. 09

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.

Monday morning came all too soon, even though we had set the alarm as late as we thought we could get away with. We shaved and dressed quickly, and went off to run.

Kelly was waiting for us where her route joined onto ours. Since this entailed a definite risk of missing us—we might have been early instead of late—I assumed she really wanted to talk to us on the way. I was right. She started right in, thanking us. "Dinner was wonderful, but it's really the time you took for all of us, yesterday and Tuesday night. I was in on it Tuesday only because of you, and you know it. And I wouldn't have been dancing if you hadn't invited me in October. And you still didn't call off our talk on Friday night. I could have told Phil all this, running, but Ellen, I need to thank you, too, for everything you both did for me in a really busy week." Neither of us managed to break in and respond before we were at the gym. It was clear that Kelly was still pumped up from the past week.

Elise was waiting, and she and Ellen got started running. Kelly and I started off, too. She said, "I wanted to tell you all that before we got here. Since Elise wasn't invited, either yesterday or Tuesday, it would have really felt impolite to say it in front of her. I guess I might have waited until after we ran, but I didn't want to wait. You've both been so good to me, I really can't believe it."

I said, "It was a wonderful week for us, too, but we're pretty tired, and we're behind on studying. And our schedules have taken a hit, too. We're meeting with Pastor Mac tomorrow, and hopefully that will turn into a regular commitment for a while—or else we need to look for someone else, I think. And tomorrow night I'm supposed to start with this martial arts club, and that's every week, too.

"And I really, really need to put in some time on the weight machines here, or else find some free weights and a bench that I can use at home. I'm loath to do that, because of the space it would take up and the hassle of having the things when the time comes to move. But last year and this both have been disasters as far as everything except running. Um. That's fitness-wise. There have been some other disasters, but mostly everything else has been really good." I hoped she understood that she was included in that.

We continued talking, about nothing much and everything, until Ellen and Elise slowed down and we caught up with them. We all chatted together for a moment, and then Elise went her way while the rest of us went ours. Before we reached the point where Kelly left us, Ellen's phone and mine both sounded tones indicating texts received. I said, "It can wait a minute," and Kelly continued what she was saying.

Once we had said goodbye to her and hurried on, Ellen checked her phone quickly. "Jenny wants to talk to us this afternoon after classes, conference call with Sam, and asks whether four-thirty our time is OK." We decided to wait to answer until breakfast.

We hurried through the shower, taking time for quick sex we both really felt we needed. I told Ellen, "Sometime this week, and I hope it's tonight, we're just going to have to make time for not hurrying through." She kissed me, but we did hurry.

While I fixed breakfast, she got the table set and then called Jenny. It went straight to voicemail. She said, "Jenny, this is Ellen, but Phil's listening. Four-thirty is too early. Five-thirty would be fine, but no guarantees on much earlier. We've never done conference calls, so we hope you know what you're doing. We'll be available for maybe half an hour longer now." She paused, and then said, "I hope this doesn't mean there's a problem, but you know we both love you, and Sam does too, so if there is don't shrink back from telling us, whatever you need us to do. Text us if you need to, we'll be in classes a lot." She disconnected.

Ellen said, "I'll text her with 'OK but later, listen to voicemail.'" When she was done with that, breakfast was ready and we got busy eating. We did a quick cleanup and hurried off. When we got to the point where our ways parted, she kissed me longer than usual, and said, "Phil, whatever it is, I'm here. Don't forget that."

I did the best I could, studying, as I stood waiting for class. Pete and Tammy came up, and we talked briefly. In the midst of the stress of having five people in that small an apartment, they were enjoying it too. "Scott and Martha are both really interesting to talk to," Tammy said. "We stayed up later than we should last night, in fact. They had some things to say that may help us, our relationship, as things develop over time.

"And Hannah is making me really look forward to having kids of our own, someday. Last night she really acted up for the first time, at least when we've been there. She didn't want to go to bed. It didn't get to the point of a temper tantrum, but I think it was headed that way. Scott picked her up and took her into their room and talked quietly to her for a bit. I say 'quietly' because we could barely hear his voice, and hers quieted down after a minute or two.

"Eventually—really not all that long, either—they came out with her in her nightclothes, and she apologized to Martha and to us for making a fuss. Martha oversaw her toothbrushing, and she went to the bathroom and said goodnight. And you've seen how sweet she is most of the time."

I said, "I felt the same, watching her." About then, the bell rang for the end of the previous class, and when most of the class had emerged we went in. I was aware of not being as well prepared as I wanted to be, but the class was interesting and somewhat lively, and I learned things from other people's contributions.

Of course, professors there—mine, anyway—didn't call on students with questions, making sure they were ready for class. And I wasn't really behind, just not as prepared as I wanted to be.

As we went out at the end, I told Pete and Tammy, "After last week, Ellen and I are both really behind in studying. You probably are, too, with full-time company every day. And we got a text from Jenny, wanting to talk this evening, so we'll lose at least a little time then."

Tammy said, "It's been worth it! And thank you for your help, both Tuesday and yesterday—I mean, having us all over, and then taking the time to help me understand what you do in cooking." She said this very seriously, and it was plain that she meant every word.

