Rachel. “We’ve pretty much come to the same conclusion. My favorites are in Chelsea and the Village. The last one’s crazy expensive. There’s a couple Eddie favors, both north of here. Ones on Riverside Park too. The other’s near Columbia. Columbia’s cheaper, as you can imagine.”
“Yeah, being on the park definitely ups the ante. Around Columbia can be iffy.”
“We haven’t looked yet.”
“How about house shopping tomorrow? Cheryl?”
“Sounds like fun,” Cheryl smiled, but seemed distracted.
“When’s your flight Joanne?” Joe asked.
“About the same time I arrived. Probably the same jet.”
“Then you’d have time in the morning.”
“I’d feel better heading out early.”
“Okay. Trevor can take you, and we can hoof it after we say goodbye.”
“You guys trying to get rid of us?” Rachel asked.
“I don’t mind Eddie being here,” Joe said.
“And me?”
“You either, Rachel. Believe it or not. But the point is, if we do find a place and Eddie wants to change it into a mega studio, it’ll take time. There’s no problem you staying here until it’s done.”
“At least until I move in,” said Joanne. “No, it’s not getting rid of you except I plan to take the basement guest room.”
“When.”
“Nine months. Or after I have our baby.”
“Aren’t you too old for that?”
Instead of getting angry, Joanne laughed. “It will definitely be my last.”
“So you’re pregnant?”
“I hope so. It’s also for Charlie to finish his schooling this year. We’re hoping to get him into the High School for Performing Arts next year.”
“A foregone conclusion,” said Joe.
“I’d think so too.”
“Let’s head up to my office,” said Cheryl. “I’m probably going to have Scott come by. The partnership, and its connection to Eddie’s corporate name is too unusual for me to get a decent grasp. I’ll include him in the conference call, but I’m pretty sure I’ll need him here.”
“Fine,” said Rachel.
“Whatever you need,” said Joanne.
“By the way, why didn’t Sally come with you?” Rachel asked. “She knew about getting the account.”
“You need to ask Joe that. She said something about Joe not being able to afford it, which made no sense, since it would be on Eddie’s dime.”
“A very personal joke,” Joe chuckled, “which I’m not free to discuss.”
“Sex,” said Rachel.
“Definitely sex,” said Joanne.
Joe shrugged.
The transfer finally ended about 2 in the afternoon, with Scott assisting. He had a friend who was a notary public, and Eddie signed what he needed to sign, along with Rachel and Joanne, in front of her. She also brought several pizzas, Trevor giving her a lift. Everyone joined in the feast.
Rhonda decided to show off her new song to the three new audience members. Joe grabbed Nigella’s bass, Eddie his twelve string. Nathan had a set of bongos. Essie played the upright piano in the living room and harmonized. Eddie and Joe harmonized too.
“How old are you?” Scott asked afterwards.
“Eight,” she said proudly.
“Holy cow.”
Eddie broke into No Contest, announcing each chord change for Rhonda. Most people sang along, none louder than Liang. Not the best voice but at least she mostly stayed in key. “Appropriate,” said Eddie to Joe about the choice of song.
“Yeah,” Joe smiled.
“How about A Hard Rain’s Gonna Fall?” Rhonda suggested.
“Only if you sing it Ronnie,” said Eddie.
“Okay.”
“Joe?” Eddie knew Joe knew Dylan a lot more than him.
“Give me a minute, sweetheart,” Joe told his oldest daughter, and he figured it out on the bass. “Okay.” Like Eddie he told her the chord changes.
She sang the verses and her audience joined in on the chorus.
“Holy Cow,” said Scott.
“Our little Dylan,” said Eddie.
Eddie strummed his guitar dramatically. Plucked the notes that everyone knew. His biggest hit. The one that made him an international star. Number one all over the world. Hooks all over the place. Verses. Chorus. Bridge. About a small town boy who leaves his small town true love behind to make it big, and returns to her to find her pregnant, one more of a brood, his absence several years, his regret intense even though she was a poor farmer’s wife and he was a big rock star.
He wrote it when he came home to Minnesota to find Sam pregnant and married to Randy, his former drummer escaping the drug addled LA scene to return to his father’s farm. Randy’s brother remained, becoming part of the hair band metal scene, licks suspiciously similar to some of Eddie’s. Endless parties. Endless girls. The lead singer involved in a drunken hit and run arrested. The brother moving on to a much bigger band, whose lead singer couldn’t quite get it together to follow success with anything new, and the brother leading his own band for little success and bouncing from band to band as a hired gun.
