Synchronicity for Six

Synchronicity for Six, Part 11

Author's Note: This is a story of the romantic love of three couples. There is very little explicit sex in it, so if that is what you're seeking, look elsewhere on Literotica.

= = =

Saturday, February 13, 2021, continued

The day at Johnson's Jewelers started kind of slowly; not as busy, yet, as the previous Saturday afternoon. However, given their merchandise, the store would never be overrun with customers. The 25% off sale plus it being the day before Valentine's Day did attract some new clientele, and there was always a customer or two in the store.

Katie was carrying out her hostess duties when she heard a car horn and looked out the window to see a red Jeep cruising slowly by the store. Recognizing Rose in the back seat, she waved, belatedly, and wondered where they were going. Shrugging her shoulders, she returned her attention to being sure the welcome station was properly prepared.

Business picked up just before 11:00, and by the time 4:30 rolled around, everyone was ready to call it a day. Katie had a couple of opportunities to stand behind the counter and help with some easy questions while Jack looked on approvingly.

Everyone was grateful to see 4:30 come and Jack escort the last customers out the door before flipping the lock and the sign on the door to 'Closed'. Jack and Maeve closed the door to the office while Maggie and Katie flopped in the chairs in the lunch / break area.

"Owww, my feet are so sore," Maggie complained. "And I'm hungry."

"You never took your lunch break, Mags," Katie related. "But, girl, the way you were helping all of your customers today...," her voice trailed off.

"It's a good thing Poppa's taking us out to Los Tres Amigos tonight, then."

"Did I just hear your family was going to that Mexican restaurant tonight?" Maeve asked from the office door.

"Yeah, Tom and Julie came home for the weekend, ostensibly to see the house that Momma and Poppa are considering. We're all going to tour it tomorrow after church and lunch, except for David who's still at school. I know Poppa was making a reservation for supper; maybe he could expand it to include you two as well?" Maggie offered. She knew there would be no objections to having Jack and Maeve join them for supper.

"Jack, please call Alan right away and see if he can expand their reservation to include us," Maeve commanded over her shoulder.

She stepped out of the office, closed the door behind her, and approached the young ladies. She pulled the third chair up to the table and gathered the girls in with her glance.

"Ladies, we have had two extraordinary Saturdays, and we must give a lot of credit to you two for that." She handed each an envelope with a big smile on her face. "I want you two to know that Jack and I love both of you as though you were our own grandchildren. This isn't necessarily news to Margaret, but it is probably a surprise to you, Kathleen. Take the contents of the envelopes and have a little fun. Kathleen, don't be surprised if we ask you to reprise your hostess role here again in the future; you were a huge success. Don't tell Jack I said that; it will swell his head for having such a great idea!"

With that, she stood and kissed each girl on the forehead for a solid five seconds. "Now, drive home carefully, and hopefully we'll see you for supper once Jack arranges it with Alan." She made shooing gestures with her hands, and the girls smiled broadly in return.

Struggling slightly to stand, they gingerly limped out the rear door to where Katie had parked that morning. They got in her car and just sat there for a minute.

Katie opened her envelope to find ten $20 bills. Her jaw dropped open, and Maggie gently lifted it closed. "Careful, you'll catch flies in there," Maggie admonished.

"But, Mags! This... this..."

"This is one way they show that they love us. Yeah, I got a bonus, too." Maggie fanned the bills to show Katie. "Come on, let's go home and change into more comfortable clothes and shoes, shall we?"

= = =

Knowing that Maggie would be off to work by 8:45, David waited until almost 9:30 before texting his dad to expect him very shortly after 5:00 that afternoon. "We'll do the same thing we did back in early December, if that's okay with you, Dad," David texted.

"I'll make sure the front door is unlocked, son."

David spent nearly five hours on Saturday getting his assignments completed for Monday, stopping only to grab a quick lunch. By 2:45, he was ready to go surprise his girlfriend. He left a note for Robert that he would be back late Sunday afternoon and to be sure to pick up after himself and Amanda. With a spring in his step, he started his Jeep rolling for Middleburg and his Magpie.

= = =

Tom and Julie spent nearly an hour walking around outside the house and the garage. There were dormer windows on the back side of the garage, plus a window on the east side so there looked to be plenty of light available in the over‑garage apartment. Tom took note of the level yard next to the house and behind the garage, as well as the gentle slope of the yard leading to the pond at the back of the property.