We said goodbye and went off to our next classes.

In my one open hour between classes, and after my last class, I studied hard. My first attention went to my classes for that day—which would also meet Wednesday—but I was also trying to get back to being prepared for the Tuesday/Thursday ones. I spent the least time on the classes whose professors' lectures were just rehashes of what was in the assigned books.

After Ellen's last class, I met her and we walked home. Neither of us had heard any more from Jenny.

"What do you think she wants to talk about?" Ellen asked me.

"You do know I don't read her mind? I really can't think of anything that makes sense, for wanting to tell Sam and us together. Maybe this Jesse is jealous even of the idea of her visiting us. Or he wants to get married right away. I really hope she isn't planning to tell us she's so miserable she's committing suicide tonight." At that one, I paused for a moment and offered a little silent prayer to a God I wasn't sure was there, much less listening. "But I don't know what it could be. I'm just worried."

She put her arm around me and squeezed me, hard, and then kept holding on. We got home. She came into my arms and kissed me. "I won't drag you off to bed now. If Jenny's even near time she would interrupt us. But you keep in mind, you're mine now. We both love Jenny, but whatever is going on with her, we do what we can, and don't you agonize over trying to do more. At this point she's responsible for herself. You've proved, over and over, that you're willing to hold back if you think you should. Jenny's proved, more than once now, that she can't or won't do that. Do you understand what I'm saying? I mean it! You're my responsibility now, and I won't let you do anything really stupid."

I was near tears, because Ellen was right, but I couldn't help worrying about Jenny. "Ellen, I love you. You're right, but that doesn't help me feel you're right. And first of all we need to find out what the problem is."

I told her to get busy studying while I got dinner. As it neared completion, she stopped studying and set the table. I dished up, and we ate.

"You know, this division of labor can't continue. We're both going to have to do some other things that take time, but you will more than I will. Your Tuesday evenings are spoken for, and I really need to learn to cook, way better than I can now. Tomorrow you'll study while I get dinner together, and this time it will be leftovers, and we have them to use up, you know. But starting Wednesday, at least a couple of days a week, you tell me what you were planning to make. You sit at this table and study, and I will interrupt you to ask for advice. Not help, as in doing part of the work, but advise me. Instruct me. And don't you dare give me things you'd never make, just because they'd be easy for me.

"I know your studying won't be at its best, especially at first. And I'm sorry about that. But before very long I will be doing more cooking than you will, and you won't be available to help me then."

Long about then, Jenny called. We were both about finished eating. It was almost an hour later than we had specified, and it was getting kind of late for her, and for Sam too. Once we had briefly greeted each other, she said, "I listened to your message. I've never done a conference call, either, but I did some research, and I think I know what I'm doing. I texted back and forth with Sam, and she's expecting me to call. So hang on while I do that, and then I'll connect the calls."

A minute or so went by, and then Jenny said, "Can you all hear me?"

I said we could, and we heard Sam saying the same. I said, "We're getting Sam, too," and Sam said something similar.

Jenny said, "Good. Thank you, all three of you. I'm sorry to make such a production of this. In a way, it's not such a big deal, but to me it is, and I didn't want to say it all twice, with different questions and comments, and I especially didn't want to put the burden of telling Sam onto Phil and Ellen. Or vice versa." I was concerned already, because Jenny was sounding like she was heading for tears.

"I've managed to screw things up totally again." She paused, and I thought she was breathing deeply. "Phil and Ellen, I asked you to wait until after Christmas break to formally get engaged, so I could be with you once more, anyway. I wanted the chance to have Phil take me to bed even once more, and I guess that's mostly what I meant. But it's not going to happen. I did what you said you'd insist on, and got a whole battery of STD tests. And I've got chlamydia. Everywhere. Vaginal, oral, rectal. So you can tell what I've been doing."

She wasn't sobbing, but I could clearly hear that she was crying. "Neither of us had any symptoms. And Jesse's mad at me. He blames me. He insists that he was clean.

"But anyway, I'm on antibiotics, and supposedly in seven days I'll be clean. Jesse got tested, too, and he's on antibiotics too. And I said I'll be clean, but that really means chances are at least ninety-five percent that I will, and that he will. But I won't trust that myself, without further testing. And if I couldn't even be bothered to do what you asked, demand that Jesse be tested or insist on condoms, why should you trust me? We're supposed to be celibate for that seven days, and then it's my period the next week, and I don't know how I can stand it. And supposedly it can sometimes come back, too. I guess the bacteria hide in there somewhere until the nasty antibiotics are gone, or something.

"So I guess I won't be seeing you after all. And I'm sorry, I was really looking forward to it. Not quite a last tango in Paris, but I miss you so much."

I said, "I still haven't heard from my folks about when we can count on their being there, or whether we can count on that at all. I need to call them again, probably tonight—things have been crazy enough that I kept putting it off and forgot. If they don't have something definite, I'll tell them that we'll be there whether or not they are. And if the two of you show up and they're not there, it probably will be the talk of the neighborhood for months.

"Jenny, you made it sound kind of like the only reason for coming to see me was wanting sex. Is that what you meant?