Girl I Gotta Go hid its regrets in a lively, fist pumping groove. The music at odds with the lyrics. Despite that, both worked to make it the kind of song that sticks to the mind like shit to a shoe. Sometimes Eddie felt like it stuck to him like that. But usually he got off on everyone singing along, pumping their fists, especially when thousands did it in stadiums. And, from the first to the thousandth time sung, he’d remember seeing Sam, his first love, and the emotions rang true. Sense memory, like a method actor.
When Eddie set aside his guitar, ostensibly ending the small impromptu party, he asked Rhonda, with Joe on the other side of her on the couch, whether she had any more songs.
“Not yet,” she smiled.
“If you do, you be sure to let me know.”
“I’m sure I will, since you’ll be teaching me, won’t you?”
“Of course,” he chuckled.
When she bounced off the couch, Joe slid closer to Eddie. “Do you have something in mind, asking her that?”
“I don’t know,” said Eddie. “She’s a bit of a freak show, isn’t she? I don’t...”
“I know,” said Joe. “It would be a phenomenon. But the kind that might not go well for her.”
“People would think I invented her or something. Like some sort of prank or gimmick.”
“Yeah.”
“So what do we do?”
“Let her grow up.”
Eddie nodded. “But I still want to record her.”
“We can keep it in house. Print up a custom made single of maybe a dozen.”
“If she doesn’t come through with another song, we could always make A Hard Rain the B side.”
“It was pretty amazing.”
“The King Solomon label?”
“Or the Solo Frank label?”
“Or the Solomon Frankenstein label?”
“Or the Joe Mayer label?”
“Fuck you. How about Mire. Like...”
“Mired. Suggestive of admired, but also...”
“Mired in...”
“Probable horrible consequences.”
Thus began Eddie’s new label. Just four capital letters of the simplest font, sans serif. In gold. For King Solomon’s gold. And Eddie’s real last name. It’s first issue being a hidden gem. At least intended to be.
Joe noticed Liang and Essie sitting together chatting during most of the party. Essie glanced at Joe, all beautiful smiles. Liang, looking cute in another long Joe t shirt with a pair of Cheryl’s cut off jean shorts shored up by one of Essie’s belts, gave him glances containing guilt.
He approached her and took her hand. “Can I borrow your friend?” he asked Essie.
“Of course Uncle Joe,” Essie grinned.
He brought her to the kids’ playroom, the closest place for privacy. “You spoil them,” she said.
“Probably,” he chuckled. “But I try to get things that test them. Advance their education or their imagination.
At that point Nigel, Cheryl’s youngest, popped into the room. “Could you give us a minute Nigel?” Joe asked.
“Okay Dad,” he smiled and left
“Would you sit on my lap?” Joe asked Liang.
She smiled at him and sat.
“It’s okay, you know,” Joe said. “You and Esther.”
“She’s so young.”
“Is she?”
Liang laughed. But became serious, looking down. “I think I love her a little.”
“Did she talk about my relationship with her?”
“Yes,” she looked at him again. “And I’m okay with it.”
“Even if you love her a little?”
“Don’t tease.”
“I’m not.”
“Because I’m not used to falling in love. I mean I have, but just one. This is ... I think I love all of you. Cheryl. Moe. You.” She kissed him. The passion grew quickly. She broke it to straddle him and it became more sexual. She ground into his hardening cock. Reluctantly, he broke it.
“Not here,” he said. “No, don’t move. Can you tell me what happened in San Francisco?”
“I talked about it with Essie and your wives. For the first time I really talked through it. Auntie Li I think wanted me to talk to her about it, but I guess I wasn’t ready, or she wasn’t the one I needed to talk to about it. But I really feel lightened. It was really cathartic.”
“Do you still love the woman?” Joe asked.
“No. Not really. She ... she wouldn’t talk to me. Refused to talk on the phone. Never wrote back.”
“Could her family have intercepted them?”
“No. She was a tough girl from Chicago. Reminded me of Belle, which was probably why she went for me, because I kept looking at her. She just moved in to an apartment in Oakland. She had a part time job doing graphic design. Prepress actually, and they gave her a full time position. Moved in just before we graduated. Wanted me to move in with her. We had a big fight over it a couple nights before in her dorm room where we could get together. One of the few nights I could stay over. I always had to lie about staying the night. Having to do an all-nighter studying. This time I told my mom I wanted a night out with the girls celebrating our graduation. I basically told her I wasn’t sure I wanted to settle down with her. She knew I liked boys even if my two relationships with the male of the species hadn’t panned out, to say the least. She usually teased me about it, but this wasn’t teasing. This was being a traitor. But we ended up having make-up sex, probably the best sex we ever had, so it sort of made the decision undecided.
