. 04

Author's note:

This is, in all its seven parts and their many chapters, one very,

very

long story. If long stories bother you, I suggest you read something else.

No part of this story is written so as to stand on its own. I strongly suggest that you start with

the beginning of Part 1

and read sequentially—giving up at any point you choose, of course.

All sexual activity portrayed anywhere in this story involves only people at least eighteen years old.

This entire story is posted only on literotica.com. Any other public posting without my permission in writing is a violation of my copyright.

We collected Kelly and loaded in her suitcases. I was a little worried about the casserole leaking out of its dish, and I had contrived to wrap it in a towel—one of the somewhat ragged ones Sam and I had salvaged—and got some elastic around it all.

I knew the way, but Ellen had directions and map in case of trouble, not to mention that she could look on line if we really got lost somehow. She sat in the back with Kelly—her choice. They talked, mostly so I could hear if I listened, and I jumped in from time to time. But several times they kind of leaned toward each other—I could see this in the mirror—and spoke quietly enough that I couldn't hear. There were occasional giggles at these times, and I wondered what the big secret was. I trusted them not to be plotting anything major, like sticking Kelly in Ellen's place in bed, but I wondered a little uneasily what it was all about.

Finally, I said, "Ellen, I really hope you're not planning something I'll feel I have to spank you for or anything." I could see in the mirror that Kelly's eyes went wide and her mouth fell open.

Ellen said, quite seriously, "Phil, it's not anything like that. Just girl talk." Then she added to Kelly, "And Phil hasn't ever laid a hand on me, that way I mean, and I'm pretty sure he never will. You don't know him like I do, or you'd know he's mostly teasing. And I say 'mostly' because he wouldn't tease that way if it weren't bothering him. So we need to talk loud enough for general conversation."

She never would elaborate on what they'd been saying, though. I asked her then and later as well. "Just girl talk."

She went on to Kelly, "In fact, I've only once ever heard of Phil trying to use violence on someone. Or planning and expecting to, I should say. And this is something else you should never repeat. We had a major incident at school. Seven boys ambushed and gang-raped a girl who was out in the evening by herself. They threatened her if she told anyone about it. She's a fairly timid type, and I think anyone would have been scared in her place anyway, so she wasn't going to report it at all.

"And the next day, Phil—listen, I'm simplifying and leaving stuff out, just so you know. Phil saw that something was bothering her a lot, and pressed her until she told him what had happened. He arranged to report it, um, in a way no one would observe, and the two of them were called in, ostensibly due to misbehavior of their own. And Phil, if certain people hadn't stored their brains in their balls, they would have known something was going on. There was no way you were guilty of that, and everyone knew it, not just people who knew you well.

"But anyway, later on those responsible for public safety asked this girl to help them trap the rapists. At that point, they had only her word, and the word of someone whose testimony would have been seen as questionable, and really no hard evidence at all. Not that they doubted her, but they wanted evidence that would stand up in court.

"So at supper one night, she announced to her friends, pretty loudly, that she was going to walk to the infirmary because she had a severe headache. She was carefully in earshot of a couple of the perpetrators, and they hurried off to alert the rest of the bunch, and even before the end of supper, they went outside on some flimsy excuse."

I put in, "Claiming they wanted to practice softball. As it was headed toward getting dark, of all things." I thought, not for the first time, that I should have known something was up, myself, when the door monitor let them out with that excuse.

"So anyway," Ellen continued, "there were seven guys out there waiting. Phil tried to convince this girl to let him escort her. And what good that would have done I don't know! But she declined, and he tried to get official action of some kind. When that didn't work, he followed her, getting himself in big trouble for being AWOL at that.

"It turned out that, as I told you, the situation was a setup. Security was already out there, waiting to pounce. So these boys did jump her and were carrying her off to a more secluded spot when they were interrupted. The ringleader went to attack one of the security people with a knife and got thrown, and he wound up dead, stabbing himself as he landed, it seems, as well as landing on his head and neck.