Finally, they walked back to where Rose and Alan were still sitting together on the swing, gently rocking and just enjoying each other's company.

"Mom, are you sure we can't call Mrs. Larsen and get in to see the apartment over the garage?" Julie pleaded, but to no avail.

"Why are you so all worked up about that space, Jules?" Tom wanted to know, as did Rose and Alan.

"It's just that we'll be requesting our top three school systems to student teach at this coming week. It would be so cool to do my student teaching here in Middleburg, don't you think? I could live in the apartment for free and you could come in on the weekends," she explained.

"Okay, I get it. The space will still be there tomorrow though. Here, have a seat in this other swing and get your heartrate back to normal," Tom suggested. He sat next to her and she clasped his hand in hers.

"This is pleasant, though a little chilly," she complained.

"It will be much nicer in the spring or fall. Summer's gonna be oppressive at times," Alan commented. "Remember summer camp weeks, Tom?"

"Yeah, someone should write a book about it and call it 'Sunburn in the Scout Camp, or the Pain was in Tents'." Tom declared wryly, and Alan just groaned. "It certainly wasn't a dry heat," Tom added.

"Let's head for home," Rose suggested. "If we dawdle here any longer, Julie's gonna keep whining." She gathered them up and got them rolling for home.

= = =

David, having parked four houses away, saw Katie's car pull into the driveway, and watched the girls emerge. Smiling almost diabolically, he waited for them to enter his house, then slowly pulled down the street to park in front of his house. He emerged empty‑handed and headed for the unlocked front door. Quietly, he entered the house as the door to the upstairs bathroom closed. He figured Maggie had gotten to the half‑bath first and Katie was upstairs. Then he heard the half-bath toilet flush.

'Oh, God, this is going to be perfect!' he thought.

He crept down the hall to wait outside the bathroom door while Maggie washed her hands. He leaned back against the wall of the bathroom, and when she emerged, she had turned to head to the kitchen, not seeing her boyfriend.

"Heya, Magpie!" he called out softly.

She spun on her heel, mouth agape and face filled with absolute joy.

"DAVEY!!" she squealed. "What are you doing here?" She wrapped him tightly in an embrace of ecstasy, kissing his face.

"Uh, I live here, I think. I heard there was going to be a house tour on Sunday and thought it behooved me to come home and be part of it. Isn't this a nice surprise?" he smirked. Maggie just moved her lips onto David's.

Alan poked his head out of the kitchen entryway and saw Maggie's faceplant on David, and grinned broadly.

"Did you have to wait long for your surprise, son?" he asked.

David stopped the kissing for a moment. "Only about ten minutes, Dad. Are we on for Los Tres Amigos?"

"You know it, son. Jack and Maeve Johnson will be joining our party as well, FYI."

"The more, the merrier. They're good folks."

= = =

At Los Tres Amigos, Maggie surprised David slightly as she ordered an appetizer as well as an entrée for supper. Katie explained that Maggie had not eaten lunch, being so dedicated to serving the customers. Maggie then realized how much she missed having David by her side that weekend. The Valentine's Day holiday spirit had infused her slowly over the week, especially that day in the store. She only let go of his hand when she had to use both hands to eat her food. For his part, David was both amused and enraptured by her antics.

Tom and Julie were seated across from Maggie and David and Julie was regaling Katie about many of the extracurricular opportunities at State.

At the other end of the tables, Rose and Alan were discussing things with Maeve and Jack.

"If you'd care to join us tomorrow after lunch, I'd love to have you experience the McKinley house with us," Rose offered.

"Thank you, dear," Maeve answered, "but I think it would be best to wait for an open house to see the place. You will want to demonstrate your style after you transform the house into your home. I couldn't begin to share your vision at this stage."

Rose bowed her head in admiration of Maeve's good sense. Maeve continued.

"But I certainly expect a full report at our Tuesday morning breakfast. It's up to you to give it, not Susan," she admonished, and Rose's eyes twinkled with her delight as she agreed.