“The day of graduation, I did something stupid, or maybe I did it on purpose. Both her family and mine were there, but I still pulled her away and kissed her. And got caught. For some reason her family hadn’t figured out she was a dyke, so both of us got outed. I got sent here, to my lesbian auntie, and she refused to talk. But last time I called, some other girl answered and I just hung up.”
“Sometimes the worst situations turn out to be the best,” said Joe, illustrating by kissing her. It was warmer and more restrained at the same time. “It’s amazing that you said that,” he told her after the kiss ended and they gazed into each other’s eyes.
“Said what?” she smiled.
“About being in love with my ladies.”
She laughed. “I thought that’s what you meant.”
“Ah. So they told you of my philosophy of sex.”
“Only after your wives laughed when I proclaimed my love for them when they were both ravishing me. Is that what you worried about?”
“What do you mean?”
“You said you were worried you’d scare me off.”
“Our long conversation.”
“Where all this falling in love started,” she said, kissing him. “That’s the fear, isn’t it? That it’s too early. That it’s not genuine.”
“Yes. For me it’s always genuine. Fortunately I fall in love easily.”
“It’s not that, is it? Just fucking and falling in love?”
“No. I have to know the woman before.”
“A mental intimacy before a physical one.”
“Yes.”
“I found that with Cheryl despite herself. I think I know what you mean about her interest more in the physical side of things with someone besides you and Moe. And I got it backwards with Moe as well, since we seemed to lust after each other before we got to know each other. But it isn’t just sex if you spend the night. Not if you’re interested in each other. In fact that’s the best time for conversation. Pillow talk. When you’re most relaxed. And believe me, I don’t think I’ve felt more relaxed with anyone than I did with those two amazing women.
“And Essie. That was definitely in the right order. I mean, she’s the most beautiful woman I’ve ever known. And I see her as a woman, despite her not being one for very long. The way she talked to me. She seemed to bring everything out of me. Almost the opposite of our conversation, where you mostly talked and I mostly listened. No, don’t apologize. I was attracted and then I was fascinated. I wanted to listen. When I unburdened myself, I suddenly felt so open. I loved her for that. And when I looked at her, she was still so beautiful, but different, you know? More beautiful somehow, but more approachable. So I kissed her. That’s when she told me about her relationship with you. I realized she had to know if I would be okay with it. My response was to kiss her more. To make love to her. And your other women. But...”
“You realized you’d just been making love to a fifteen year old.”
“Yes. And even though I knew she was okay with it. Well more than okay, because she’s the one who told me she loved me,” she chuckled, “And that I was okay with her being with you, because it had been completely her decision and you resisted all you could, an amazing feat in itself,” she chuckled again, “I guess I felt she was your fifteen year old. Yours and your wives, who had known her so long and whom she loves beyond measure. And it shouldn’t be me sullying that gorgeous young creature. I don’t know if I can explain. Maybe I ended up seeing her as a kid who I violated.”
“But I saw you talking to her.”
“Because I love talking to her! But I felt I’d done something wrong when I looked at you! Maybe it wasn’t just her! Maybe I felt like an intruder in all your lives! Or maybe I wanted a fifteen year old beauty all to myself! I don’t know!”
He shushed her and pulled her body against him. Her head rested against his chest. “I’m not surprised you’re confused Liang. A lot has happened since our conversation.”
“No shit,” she giggled.
“Maybe you should go home. Get away from this crazy family for a while.”
With the abundance of people and the equipment, Rachel hired a jet to fly them to Paris. Only Trevor didn’t join them, pointing out he didn’t have a European driver’s license. Eddie protested, and Trevor would miss him, but Trevor pointed out the drummer they hired turned out to be bisexual. Even better for Rachel and Eddie. The drummer being distracted by Rachel and Eddie was a blessing for Joe. He couldn’t help noticing the man’s interest in the others. The worst being Charlie. But the...
December 23, 1991, Chicago, Illinois “You should go talk to Doctor Swanson,” Jessica said. “She’s in internal medicine. The brunette there with short hair.” “Dark blue dress?” “That’s her! She’s really sweet, and just came out of a bad relationship. She’s NOT looking for a new guy or a hookup or anything like that. But I think she could use a friend.” “I’ll give it a try,” I said. I walked over to the buffet table where Doctor Swanson was standing. “What looks good?” I asked. “At a...
Joe woke alone in bed, hearing giggles and splashes from the bathroom. A glance at the clock informed him he’d slept for a couple hours. Walking naked to the source of the sounds, he saw two very different women share a bath. One tall and lean, dark hair, her skin the color of coffee and cream, her smallish round breasts hovering above the suds of the bubble bath. The other pale, reddish blonde, her much fuller breasts on a thicker body, shorter body resting on those suds, the pink nipples...
