The Greatest of These Is Love

We are continuing to follow Dawn's and John's paths ahead. For those who are familiar with my other tales, it is set in the same universe and has common characters. Reading all the other stories is not crucial to enjoying this one, but you should read Parts 1 through 5 of this arc first. The number of parts to this arc is still undetermined. This is not the end of the arc, though. All people having intercourse are over the age of 18.

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Thursday, December 17, 2020

Dawn was shocked awake when the old‑fashioned wind‑up alarm clock with the bells on the top practically exploded in the bedroom across the hall. After only a couple of seconds, the jarring din was silenced, but by then she was already awake. She reached for her phone and verified it was 6:30 am. It was much too early for her to get up while she was on holiday break from school.

She lay there in John's twin bed trying to go back to sleep. She pulled the pillow from under her head and pressed it to her face, but the fragrance of the laundry soap and dryer sheets that Susan used reminded her strongly of John. 'Duh, of course. He uses the same stuff on his clothes at school,' she thought. Sighing in exasperation, she gave up trying to return to sleep and got out of bed. Nobody else seemed to be up in the house, but she pulled on some shorts over her panties for the very short trip to the bathroom.

She heard heavy footsteps descend the stairs while she was in the bathroom, so she figured that John's father was also up. As she was exiting the bathroom, she nearly collided with Owen who wasn't anywhere near awake and wasn't watching for anyone else. She was very glad she'd had the presence of mind to put on shorts before leaving the bedroom. With an 'eep', she scurried back and closed the bedroom door.

She took advantage of being up and fully awake to poke around John's bedroom. The drawers were empty, as he had taken all of those clothes to school. The small trophies on top of the dresser were all a little dusty, but they were nothing like her cheerleading awards. There was a small collection of various participation trophies dating back to the early 2010s for T-Ball, Soccer, and Swimming. Dawn gently blew the dust from them, or at least she tried to. She turned to his closet and there she found something of interest.

A white, tunic‑like garment was revealed to her. It had been pushed to the far right on the clothes rod, as though it had been long forgotten. She removed it from the clothes hanger and spread it out on his bed. It was a Kansas City Chiefs football jersey, number 88. She looked at the tag and saw it was a Large. Then she flipped it over and saw the name 'GONZALEZ' on the back. The name sounded vaguely familiar to her, but she just couldn't place it precisely.

Surprisingly, it didn't smell musty at all. Maybe being relegated to the unused part of the closet helped to keep in some of the fragrance she liked so much. Then she thought how much better it would be if it had a whiff of the 'Business Man' cologne on it. Simply the thought of that made her groin moisten and her nipples hard. Dawn quickly rehung it and placed it in a more accessible part of the closet, and she closed the bifold doors. She had to think about this more, but a plan was developing. She dressed for the day and headed downstairs to the kitchen.

"Good morning, Miss Dawn," Henry greeted her as she entered the kitchen.

"Good morning, everyone," Dawn replied, looking around. Three of the four seats at the kitchen table were occupied, and the fourth had a cup of coffee awaiting Susan who was standing at the counter assembling a couple of lunches. Dawn was not about to poke Mama Bear by sitting in her chair uninvited. Henry saw her standing there uncertainly and quickly realized her conundrum.

"Here, Miss Dawn. Sit here next to John. I need to help Susan finish packing my lunch."

Henry rose, turning the chair slightly, and taking his cup and plate to the sink. Owen didn't even look up from his bowl of Froot Loops, and John had a mouthful of the bagel he had just taken a bite of.

"Thank you, kind sir," she gratefully responded and sat in the proffered seat. Once seated, she batted her eyes at her boyfriend, trying to send a message in something akin to Morse Code, not that she knew Morse Code.

John hastily chewed and swallowed his mouth's contents and asked Dawn what he could get for her for breakfast.

"Would you fix me a toasted bagel with butter and a mocha, please, John?" she requested.

"Of course, my ... sweetie," John responded. He almost replied with "my love" but caught himself at the last second. Susan was listening carefully while assembling the lunches but did not notice anything amiss with his answer. Neither did Henry. But Dawn caught his momentary word swap but gave no indication. She simply nodded and smiled with a twinkle in her eyes.