"In the end, there was a trial of the others, and we were all required to attend. We saw a video of their nabbing the girl, getting a bag over her head and tying her up and carrying her off, and of what happened thereafter. Phil was an important witness. The door monitor called and warned the security people that he was coming, and someone grabbed him and kept him out of the way, but he had a pretty good view.

"But anyway, what was he planning to do against seven other boys? He was going to try to jump the ringleader from behind before they got the girl blindfolded and tied up, and do his best to kill or maim him! The rest of them would surely have beaten him to death, or almost, so he's really lucky it didn't go that way, but that's the only time I've ever heard of Phil even thinking of resorting to violence."

I said, "How on earth did you get M—um, the girl in question to tell you all that? She's the only one who could have! Kelly, some of that was in the trial, but definitely not what I meant to do to give her a chance to escape. Not in those terms."

"Actually, you did tell us all, the four of us, in that brief recess before the verdicts were announced—because it bothered you. But also, later on, once I was your partner, she thought I should know just how much of a hero you are, and she came and talked to me about it. You know how nice she is, and after all that she just about worships the ground you walk on, Phil. I think you could ask her for absolutely anything and she would do it."

I said, "Kelly, I'm very ashamed of one part of all that. Well, two, but one that's relevant and that I'd tell you. The ringleader of that group was a bully, and I was for some reason his very favorite target from the very first week we were there. Or one of his top three targets, at any rate. I always dealt courteously with him, as far as I could. But a big part of my motive for going out to do what I meant to was that I was so angry with him and hated him so much. I absolutely don't approve of vengeance, or the desire for it, but that's what gave me the courage I needed to try to be a hero."

It was very soon afterward that we left the highway and drove to Uncle John's and Aunt Sally's. About when we left the highway, Ellen called to let them know where we were. So they were outside to welcome us. Ellen exchanged hugs with each of them, and so did I. I'd apparently graduated from handshakes with Uncle John. Aunt Sally's hug was especially enthusiastic, with a kiss on the cheek, which I returned. Then they both turned to Kelly.

"Uncle John, Aunt Sally, this is Kelly Greene, whom I've told you about. Kelly, these are John and Sally Goodfriend, and I think you said you've spoken with them on the phone already, so all this is kind of redundant. And we're not related by blood, they're Sam's aunt and uncle, but they were willing to let me call them that, and now they've kind of adopted me."

"And we'd appreciate it if you'd call us Sally and John, and let us call you Kelly," said Aunt Sally. "Phil wasn't comfortable with just our first names, initially, and he's right, we're happy to have him as an adopted nephew." She took the casserole in and the girls and I took in our stuff. I told Aunt Sally, "I hope the casserole is OK reheated. I've had leftovers at Grandmom's when I was growing up, and I liked it then."

As we passed through the living room, I saw Sam's drawings, framed, on the wall. The couch in the TV room was already made up as a bed for Kelly, and she followed Ellen and me up to see how things were upstairs. I explained about the bathrooms, adding, "I'm sorry to say that the bathtub is right through the wall from your room. I don't know from experience, but I'd think any noise Ellen and I make in the shower is likely to disturb you. I really hope this won't be a problem."

She took my arm and squeezed it for a moment, letting it drop almost immediately. "Phil, if you'll let me have some warning, and maybe first crack at the bathroom, I'll try to be out. And in any case I'll just have to live with any noises I hear, won't I? Thank you for thinking to say something." The three of us went back downstairs.

Uncle John was setting the table, but Ellen and I took that over. Kelly asked whether she could help, and was asked to just sit down by Uncle John and talk with them. Ellen and I did help, but there wasn't a lot to do. Uncle John asked Kelly to tell them about herself. I knew much of what she told them, just from talking as we ran, but a lot of it was new to Ellen. During this, Kelly was interrupted somewhat as dinner arrived on the table and Uncle John prayed.

Kelly continued, finishing up talking about Ellen and me. She told about seeing Ellen running and meeting Elise, and about their continuing to run together on subsequent days. Then she told about how Ellen had come in with me, and how when it became obvious that we ran at almost exactly the same speed, Ellen and Elise had suggested she drop back and let me catch up, to see whether we might do well as running partners too.