Joe survived Black Friday, although he wasn’t sure about his right hand. They had stayed open past 2 am. A lot of the later customers he actually recognized. His rock and roll friends. Boxes and boxes of his book had been sold. A lot them signed by him personally in front of the customer. More he had signed earlier in the day. All day. Yes, it was a wonder his hand survived. Advertising had been intense. In dailies and weeklies. Nationally. Television too. Using the image of the friends on...
It became a hectic winter for Joe. Even the rural calm of the mansion wasn’t all that calming, being the center of so much work. Getting the play together. Getting the script together. Finishing up moms. Rehearsing the band. Sexually as well for Joe. Constance and Caroline. Cheryl, Cynthia and Joanne. Always a threesome or foursome for them. Joanne being the fourth. Visits from Essie. From Victoria and Liang. From Moe and Chandi. Also threesomes and foursomes. And another night with Freddy...
The master bathroom had been redone when both Joe and Cheryl had bestsellers a couple years before. A bigger tub with whirlpool jets. Room for four there and in the enclosed shower that had water spraying from all kinds of different angles. There for the first time Joe and his three wives showered together. It had been a whirlwind romance times four to be sure for Liang since Friday afternoon. Joe and his wives. Essie. As many she had been loved by, that’s how many times better the sex had...
Joe had never experienced such success. Best sellers. Well received productions. Nothing compared to the dual phenomena of hers and Rhonda. It didn’t surprise Joe that hers caused controversy. But the controversy, as well as the near across the board praise it received from reviewers and fans, made it a blockbuster. Far eclipsing everything else on the best seller list. And it generated more sales of his older books. And the book signings ended up being events in themselves. Even the ones for...
When Joe returned to his bed after months away, he almost wished he didn’t have to be away from it soon enough. At least he’d have a couple weeks before heading off for his book/rock tour. hers was being released at the end of the week, and like No Contest, he’d be at the original Barnes and Noble for a lengthy reading and signing that evening. Meanwhile MIRE featuring Rhonda would play clubs in and around the city. Despite being with them just a couple nights before, Sunday, after the wrap...
More sad goodbyes happened almost exactly a week later in New York. Joe and Cheryl to their wives and kids and Essie, who was sort of both. Joe and Cheryl had business to take care of before they headed to Minnesota. For Joe, one thing had to do with school, completing the grading and conferring with students who either challenged his grades or wanted to know what would make the grades better in future classes. He also needed to deal with his publisher, discussing plans for moms and for any...
Joe woke up early, kissing Liana awake. “I need to check on Chandi,” he told her. “Yes Joseph,” she smiled tiredly and rolled away from him to return to sleep. Realizing his nakedness, he borrowed Liana’s longest robe and slipped out of her room. He ended up waking up Cheryl in the naughty room. “Do you know where Chandi went?” he asked. “I believe Eddie and Rachel ended up sharing her last night.” “Good,” he smiled. “Essie wants you,” Cheryl murmured, edging back to sleep. Joe crawled...
The threesome in the padded room awoke making love. That is, Joanne woke Liang, both giggling like girls, Joanne a far greater distance from it than Liang, and they worked together again to harden Joe’s cock and wake him with their sucking. “Go ahead,” said Joanne. “Fuck that beautiful thing.” “But you’re leaving,” Liang pointed out. “She’ll get hers too,” Joe chuckled, then moaned as Liang practically flung her cunt onto his cock. “Slow down,” he warned, catching her hips. She winced...
When Cheryl and Joe got home to their Upper Westside townhouse, he knew where he needed to go immediately. Top floor. The floor for their offices. To Moe. Who stewed in her anger. Probably had been for a while. “He’s fucking here, Joe,” she said. He opened his arms. She filled them. “What’s he doing here?” she asked. “I don’t know. I’ll find out.” “He wants another chance to fuck all your women.” “I hope not. But I don’t think so.” “Then why?” “Maybe he needs a friend.” “But he hates...
Two days later, and Cheryl and Joe sat around in Joanne’s living room, the house otherwise deserted. Both Ella and Charlie were in school. Joanne was at work, still supporting local artists. The couple were doing what they had done ten years before. Both working on their writing. Cheryl somehow responding to Joe’s questions while finishing a memorial article honoring Nigella for Rolling Stone. Still staff, but with an ideal contract and better pay. Complete rights of refusal. When an editor...
Joe and Liana entered a large room on the main floor, a huge bed at the back where his wives waved to him, still naked. “Hi Leo,” Cheryl said. “Do you mind if our man gives us a morning hug?” “Uhm, no,” Liana blushed. Joe took off his clothes and joined them. “Liana wants to meet with us this morning, Cheryl. And Moira,” he said as he lay on his back, his wives all around him, with Liang on top. “And we’ll need to get Rachel.” “I think she just wanted some time with Eddie this morning,”...