John poured the coffee over the hot chocolate mix in her cup, stirred it, and placed it in her grateful hands. He then turned to fix the rest of her breakfast.

"So, John and Dawn, what do you two have planned to do today while we're all at work or school?" Henry inquired.

"We haven't talked about anything in particular, Dad," John answered. "Maybe I'll show her around town like she did with me in Phelps Bluff back in October. I have my house key so I'll be sure everything's locked up while we're out.

"I think I'd like to see places that were instrumental in forming John into the man he has become," Dawn murmured.

Once everybody had departed, John and Dawn set off on their adventures. He directed her to drive by the Freedom High School where Owen was trapped until the end of May. Dawn couldn't believe the size of the school in comparison to hers in Phelps Bluff. There were two levels to the building and the parking lots held so many more cars.

"John, how many were in your graduating class?"

"I think we graduated 455 out of the 525 who started as freshmen," he answered.

"So, a little more than 2,000 students across the four grades?" Her voice could not hide her surprise. "Phelps Bluff has about 550 students in total and I knew just about everybody. I just can't imagine that many students."

"It made it easy to hide out and blend into the crowd. There were the usual cliques: the jocks and cheerleaders, the geeks and nerds, the Young Republicans, the Future Farmers of America, and the like. I chose the path of anonymity and kept my head down and my nose to the grindstone."

Dawn said nothing, keeping her thoughts to herself to share later. "Where to next?" she asked.

"It's a decent day, although perhaps a little chilly. How about we go get some fresh air walking around the park a little?" John suggested.

The park was not far from the high school and even had some swings and a couple of slides. At that time of the morning, they were the only people there. They got out of Dawn's car and walked around the outside of the park on the paved trail. It didn't take long before Dawn reached out and clasped John's hand in hers.

"I'm sorry we have to keep our affections on the down‑low," John began. "You've already experienced my mother's tempestuous behavior. Try living with that, day in and day out, for years."

Dawn moaned at the thought and suddenly stopped without letting go of John's hand. She held onto it tightly, which caused him to be jerked around to face her. He looked at her with confusion on his face, but her hands quickly went to the back of his head and pulled him into a ferocious kiss. The embrace seemed to go on forever, for both of them.

When she eventually relinquished her lock on his lips, Dawn leaned back slightly and said, "I love you so much, John, that it hurts. I'm beginning to understand how different and difficult your homelife was compared to mine." She shivered then continued. "It's a little chilly to be out here for much longer, so let's finish our walk. I'd like to head to downtown where I'm sure we'll find something there to eat and be able to talk more comfortably."

"Do you have a place in mind?" he asked.

"I've heard that the Crown Center is a very nice place. With it approaching Christmas, I thought if we went today there'd be slightly fewer people to contend with."

"Well, you're driving. Do you need me to navigate for you?" John offered.

They arrived at the shopping mall shortly before the lunchtime rush and were able to get a small table in the food court facing each other. Dawn had opted for some Greek food while John chose to eat Mexican. They ate their food in a leisurely manner, taking every opportunity available to hold the other's hand. After lingering a little too long, they got up to free up their seats for other patrons.

After disposing of their trash, Dawn proceeded to hold tightly to John's hand as they looked in nearly every store on all three levels of the mall. She was on the hunt for Christmas gifts for her family. She was fascinated by all the Kansas‑oriented items for sale in one of the stores. She went a little wild in the Crayola store, getting a bundle of things for Ginny and Jenny that she knew they would enjoy. However, she just couldn't seem to find anything that she thought her brothers would appreciate. But there was always tomorrow.

"Let's go back to your home, John. We should still have a little quiet time to ourselves before Owen gets home from school, right?"

John liked Dawn's idea and they quickly headed back to his family's home. Walking in the door about a quarter of three, the pair quickly ensconced themselves in the living room. Knowing that Owen would soon be home, they resisted the temptation of a heavy petting session. Instead, they sat snuggled together and discussed their plans for the remainder of Dawn's visit.

They agreed that Friday would be another calm day, a lot like today was. They needed a couple of days to unwind after their final exams. On Saturday, they would head east to visit John's mother's parents, staying the night in a hotel near the state's other big university, and then spend some time on Sunday with John's father's parents. They would return to Freedom Sunday night, and Dawn would drive to Phelps Bluff alone on Monday.