"So that morning we discussed it some as we finished our run, making clear what each of us was looking for and expecting. And just as a running partner, Phil has been wonderful. But it's also given us quite a lot of time to talk, and he and Ellen welcomed me as a friend, and that's been so good for me I don't think I can express it.

"They invited me to their departmental picnics on Labor Day, which was a lot of fun, and I would have just been sitting at home. I got to talk with some other people I knew, but also to hear Phil and Ellen talk about things with other students. Including things, well, some of them Phil had already told me, about their high school. That raised more questions, and they told me a lot more. Probably more than they meant to or think they should have.

"But I also wound up telling more about my own history than I've told you, and one thing Phil picked up on. I'm a Christian, but I really wasn't very knowledgeable about the Bible or much else. And so Phil agreed to talk to me about things like that, every Friday evening. And that's been wonderful and so helpful! He said that one reason he wanted to invite me along here—or ask you to invite me, I'm sorry, it's your home after all—was because you were believers he admired, and so you could really do a better job of it. I don't know whether he's right, but he thinks so.

"So I'm looking forward to a chance to talk to the two of you and learn from you."

There was a pause. Aunt Sally eventually said, "About tomorrow. Can you three get your own breakfasts? I should be down here around nine, absolutely no later than ten, I hope, but I'll be starting to get dinner going.

"I'm aiming for dinner around two or three. Some friends, Gordon and Sue Hathaway, will be coming. Sue at least is coming pretty early, to help me, and Gordon may come with her then. Phil and Ellen, if you can be available to help, I would appreciate that as well. Upstairs with John is fine—I can call—but not too busy and not outside somewhere, please.

"Kelly and Ellen, I feel a little silly asking that. I know from before that Phil is eager and willing to help. I'm just trying to make the schedule clear. Phil, do you think you remember where all the company china and silverware and glasses are, so that you can set the table?"

"I'm pretty sure I know where most of it is. I'm sure that I'll have to ask you things, especially about serving dishes. But I can do the basic work." I said to Ellen and Kelly, "I learned my limitations last time. Sam did the table setting, and I helped her some, so I sort of know. Mind you, there was only one 'company' meal in the two weeks. But I messed up big time when I tried to help with cleanup, that time. I came back in to find Aunt Sally taking things out of the dishwasher and washing them by hand. I hadn't known she didn't put the good china through the dishwasher." I looked apologetically at Aunt Sally. "Glasses too? I can't remember, I'm afraid."

"Glasses too. This is going to be a much more elaborate dinner, and if you want to wash the dishes I'll be very happy to hand that over to you."

I grinned at Aunt Sally, and said to Kelly, "You can see where we all stand. You're a guest. She doesn't ask you to help, and if you try she may let you or she may tell you to go sit down and chat. I'm family now, and I get told off to help, politely of course. Ellen's kind of in the middle, because she's with me." They all laughed.

Aunt Sally was smiling, very big, as she said, "Phil and Sam made him family last time, and we're very happy about it. But Kelly, you're free to pitch in and help most any time. Just don't feel you have to. Really and truly."

Uncle John said, "Phil was teasing Sally, the way he said that, but it's true enough. When Ellen stopped by before, it was as Sam's friend, and Phil's too of course, and then also as someone whose plans had gone awry and whom we could help by letting her stay the night. Now she's here as Phil's guest, but almost fiancée as well—that's right isn't it, Phil? And Ellen?"

I looked at Ellen, and then said, "Yes. If issues with Sam and Jenny were really fully clear, and if we'd met each other's parents, and if we had just a bit more idea what we'd be doing after graduation, I would have asked her by now, for sure. And I'm pretty confident she'd say yes. She's basically already told me she would. Just this week, she told a friend from school she was going to hold on to me as hard as she could."

"Phil, sometime that excuse about not knowing the future has got to end. We will never have the future nailed down. But you're right, we need some agreement from Sam and Jenny before you ask and I say yes. And my parents are going to insist on a ring, and complain that the stone isn't big enough, even if it's the Hope Diamond."