Pynchon proved a bear to speed read. ““Glean what you can,” Joe advised. “We’re just a third of the way through.” “I figured,” said Liang. “You missed a week.” “Yeah. I’ll probably have to just have one week for Vineland.” “Or you could start the class a half hour earlier. And have the other class last a half hour longer.” “First, we’re talking about college students.” “With you, I bet they don’t mind.” “I’ll ask. And the afternoon class actually tends to go on longer.” “I’m not...
It became a noisy place early near the garage entrance to the Cube. First thing in the morning the equipment for filming the tour/ad/orgy arrived. Two 35mm film cameras, one with steadycam to be held. Two top notch video cameras. A large wide format video tape recorder which would also be used for sound for the film. Lights. Cables. Mics. Experts for each of those things, though most would leave when Jonny demonstrated his knowledge of the cameras and lights and Eddie showed that he could...
The five lovers awoke remarkably comfortable with their adjacency and their nakedness. Quick kisses avoiding morning breath, only the two males and brother and sister not kissing, and they dressed in yesterday’s clothing before gathering in the gathering cabin where Anna provided eggs, sausage, toast, juice and coffee. Victoria and Charlie headed back to duty on the ship, raising the anchor and heading home, while Essie, Joe and Liang sat together on the couch, watching the others join them,...
Joe got up late for him. 10 am. Whatever he did prior to awakening, or in its act, farting, shifting, making some vocal noise or other, awoke Cheryl. They smiled at each other and she snuggled against him, her head resting between shoulder and chest, her fingers exploring his sparse chest hair. “Eddie wants me in the band again,” he told her. “How is that going to work?” “I think his regrouping is regressing.” “Which means?” “We didn’t go out in the world for months. Just rehearsed. A...
With his last spark of energy, Eddie brought Rhonda’s tape to the Record Plant Tuesday morning, where they’d print the vinyl and the CD. Packaging would have to wait, hopefully for not too long. Belle dropped off Eddie at Joanne’s, where he collapsed into the bed, only briefly waking up Rachel. “Done?” she asked. “Yep.” He quickly joined her in sleep. His didn’t last long. In fact only Rachel got much sleep, since everyone else had gotten up early. Joe wanted to see Joanne before she went...
Gayle wasn’t with Joe much in Seattle. Once she got the copies, she spent her time studying them. Also Joe welcomed Moe, Chandi and Liang back. But playwright and director managed to chat from time to time. Mostly in transit to the shows or to the reading. Or after dinner. Shows. It was the first stop where shows were added. Two more. Joe postponed his poetry reading to the following night. By then, Sunday, the three visitors had flown back home. And Joanne and Gayle had another night of...
During the flight, Eddie changed seats with Cheryl to sit with Joe, putting her beside Rachel. Though things had thawed greatly compared to their cold and fractious relationship before, the two women still hadn’t got all that close. And when Rachel joined her in the large bed, they no longer made love directly. Even so, both intelligent women, they managed to enjoy their travelling together, often amusing each other with an anecdote or a memory. “What’s up?” Joe asked Eddie. “You’re still...
Eddie and Joe tied one on at the wake. Joe’s wives too, and almost everyone else there. Joanne stopped for an hour, but by the time they closed the bar, she was wasted too. But Eddie would have the dubious honor of being the most shit faced. And Joe did notice him going off a couple times, usually with members of other local bands who somehow found out about the wake. And his sniffing and hopping and more extreme lunacy suggested cocaine rather than cannabis. He seemed to making up time for...
When Liang asked her auntie about any recommendations for a rather large contingent for dining, Auntie Li thought she and her ladies of her exclusive women’s society could throw something together. The meeting place had a kitchen where the ladies could exchange recipes. It was highly unusual to have men present in the space, but since it wasn’t an official meeting of the ladies, and the members were fond of Liang, and the dinner would include her new lovers and new friends, curiosity as much...
The house wouldn’t look odd at all in the suburb of an American city. In a suburb of Paris, it did. As would the others around it. Three story clapboard with a garage part of its structure. Joe rented a Citroen, and had the limo driver, who had been approved by those that had given them the information about the place, drive them to the location. A limousine would be far too obvious in the neighborhood. The house’s owners didn’t need that. They had waited for the car’s arrival and opened the...
The party proved a huge success for several people. Joe put on some quiet jazz. Mostly Coltrane and Miles. But that was changed to Eddie quietly playing his twelve string. Joe joined him in the living room, playing Nigella’s old acoustic/electric bass. Then Charlie tinkled the ivories with them. A girl joined him at the piano bench. Another nervous and shy genius. The youngest of Essie’s precocious genius classmates. A pretty little brunette, especially when she relaxed, which she did after...