"Oh, no, not at all. It's just—look, I've been stupid about this again, all along and through and through. I let you down again, basically slapping you in the face. And no, I didn't quite do that the first time, but I know what I said hurt you more than if I really had slapped you. Phil, I'm so ashamed of myself! Do you really want me there, after all this? I guess that's the first thing. And second, if I'm there I am going to want you, and you're going to say no if I ask you, and you should. I don't just mean, of course that's what I should expect after I've done this. I mean that you really shouldn't, because I really may not be safe. If the antibiotics haven't gotten it all, well, they say you can't get it by kissing but you can from oral sex, so I don't see how kissing could be safe. And I wouldn't want to stop with kissing anyway.

"And even if nothing happens, Jesse won't believe me anyway."

She still wasn't really quite sobbing, but she was plainly crying hard enough that she couldn't talk normally, and we could hear her snuffling as her nose ran.

I finally said, "Jenny, we'll let you know when we'll be there, and exactly where 'there' is. I'm not going to give you any advice. The last few times I've done that, the results have been disastrous, it seems. I think you're right, sex with you can't be on the agenda. That doesn't mean I don't love you, or that I don't want to see you, or that I don't want you to meet Mom and Dad."

Sam said, "Jenny, I may have things to say after I've had time to think about it. Not tonight. I can't come in your room and refuse to leave until you listen anyway, this time, but this time I don't know so much what to say. I do know that we're not the ones you really need to talk to, who can deal with this stuff, but I won't say more about that unless you ask me. Just remember that I've messed up way worse than you have. And I love you too, but that may be hard for you to believe if I try to say more.

"I have a couple more things I've got to do before I can go to bed, so I'm disconnecting. I'm sorry."

That left Jenny talking to Ellen and me. Ellen said, "Jenny, there are things we can't offer you, any of us, and that doesn't mean we don't care about you. You have to learn that your choices have consequences, and I know that's not what you want to hear right now. For the moment you're aware of it, but it seems like you don't let yourself think about it when choices have to be made.

"That sounds snippy and harsh, and I don't mean it to. Please, take it with everything Phil said. It seems that as far as sex goes, I'm the only one Phil has left, and I honestly think that's good at this point. But even though our partnership was built around being Phil's partners for sex, that's not all it was, and we all do love you and we all will do what we can to help. I'm just not sure how we can, right now.

"We need to quit talking now, as well. After last week, and really the last two weeks, we're behind in studying, and there are still outside things taking our time. And we've been short on chances to make love without rushing. And you're three hours later than we are.

"We both love you, you know. Sam does too. If you feel abandoned, really remember Sam. When your assigned partner was unsuitable, she was insisting that Phil find a way to do something. He would have wanted to anyway, and probably would have insisted, but at that point it would have been really hard for him if she'd been against it. And even remember that the time she came and screamed back at you, she really was trying to help you as well as Phil.

"And I won't ever stop being grateful to you, for things you've probably forgotten, but also for your advice when Phil and I—I mean, when I was refusing to listen to Phil. What you said hurt, no one likes being told she's out of her mind, but you were right, and you were willing to hurt me because you cared about both of us. Please, don't forget all this."

We said goodbye fairly briefly and disconnected.

Ellen looked at me. "If you're going to call your parents tonight, you'd better do it. Or wait—where are they now?"

"You're right, I said that without thinking. But actually, they're home at the moment, unless I've missed something or forgotten." I dialed. After three rings, my mother answered. It was always better to call her than Dad. If he was with her, I would get both of them either way, and if he wasn't with her, he was probably busy in a meeting of some kind, so trying to call him would be a really bad idea.

Her greeting bore this out. "Hi, Phil. Your father isn't here, there's a meeting and it's running late."

"Hi, Mom. I was just reminded that I meant to call you tonight, and that I needed to do it now. I still forget the time difference half the time—until it's too late to call. And on this end, Ellen's here." They briefly greeted each other.

"Are you in a position yet to say when you'll be there around Christmas? We need to get started on making arrangements, soon. We need to visit Ellen's parents, too, so I can meet them. And there are a couple of friends from school who are now studying out east, and we're hoping they can come in for a day or two, while we're there with you."

"You know we can't make guarantees, Your dad told them he needs two weeks, starting at Christmas. If they call him in anyway, he'll have to go. But we talked, and we agreed that if he's out of town, I'll stay here this time."

"Mom, that's wonderful! Here's what we've been thinking. We think it will be best if we go to Ellen's first. I haven't met her parents either, remember. If we drive, it will be all day from here, and that would be Thursday, the twenty-second. Ellen says flying wouldn't really save us that much time, what with dealing with airports and being picked up at her end, but if we drive there, we'll have to return there to pick up the car, and then drive back here. Either way, though, we're going to have to check out plane tickets before we can plan anything definite.

"If we can, we'd like to spend five or six days at each place, allowing a day at each end and one in the middle for traveling. Not the best time for traveling, of course, between weather and demand on the system, so it's way too possible for things to go wrong."

"That all sounds good. We're looking forward to meeting Ellen, but to seeing you, too. Most people don't lose their children so thoroughly until after high school, any more.