Chapter 2 (Danielle)
*Why do we love surprises? Because fear of loss is as strong a lure as the hope of reward.*
When I got home, I had two things to do – three actually. I needed to sleep first. I made the morning meal. It was the usual. April and I chatted about her school's latest social scandal involving a cheerleader and a computer nerd. I double checked her Advance Algebra. She was smarter in most everything else, but I was better at math. Dad pretended we weren't there and didn't stir from behind his magazine until our housekeeper brought him his breakfast. Mom came in which was Dad's cue to leave. Mom got a hot cup of coffee. We said 'bye' to Dad and 'good morning' to Mom in the same breath and as always, April and I got maybe a grunt. April looked at me and rolled her eyes.
"I think Mom and Dad are getting worse," she whispered to me as Mom went in to get whatever health food crap that was the latest craze. I studied her for a moment. I toyed with the idea of telling her what I knew, but dismissed it. She wouldn't want me taking advantage of the situation. She'd probably knock herself out trying to find an alternative way for Mom to get money. Even if she succeeded, Mom would only hate her more, the Bitch.
"It is bad," I admitted. "Don't get in the way. It may blow over." She nodded, but without much enthusiasm. See my Sister was optimistic, but she was really smart too. She hugged and kissed me when her friends showed up to take her to school. She had her own girl posse, who were mostly friends she'd known since grade school. I knew their names, home addresses, cell numbers, birthdays. Hell, I even knew what boys they were dating, who they were crushing on, and what girls were pissing them off. I knew more about them than their own parents. I guess that made me slightly over-protective, but April didn't mind.
With Sister gone, I made my way back to my basement room/apartment. I cranked up my work computer and logged onto the company server. I answered the relevant e-mails, updated my manager, got the latest changes to the project downloaded and signed off. I worked on the project updates for an hour, found a discrepancy that needed attention, and fired off that bit of information to the project manager. I was glad I wasn't there to hear her explode, but it was better if we dealt with this now than a month from now, right?
Now came the fun part of my day. I downloaded the file from the video recorder onto my home laptop. I don't understand people who keep personally sensitive information where your workplace can access it. All I know is that people do it. I spent the next three hours editing and arranging the video into a full version for me, a version for Danielle, and Mom's Greatest Hits (so to speak). I contemplated showing it to her right then, but it was already noon, and Sis would be home by three and I wanted more time with Mom than that. It looked like I would have to wait. It was Friday. I couldn't count on April to not be around over the weekend and Mom usually went to work early on Mondays, so ... I had to wait until Tuesday, or Wednesday. There was one thing I could do though.
I began looking up divorce attorneys' webpages. It was somewhat depressing on how many divorce practices there were in the city. My search bore fruit though. I found Danielle – Danielle Fowler smiling back at me. Her father headed her firm and they employed fifteen other lawyers. That was impressive to me. I began an internet search on Danielle Fowler. She was her Father's only daughter. She had a childless marriage to a man five years younger than she was. His name was Douglas Conway (she kept her maiden name during the marriage). Ole' Doug had dumped her. Their divorce had been low key but I got the impression he'd put her through the ringer. Doug then was seen around town with the daughter of a Banking tycoon, so he had traded up in both ways – richer stipend and younger wife. That had to do wonders for Danielle's self-image.
April came home with her three bubbly friends around three-thirty. April wanted something but was afraid to ask. I knew her so well.
"What's up, Sis?" I said when we were both in the kitchen getting snacks for her friends.
"Can Tiffany, Kate, and Marti stay here this weekend?" she blurted out. This was something new. She hadn't had people overnight at the house since before Mom went to work. She was probably terrified to ask Mom or Dad, but reasoned if I made the call, I could cover for her.
"Sure April, it would be great." She looked completely relieved. "Let's go out, talk to the girls, and see what the plan is for dinner." April ran up and hugged me so tight it took my breath away.
"Thanks Damien, you are the best," she sighed. I stroked her hair and smiled.
"I will always be here for you, Sis," I promised. We took the drinks and snacks out to her teenage friends. Only when I noticed the conversation abruptly cut off did I notice all three girls looking at me. I was wearing my gym shorts and nothing else. It had never occurred to me to wear more in my home. Now I had my Sister's best friends ogling me. I groaned inwardly. I rapidly made dinner plans with the girls and they left to get their cloths and tell their parents. I went to the pool and got in my laps before they got back. By that time, I had on some of my old jeans and my university gym shirt.
I figured I had done my bit for my Sister when she dropped another bomb in my lap. Tiffany had brought over four sleeping bags and they wanted to sleep down in my basement. I smiled at her and told her it was okay. I still had to figure out a torture for Danielle. I helped the girls set up the basement den. We moved the furniture to the walls, rolled out the sleeping bags, and talked over what pay-per-view movies I would let them view (okay, I totally gave in to their requests). After I'd paid for the food, I took it down to the girls and retreated back to my room. By nine, I still didn't have a good idea, but I was hoping to come up with something. I was in a maroon shirt and black sacks when I went out to the girls.
I couldn't help but feel my groin tingle and stir. All four girls were wearing pajama tops that looked painted on, and shorts that road up their asses to the point I had to wonder how comfortable that was. I had the feeling this look was intentionally designed to short circuit my brain.
"Sis," I said softly. She got up and bounced toward me. If she hadn't been my Sister and my best friend, I would have pulled her into my arms and cupped that tight, firm ass. But she was my Sister. "Damn," I teased. "You look hot." I looked over all the girls. "All of you do. I think I'd better get out of here before I forget that I've known you since you were all ten."
"I don't think we would mind if you did," Marti said as she rolled from her stomach to her side. She 'accidently' pushed up one of her nice B-cup breasts that were training against her spaghetti strap pink top that barely passed her ribcage. It was so tight on her frame that I suspected she'd owned it since she was ten.
"Is it hard to breath in that shirt?" I grinned.
"No," she responded as she took in a deep, breast-flaunting breath.
"Well, you are making it hard for me to breath," I admitted. She gave me a salacious smile back. "I have to go."
"Hot date?" Kate asked.
"You could say that," I replied.
"Are you going to get her all wet?" Tiffany teased.
"Tiffany!" April gasped.
"That's okay, Sis. Getting her all hot, wet, and bothered is kind of the point, isn't it?" I told her. "All I have ..." and then it occurred to me what I could do to Danielle. It was wickedly evil. I walked over to where Tiffany was reclining. I knelt down and took her by the back of the head. She suddenly looked frightened and aroused at the same time. I kissed her hard on the lips. "Thanks Tiffany. You are a genius."