"I have to say 'thank you', Alan, for turning us onto this restaurant," Jack declared. "It makes such wonderful change‑of‑pace for us occasionally. Not that we eat out every night," he continued, "but a steady diet of steak or lobster can become rather dull after a while." Jack didn't realize that Los Tres Amigos was about as fancy as Alan got for eating out. But that was just who Alan was.

"How did the girls do today?" Alan inquired, and Jack's smile quickly spread from ear to ear.

"Even better than last Saturday, which had been our best sales day ever until today." Then, in a softer tone, "I gave the girls each a bonus for their efforts. Now," Jack said, holding up his hand to forestall Alan's objections, "they earned every penny. Maggie has been shining as brightly as our gemstones and Katie's hostessing has really made a difference. There were a lot of first‑time customers who came in because of what their friends had said about feeling welcomed by the greeter and cared for while they waited. I can't afford her every Saturday, but maybe once a month?"

"You'll have to take that up with her, Jack. I know she's trying to focus on doing well on her college admissions test next month and she doesn't have a regular job. As surrogate parents for the girl, we must thank you for giving her the chance. She really needed the jolt of confidence and sense of self‑worth this opportunity has provided. Why don't you speak to her tomorrow at church before worship?"

"That's a very good idea, Alan. I'll do that."

The returned home just before 8:00. "Let's sit at the dining table for a moment, please?" Alan requested. Rose noticed quicker than anyone else that another chair had to be retrieved from the kitchen table. She placed it next to hers at the end of the table and pulled Katie to sit next to her. "Come, darling, sit next to Momma." Alan began the discussion.

"Thank you all for coming home this weekend. Tomorrow's going to be an exciting, interesting, and hopefully very happy day, for all of us. Before that, we need to work out tonight's sleeping arrangements."

"Maggie and I will take the living room," David quickly volunteered. At the look of surprise on Alan's face, David explained. "Tom and Julie were in the living room back at Thanksgiving. They are already in his old room, and it would not be fair to ask Katie to leave her room right now. We'll pull the hide‑a‑bed out and emulate the example of our parents resting above us." David's smile was borderline insouciant as he teased his father and his fiancée. "It's only for one night, but I think you'd be overly challenged keeping Maggie and me apart tonight." Maggie locked down on David's hand at his words while Julie just rolled her eyes at her sister's actions.

"Okay, that was easier than I had expected," Alan commented. "Two cars to church in the morning and we'll decide from there what we're doing about lunch."

"Um, David," Katie said a little hesitantly.

"Yeah?"

"I think you have a shirt and trousers still in my closet if you'd care to wear them tomorrow."

David's eyebrows raised in surprise. "And you're telling me this because you would like my clothes removed from your closet?" he asked, teasingly.

"Well, they clash so badly with all of my pretty dresses, blouses, and skirts, you know. I wouldn't want your clothes to shrink up in self‑mortification at how bad they look in comparison to their neighbors." Katie's rejoinder tease of David surprised everyone at the table. Alan had to bite his lip to stifle his impending guffaw, and Julie's snicker could barely be heard in the silence. David broke the awkwardness with a big laugh and an even bigger smile at Katie's daring.

"Sure, I'll gladly save my clothing from self‑mortification, Katie. Thank you for caring for them in my absence."

Katie wisely held her tongue in check as she thought, 'And I'll miss the fading scent they still have.'

They disbanded to go their separate ways. David followed Katie upstairs to retrieve the last items of clothing from what used to be his closet. Holding the hangers, he looked wryly at Katie and said, "You know, I really don't need these. I did bring clothes home to wear to church in the morning."

"I shouldn't be surprised," she remarked. "You, your brother, and your dad always seem to be ready for whatever comes at you. I need you to take these, though. It's far too tempting for me to hold them in my arms and smell the laundry detergent and fabric softener you use.

"I really missed my chances with you, didn't I?" she said regretfully.

"Katie, I..."

"I know, David. I could never do anything to hurt Maggie. Just take them and go be with her. She's been practically bouncing off the ceiling since you got home."

David edged past her, then stopped and with the clothes between them, pulled her into a hug. She squeaked in surprise, then flamed with embarrassment when he kissed her cheek.

"We'll find you someone at State next fall. I'll make it a personal mission," he promised, then exited the room, leaving her holding her cheek where he had kissed her. She closed the door behind him and flopped on the bed, thinking about what‑if scenarios.