It rained the next day. Off and on. Making it cooler than usual, but being near the equator, that was relative. A balmy seventies. But it kept people indoors, mostly. It also revealed a missing aspect of the Cube. It wasn’t exactly designed for kids. So Anna and the Barbadian family matriarch brought out some cards and a couple cribbage boards and taught the kids how to play. Victoria, Essie and Liang decided to brave the weather and spent the day tooling around the island on the motorbikes....
By Thanksgiving, not a lot had been done turning the duplex houses into a single townhouse compared to the immense amount that needed to be done. Tony and his helpers, Cheryl having gotten him a contractor license, had been focusing on Eddie’s basement studio and apartment as a priority during work hours. In the evenings he and Laura had worked on their own space. He had also built a huge bed, and found a mattress place that could create one custom sized and have sheets for it. It remained in...
The Cube, as Eddie’s working vacation home had been appropriately dubbed, was designed by a mad genius with a sense of humor. A Barbadian, as were all who worked on it, whose design process had included smoking excessive amounts of ganja with Eddie. An impressively large cube had been the result, made of concrete, glass and steel. But it had a façade that pretended to be an English Colonial mansion. Being that Barbados had been an English colony, and had gained its independence as a part of...
After Joe and his wives finally got up, enjoyed the large shower together and got dressed, Joe opened the blinds to the studio and saw Cynthia sitting with Rachel with Eddie playing his guitar between them. Joe fetched Cynthia and discovered how stoned she was. “Uhm, you okay working on the script?” he asked her. “Uh-hunh,” she giggled. He shook his head and chuckled. He went to the kitchen where his wives sat and the matron was making waffles. Maria, as she often was, was there as well....
As Joe promised, he spent the day with Victoria. They woke early and went to the naughty room to collect his wives and Essie. After showering and Victoria reporting to them her soreness but otherwise having a wonderful deflowering, they dressed and headed to the kitchen for a Continental breakfast of pastries and coffee. The Barbadian matron arrived midway through and offered something more substantial, but they passed. “Any place for exercising? A workout room?” Joe asked the older...
Everyone, including Julian and Liv, returned to the Cube. Those two only stayed through dinner, deliciously created by Maria. Surprisingly, Anna went with them back to their ship. She said she needed to do some cleaning. But Joe noticed Liv flirting with her. He thought that a good thing. Anna and Julian loved each other. But sex seemed to have petered out between them. He hoped adding Liv might restore their sex lives. He decided to wait to talk to Victoria and Charlie until after dinner,...
Very early the next morning, Rachel woke up Joe and his wives. “Where is he, Joe?” she growled. “Where is that little cocksucker?” He couldn’t help laughing. Appropriate word choice. But then he got serious. “Be quiet, Rachel. Let’s go downstairs.” “I don’t want to be quiet.” “Shut the fuck up, bitch,” said Moe. “You better not wake the kids.” “Fuck you. What are you going to do?” “Beat the bitch out of you?” Moe growled, getting out of bed, dressed like Cheryl and Joe, in t shirt and...
“Nice,” said Liang about the townhouse. It had been built originally in the late eighteen hundreds, but refurbished and changed in the 20s, including the art noveau entrance. The open, shaped metal slat elevator also reflected that soft, decadent style. Definitely attractants. “We like it,” said Joe, unlocking the door. Joe and Cheryl greeted their kids with kisses on cheeks, and their wife with kisses on mouth and a hug. “This is Liang,” Joe introduced her to his family. “Hi,” the kids...
The Thursday evening date went surprisingly well. Joe managed to get a table at a new French bistro, romantically dark. The heavy food, magnificently prepared, chased down the palate by a delicious rosé got danced away later. But while eating it, the five enjoyed a lively conversation, completely inclusive. Rachel even encouraged Trevor’s inclusion. It was clear at the beginning that he treaded carefully around her, used to her angry glares. Except for the first one when Eddie climbed into...
No Anesthetic For Love At the Krokodil Klub Part2 Silkie tells this story from Paris, while at a nightclub, twenty years later....She is with her friend Denis and her sister, Rachel. It is her birthday. Silkie is so happy and excited to be performing with her sister...........Rachel was a well-known jazz pianist in the U.S and Europe, she had recorded ten LP's and now several CDs, some solo, some with other artists most recently, Stan Getz, Duke Jordan and another session that she had enjoyed...
Silkie tells this story from Paris, while at a nightclub, twenty years later....She was with her friend Denis and her sister, Rachel. It was her birthday. Silkie was so happy and excited to be performing with her sister...Rachel had finally had her Asberger's diagnosed, not that it changed anything about how she lived her life................. "It's nice to have a name for being as weird as I am." Rachel was a piano phenomenon from the age of three, composing her own pieces at age four and...