John was on the phone with his Grandpa Smith, confirming the time with them on Saturday, when Owen walked in the door in a completely black and foul mood. Slinging his backpack to the floor at the base of the stairs, Owen stomped off to the kitchen for a snack. The clatter of a bowl and the not‑so‑gentle closing of cabinetry doors could easily be heard.

'Uh-oh,' Dawn thought as she disentangled from John. 'Teen drama and angst alert!' Of the three in John's family, Owen had been the most open and accepting of her in John's life. Dawn felt the tugging on her heart to see if she could help Owen through whatever was bothering him. She could be the 'big sister' he seemed to need right then.

Owen was standing at the counter, obviously fixing a snack to tide him over until supper. Dawn leaned against the entryway to the kitchen, just watching him. Owen finished making his two PB&J foldovers, put the ingredients away, picked up his plate and glass of milk, and turned. He was startled by Dawn's presence, nearly dropping his snack.

"Dawn! Jesus, you scared me!" he exclaimed. She could see some residual traces of the tears he had wiped away and she opened her arms to him. Still holding his sandwiches, he slowly shook his head 'no'.

"Set those down and come here," she commanded, her voice brooking no contradiction. It was the same tone she frequently used with Junior and Danny. Coincidentally, it was very similar to the one Susan used with John and Owen, and the younger man unthinkingly complied. Though she was shorter than him, she pulled him close and forced his head down to her shoulder. Unconsciously, she stroked the back of his head, and that simple act caused the emotional dam to burst.

Owen sniffed a couple of times and his tears began to flow. All Dawn could do was stand there and hold him in a comforting way. John poked his head around the corner, watched the pair for a few seconds, then returned to the living room, bobbing his head in appreciation of Dawn's caring for his brother. She seemed to have things well in hand and he did not want to disrupt the flow of emotions. Dawn let Owen cry for a couple of minutes before she lifted his head. He had pretty much exhausted his supply of tears and was taking comfort, as well as a little delight, in a beautiful girl holding him.

"Okay, so where do we go to talk privately?" she asked. "I won't take 'no' for an answer, either," she amended in her command voice.

"Upstairs in my room?" he asked.

"How about John's room; it's a more neutral location. I will tell him what we're doing. Take your snack and drink and be sure to wash your face. I'll be up in about five minutes."

Dawn walked up to John and bent to kiss him on his cheek. "Owen needs someone to talk to and I've helped Junior and Danny at times. We'll be up in your room in case anybody asks." John nodded his acknowledgment and returned his attention to the call he was on. Dawn's hand covered her mouth when she realized he was in the middle of a call. Abashed, she crept out of the living room and up the stairs.

John continued with his interrupted call.

"Yes, Grandma, we'll go visit Mom's folks in Fayette on Saturday and then be at your place on Sunday. We're staying the night in a hotel near you."

"Oh, good!" John's Grandma Wilson declared. "You can come to church with us then."

John licked his lips and agreed, not sharing what was really on his mind. He had been looking forward to a leisurely Sunday morning in bed with Dawn. Oh well. His mother's cock‑blocking was putting a serious cramp in his last few days with his girlfriend.

"Yes, Grandma, that will be fine. We'll meet you at your church in time for the worship service. When should we plan to meet you?"

Meanwhile, upstairs in John's bedroom, Dawn joined a refreshed and restored Owen. Dawn sat at the head of the bed and she gestured for Owen to sit at the other end.

"Okay, Owen. What happened?"

Owen sighed, sucked in his upper lip, and decided to take the chance. He had realized that he was not likely to get this sort of caring audience from his parents or his brother.

"Tomorrow's a half-day of school and there's this dance tomorrow night. In some ways, you're to blame for this."

"Me? How so?" Dawn was perplexed about where this was leading.