After a moment's pause, I changed the subject. "I know Ellen and I are going out running in the morning, and I think Kelly is. That's not a problem is it? And your spare key is in the same place?"

Uncle John said, "It's certainly not a problem. And the key is in the same place, and you should probably show Ellen and Kelly where it is, but given the hour at which you go out you may just as well leave the door unlocked while you're out. At least, as long as you run along the road here as you did in August."

"Thank you! And Kelly, I picked up reflective vests for you and Ellen. Sam and I each had one, but I didn't know whether she had taken hers along to school." I had found them at the resale shop, pretty cheap. Much less than what I had paid for Sam's and mine in August.

We talked, Uncle John and Aunt Sally asking Kelly about her studies and other things. She described the contradance, saying that she had enjoyed herself, staying to the end even though we had left early.

And then she surprised me by asking about Pete and Tammy. She had noticed the sudden, drastic change in their interactions in public—well, my opinion was that only a blind person could have missed it—and noticed that it began right after the contradance. She asked whether we knew anything about it.

I said that no one could miss it, and told her that, because of the way things happened, we knew a lot about it. But, I said, what we knew was quite personal to them, and that we weren't free to talk about it. I did say that some things in their relationship had very suddenly been resolved, and that they were both very happy about it.

I also said, "We're being kind of rude talking like this when Uncle John and Aunt Sally don't even know the people involved. You probably should explain what you'd noticed. That's so public that it's not really gossiping, and you won't mix in personal information by accident the way we might."

Kelly looked at me, and said, "Pete and Tammy seem to be really nice. I admit I don't know them all that well. They've been in some of my classes since freshman year, and they already were an item then. They take the same class schedule so much that I'd almost wonder whether they've ever not been in a class together, too. Sophomore year, once dorms weren't mandatory, they got an apartment together, and this year it's been the same.

"Anyway, somewhere along the line I noticed that in public they kind of kept their distance from each other. Never held hands, never kissed, never anything. Almost as if they thought displaying affection in public was wrong.

"So they invited Phil and Ellen to go to a contradance with them."

I put in, "We'd helped them work on going beyond just reading the assigned material and listening to a professor go over it and not much more. I was trying to ask questions, and in one class I answered some the professor asked. Professor Bailey, in case you might know of him, Uncle John. And it turned out that Pete had been feeling that there should be more—well, Tammy too, but not as much. So they came and asked me how I prepared, and I worked with them some on it. They took us to this dance as a thank-you. We had a blast, and we also suggested to Kelly and Elise, who is Ellen's running partner, that they try it. We'd danced contras in gym at school, some each of our first three years."

"I didn't know how you got to know them. But I can see that. Some classes have kind of waked up, and they're sure part of it. But anyway, ever since the dance, they hold hands or have their arms around each other's waists or something when they walk. Or even just walk closer together. They really act like they're fond of each other, and they didn't before. And they both look a lot happier. And OK, Phil, if you say the rest is personal, I can live with it, I'm just pretty curious."

"I can understand. I won't discourage you from asking them, though they may not want to tell you. But in fact, if you do ask them, please, really be sure to tell them you asked us and we wouldn't say. Except that they both are much happier than with the

status quo ante

, you're not wrong there."

We talked a while about other things, just sitting around the table, and then Aunt Sally started to clear things, and I helped her with it. I got dishes rinsed and into the dishwasher, and prepared to wash pots and pans and some utensils, while she took care of the leftovers. Then she told me to go sit down and let her do that.

Uncle John told Kelly that I had told him a very little about what she and I had been discussing, and that I'd suggested that she talk to Aunt Sally and him about them.

"I told Phil and Ellen about something in my past, where I got into difficulties. I told them that I'm a Christian, at least sort of, and that the church I grew up in sort of seemed unclear on things that I was starting to think are pretty basic. To give the example I gave—because it was important to what we had been talking about, which was being running partners but no more—they would say you should never have sex outside marriage, and then some other time it seemed they said, well, unless you were sure you were really in love. And there were a lot more examples, but I'll tell you what I told Phil about.