Farty Jimbo answered the phone. “Hello” said Farty Jimbo “Hello, this is Tuesday” said the voice on the phone “No,” said Farty Jimbo “This is Sunday. I know for a fact.” “No, I mean this is Tuesday Wells. I don’t know what day it is there. It may very well be Sunday.” “Well it is Sunday, and I don’t know any Tuesday Wells.” Said Farty Jimbo “Well I guess we haven’t met yet, but we will. It was hard getting a hold of you.” Said Tuesday Wells. “I know this all must sound...
It was still early on Sunday night and I had the urge to talk to Marcie. She was comically critical of my commitment to get Smyth laid. "What made you volunteer for such an enormous feat, Sammy?" "I don't know." I did know, but I wasn't ready to admit to Marcie that I had heard Shirley tell me to turn the tables on Smyth for spying on me and my guests. "How do you plan to carry it out?" "I don't know." I really didn't know, but my sub-conscience was working on a plan. "Who...
Twenty years go by. Silkie Greene had to give up her dream of singing opera roles on stage and has been singing jazz for many years. She is headlining at Club Crocodil in Paris. Her sister Rachel, an internationally famous pianist, is on stage with her. Her friend and lover Denis DeRuhe is at the club to see both of them. All three of them have been lovers for and wth each other, for may years:Two months before this evening,Silkie had learned that her friend and lover, Denis, was HIV positive....
It was the Fourth of July, 1991, and I was washing Holly's car when Sandy came out her front door, obviously dressed for a party. "Do you have someplace to go today, Sammy?" she asked when she reached her car. "Yes, I'm going to a cookout." Her smile was one of relief, probably because she wouldn't feel obligated to ask me to tag along with her. "I hope you have a good time." "Thanks, Sandy. Are you ready for your trip?" "I've packed everything, but I'll probably have to...
I got a call from Marty on Monday afternoon, late. “I need to have my head examined, but I’m in. If you still want me, let me know. I haven’t given any notice yet.” “What about your law firm, Dewey Cheatem and Howe? Is this going to screw up any partnership bids? How does that work, anyway?” Marty snorted. “That’s part of it. I have been weighed in the balance and found wanting. I nosed around some this morning, and there won’t be a partnership offer made to me. At least, not under current...
We flew out from RAF Brize Norton on the 14th November in some huge Yank aircraft, a Galaxy I think, they all look alike to me. As I sat in my relatively comfortable seat I thought of the last time I had gone to war; in a luxurious cruise liner no less, the QE II. Of course we had travelled squaddie class and didn't have white coated stewards waiting on us hand foot and finger. It took nearly 5 weeks to get down to the Islands, and I made some good mates amongst 3 Para, my travelling...
The battalion arrived back in Aldershot around the middle of March and were given a week's leave. Pippa was overjoyed to see me home safe and sound, and during my first two days back home we hardly stirred out of her bed. That sounds as if we had a frenzy of a sex- fest, but nothing could have been further from the truth. I couldn't get it up. I couldn't do the business. I was impotent- I was mortified! She was sympathetic and loving, and gave me blow jobs and hand jobs, but it wasn't...
It was a very quiet night as I walked the sidewalk of downtown Mohinta. The laser sign still blaring brightly, "open" made me stop. I never could pass up the opportunity to go into an adult store when I saw one, so this one was no different. I always just wanted to look around. Sometimes I saw things I should not see. Other times, I saw the same things. But it never failed for there to be at least one guy standing with his hard cock sticking out of his pants getting ready to cum on the floor. I...
Straight SexForeword: This is a work of fiction. None of the people in this story are real. None of these events ever happened. This story is nothing more than words that came from my imagination. Any similarity to any real people, places, or events is purely coincidental. This story is a sequel to CO-ED TANDEM BEER PISSING CONTEST. Operators of erotic story web sites and other collections, whether free or fee-based, have my permission to post and/or distribute my stories, provided that credit is given...
Chapter 1 Contest Winner, and Then Some Ok, so at 46 I really had no business trying to win Justin Bieber tickets. Save for the fact I wanted into the after concert party, and OK a chance to meet Justin and maybe some of his dancers. It was really the after concert party I wanted into, his road crew and his backup talent is just as hot as he is and who knows I might just get lucky with one of them. As the title suggests I did win, my sister and most of my friends we pissed, to say the least,...
Krish had advised me, before we buried the the young Chasseur of the Guard officer, that if I intended disinterring him at a later date then certain actions needed to be carried out to prevent a rapid decomposing of the corpse. The first was to wrap the body in a tightly tied blanket, or ground sheet, keeping the material close to the corpse. The depth of the burial should be at least six feet, which would save the corpse from being disturbed by ploughing, or being dug up by animals. The...