"I've seen how contented John is being with you. You know that you're very pretty, right? You got him to abandon his family for Thanksgiving with you and your family. Well, I've wanted to ask this girl, Sarah Stewart, for a date for a long time now. When I saw the sort of girl that John has attracted," and Owen gestured at Dawn, "it gave me some extra confidence to try. I stopped Sarah in the hall between their third‑hour class and lunch. I didn't realize that I had an audience, and I sort of stammered out my invitation to take her to the dance. She laughed in my face, loudly. She added some unkind words as well, and then her friends who had been listening joined in the mocking. And it wasn't just the once; it was the rest of the day. They just kept throwing it in my face, over and over."

Owen sniffled as he relived the events he related, but he held it together.

Junior and Danny never had to deal with this sort of bullying behavior, so Dawn wasn't certain what to do. She scooted closer to Owen and gently pulled him into a sisterly hug once more. She stroked his head and murmured soft words, trying to help him regain his composure.

"High school girls can be the single most evil creatures on this planet," she remarked. "Especially ones who feel privileged or entitled. Is her family well off?"

"Yeah," Owen sniffled again, then his voice firmed up a bit more. "They own a couple of successful car dealerships in the area."

"I suspected as much. Hear me good, Owen. This situation sucks and there's no way out other than living through it. I believe there is a young lady out there for you but probably not at your high school. The ones there all know, or at least think they know, who you are and your family's circumstances. That won't be true once you get to college. You may have to wait until then to meet her, though. Things will be different in the fall; I promise. Hopefully much better, but definitely different. Plus, John will be there as well."

"Yeah, it'll be great to have some family close by, at least for a couple of semesters," Owen agreed. "Thank you for listening, Dawn."

"I was just filling a need I could see, Owen. I take it you don't have any homework tonight?"

"Nope. I'm done for the year. Now I'm not even going to the dance tomorrow night."

The conversation was subdued during and after supper that evening and once again Dawn volunteered to help with the clean‑up as John and Owen disappeared to Owen's room. Little more was said between Dawn and Susan, but each was coolly civil toward the other.

Friday, December 18, 2020

Dawn was up at 5:30 on Friday morning. She quickly silenced her phone's alarm when it went off. She had agreed to Susan's insistence of 'no hot monkey sex' in the Wilsons' house, but she didn't believe her promise excluded a nice wake‑up blowjob. She opened the door from John's old bedroom, listening carefully. The rest of the house was quiet.

She cautiously crept down the stairs and into the living room where John was asleep on the hideaway bed. Conveniently, he had rolled onto his left side and kicked the covers off. All Dawn had to do was fish out his cock through his briefs and enjoy herself.

John had been dreaming about his first time with Dawn in her dorm room. When added to his normal biological schedule plus the physical reaction to her attention, his cock swiftly stood at full mast, much to her delight. His back was a little sore from the woefully insufficient padding provided by the thin mattress and atop the stout support bar. Then he felt tickling on the outside of his scrotum. He opened his eyes to see Dawn's eyes closed as she focused on his physical delight. She would occasionally stroke his ball sack with her left hand while her right one gripped his erection.

"Dawn?" he managed to croak out only to have her place her left hand over his mouth. She lifted off his cock and very quietly said, "Shhh. Just enjoy this. I am. I promised your mother there would be 'no hot monkey sex in her house.' This will have to keep you going for now." She then returned to her chosen task: getting a fresh load of cum out of him. John couldn't hold back much longer and soon was bathing her tonsils with his seed.

"M‑m‑m. Good to the last drop," she declared once she had gotten every bit of his cum out of him and cleaned his rod with her tongue. A few moments later, they heard Henry's alarm clock explode, only to be quickly silenced. Dawn looked worried about being caught with John on the hide-a-bed.

"Just sit tight here while I get things going in the kitchen. Would you prefer hot chocolate instead of coffee?" John inquired.

"Ooh, yes, hot chocolate, please!" she answered.

"That Chiefs jersey looks good on you, Dawn. I didn't know you had one," John smirked and Dawn blushed slightly. It was his Tony Gonzalez jersey that she had found in his closet. She had worn it to bed the previous night, trying to feel close to John while still physically separated. She had plans for his jersey. John went to the kitchen and started the coffee brewing for his parents. He knew his dad would soon come down for a cup before returning upstairs to shower and get dressed for the day. Then he got water heating for his and Dawn's preferred breakfast drinks.