Alan and Rose were more restrained than usual that evening. Knowing that their youngest children were in the room below inhibited them more than they had expected. Rose did spend the night snuggled in Alan's arms, though. 'Now, if only the house could work for all of us,' she thought as she slipped into her dreams.

= = =

Sunday, February 14 (Valentine's Day)

Despite the thinness of the hide‑a‑bed mattress, Maggie enjoyed the best night of sleep she'd had since... when David was home last Saturday night. She woke up wrapped in his arms with his burgeoning maleness ensconced between the globes of her ass. There was no other place she could imagine ever wanting to be.

She wiggled said rear end and received a stroke on the outside of her panties in answer. She was at the peak of her fertility and she clearly recalled all of their promises to their parents about staying as safe as possible.

"Davey, we can't have intercourse now, but if you'll roll onto your back, I'll get our day off to a great start," she offered. He rolled as she requested. She tugged his boxers to his ankles and began a stroke‑and‑suck rhythm that soon had his hips gyrating.

"Sssshh," she mumbled, placing a finger on his lips, then she attacked his rod with a singlemindedness that surprised them both. He succumbed to her ministrations and painted her tongue and throat with his spend. She made a slight face at the flavor, but gulped it down like it was the cure for all that ailed her.

"Davey, I think we need to get more pineapple in your diet," she remarked. "Oh, and Happy Valentine's Day."

"Happy Valentine's Day to you, Magpie."

Julie awoke in nearly the same physical relation to her man as her sister, except she and Tom were in the large bed in the room above the media room. And for a related yet different reason, she also got their day off to a very pleasant start with her oral ministrations. Her 'monthly visitor' had arrived just before they went to bed, so she made sure that Tom was well cared for. She would have to make do with his kisses and handholding for a couple of days.

Everybody was up, had a little breakfast, and was dressed for church by 8:45. Nobody felt like dawdling this morning; too much was planned for the day. Tom and Julie rode with Alan and Rose while Katie was with David and Maggie. They might have been able to squeeze six into a single vehicle a bit uncomfortably, but the seventh person made two vehicles mandatory.

Once they arrived, the ladies peeled off for the restroom and the men continued to the Fellowship Hall. Tom and David headed for the beverage station to prepare the cups of coffee as well as the cup of juice for Katie. Alan spied Gil speaking with George and... Brendan and Michelle O'Shea. Alan took a deeper breath and approached the small group. He wasn't one to avoid a difficult conversation, although he would never seek one out. The O'Sheas saw his approach and Brendan nudged Gil, who quieted immediately.

"Brendan and Michelle, it's very nice to see you here this morning," Alan began.

Brendan glared at Alan for a couple of seconds, then extended his right hand for a handshake after George nudged him, which Alan accepted. George lifted his chin, signaling to someone, and quickly Jack and Pastor John were there.

"Gentlemen, let's try to keep it calm and civil, please," Pastor John said quietly.

"I can do that," Alan responded, almost pleasantly and Brendan gave a quick nod of acceptance, his lips pressed tightly together.

"I would like to offer my office and services to you both sometime after services today," Pastor John suggested.

"We have commitments this afternoon," Alan explained, "but perhaps after work one evening this week? I've been meaning to speak with you, Brendan, but the time and place were never quite right."

Brendan had not expected those reasonable words out of Alan, and he swallowed whatever he was going to come back with. "I'd welcome the chance to clear the air," he said as Michelle grasped his arm tightly.

Just then, a posse of women strode through the doors, led by Mary, Susan, and Maeve. Their eyes widened in surprise as the group of people around Alan and Brendan were calm, if not smiling. Julie and Maggie pulled Katie over to meet with David and Tom and accept the drinks the guys had prepared for the girls. Rose marched up and took Alan's right arm in hers as she stood beside him. Pastor John's wife, Ruth, insinuated herself under John's arm as well while the rest of the ladies formed a protective outer ring around the group.

"How does tomorrow evening work for the four of you? My office at 7:00 pm?" Pastor John proposed. "Ruth will be present as well. She's a certified mediator and I have a feeling we may need her expertise at some point. Seven o'clock should give everyone time to have supper."

"That will work for us," Alan replied, getting a nod from Rose.