Dear Authors, We hope you’re doing well. ISS would like to invite you to participate in a competition in the ‘Poetry/Jokes category.’ The contest: 1)The contest will run from 05 February 2023 to 19 February 2023. 2)The content can have any number of jokes or poetry, but it should be adult/xxx jokes/poetry. 3) It should be a minimum of 1000 words of content. 4) There shouldn’t be any sort of plagiarism. The entire work should be original and not be published anywhere on the internet...
A warm beam of sunlight played on my face, and under its benign caress I swam slowly up from a deep sleep. For a moment I could not recall where I was, but then realised I was lying in the four-poster bed in Annette’s boudoir. It was the most comfortable bed I could ever recall being in. The thick luxurious mattress, stuffed with eider down, was both supportive to my body and yet comforting. I sat up. The pillow next to mine was rumpled, and on pulling back the sheet saw the unmistakable...
This wasn’t the first New Year’s Eve party we’d attended at our friend’s house but it was the most memorable one. When we got there the party was in full swing, probably about 60 people mostly couples but there were quite a few single people. I was chatting up a divorced woman, Lucy, she was 47 and had been ‘single’ for seven years. Donna had had a few lagers and was on the whisky, we met up in the kitchen when she said “Anyone here you fancy?” “Yes her over there” pointing at Lucy, “You” I...
(author's note): Silkie, now thirty-eight, is telling her lover Denis, about things that happened in her life before she was eighteen. I don't know if her anecdote violates guidelines for this site or not. Can fictional adults in a piece of fiction talk about events in their past? Silkie might even be making some of this up for Denis' pleasure, which adds yet another layer of fiction to the story, I don't know the answer, so I'll just put it out there and see what happens. Thanks!...
Denis went to his hotel.Silkie had to run a few errands. She went to his room two hours later. Denis had already finished most of a bottle of wine."You know I'm the kind of man who has a hard time getting hard after I've been drinking, Silkie...""Denis, I love you hard or soft, lover. I 'm going to take off my clothes for you. No, I don't have a body like I did when I was eighteen.....................do you like to see it? Do you?""The sight of you nude haunts me, Silkie. Your neck, your back...
"Julian, we would like some more wine and that hashish you and I had the other night............yes, that night, dear...........is any of that left?.............but before you go............ "Rachel what do you prefer, men or women?" "Silkie, you are messing with me..........I like............ummmmm...what shall I say?.............I like to have my face between a woman's thighs while I feel a man do me from behind..........oh..I like that a lot.....Julian, I packed Sylvia's ass with...
This wasn’t the first New Year’s Eve party we’d attended at our friend’s house but it was the most memorable one. When we got there the party was in full swing, probably about 60 people mostly couples but there were quite a few single people. I was chatting up a divorced woman, Lucy, she was 47 and had been ‘single’ for seven years.Donna had had a few lagers and was on the whisky, we met up in the kitchen when she said “Anyone here you fancy?” “Yes her over there” pointing at Lucy, “You” I...
Thinking it over - Home and Hearth "You were great last night, you sexy devil!" His-fresh shaved face nuzzled my ear and I smiled without opening my eyes. "I gave them their cereal, so you can sleep in for half an hour." David lingered and fondled my bare breasts while he nuzzled my neck. "Thanks. I'm almost awake," I said. "You're a brute. Just look at the state you left me in." He laughed with self-congratulating pleasure. "I gotta go, see you tonight!" I sat up and then...
Work on Monday got off to a horrendous start when Neill rejected a load of concrete. The driver became enraged and for a minute I thought he and Neill were going to come to blows. I overheard Neill speaking to the concrete company on the phone, telling them the consistency was not up to spec and what they could do with the load. Sending the driver away with a truckload of concrete threw the schedule into turmoil and the mood of everyone at the construction site into the dumpster. Tradesmen...
The ringing telephone disturbed my sleep and before I even picked it up a thought entered my clouded mind; I'd slept like a baby. The dream was gone. Cassie, realizing that she had awakened me, apologized before delivering the good news. She and her family would accept my invitation to use Holly's pool. "What time should we come?" she wanted to know and I told her any time would be fine. She must have handed the phone to Doris, who said they would leave their house about four P.M. It...
We stopped at a market and while Patti was shopping, saying she preferred to shop alone because my tagging along would distract her, I killed time at the drugstore next door. I found what I was looking for, Dining out in Atlanta, the magazine Smyth had boasted his articles appeared in. I picked up the July and August issues of the magazine and on my way to the cash register I spotted the condom display, my favorite section in the store. How could I not stop and admire the colorful packages?...