Chapter 19 – Fall Semester
The next two weeks passed in a blur. I was boxing stuff at home and moving things to storage piece by piece. Brooke had pitched her idea to Leslie and Emma and it was apparently well received. I was moving stuff in over there, small things, but I was not allowed to spend the night until Leslie laid down the rules. So I was waiting on that meeting to happen.
Emma called me to let me know that my divorce agreement had been signed by Judge Franklin and was 100% final. Brooke was keeping me in the loop on the progress of the sale of the house and what the timetable was looking like. Penny even sent me an email to tell me she spoke to her dad on the phone and they had a wonderful conversation. She seemed very pleased by this turn of events. Unfortunately, Leslie had yet to contact me to go over the rules for my temporary stay at Brooke's place. That was wearing on me.
Saturday arrived and I awoke early, looking forward to an exciting day of packing my shit. Thank god the work week was over, but I hated moving. I planned to box up a bunch of things for storage and a few things to take over to Brooke's. With any luck I would catch her home. I liked seeing her, but she was truly a come and go woman. She was always on the run someplace. That was cool too.
As I was midway through filling my third box of the morning, the phone rang. I scrambled among the maze of boxes in the living room and grabbed the receiver.
"Hello," I answered.
"Don't you think it's about time we talked," Leslie asked.
"I certainly do," I agreed. "Les-"
"Stop," she ordered, cutting me off before I could get anything out. "Just be here at 6pm."
She hung up. I knew it was coming. I deserved that one. At least I could see her tonight and express again my sheer regret for the bullshit I pulled the last time I saw her. I spent the rest of the day wondering if the rules for me staying with Brooke would be tough or fair. I was completely distracted as I filled box after box.
I returned home after my trip to storage and Brooke's. She was not there when I arrived, nor was she there when I left. I was slightly disappointed. I grabbed a quick shower and threw on a golf shirt and jeans. I ensured that I was fully prepared for what was to come before leaving the house. I knew it was time to face the music, so I headed out.
I pulled up to Leslie's and there was a large box truck in the driveway. I wondered what that was for. I parked in front of the house and headed for the door. I rang the bell and Leslie answered. She was wearing a black dress that was very flattering on her. Her hair was down and feathered, it looked very nice and her makeup was flawless. She had on black pumps to compliment the dress. I wondered where she might be going. She ushered me in and I followed her to the dining room table, as I had expected. We sat without a word being exchanged or any kind of greeting at all. I was still nervous about the entire state of the game.
"We have a lot of things to cover and I have a 7pm dinner," she started. "So let's get to it."
"Let me start by apologizing again for my mistake," I lamented. "I cannot explain to you how terrible I feel about it."
"Aw," she giggled, "let it go. I told you I was past it when I left you last time. Forget it, I have. We need to talk about more pressing issues."
"Like what," I inquired.
"First, you staying with Brooke," she acknowledged. "This is not a free ticket to fuck my sister anytime you want. The rules of the game still apply while you are there."
"I understand," I confirmed.
"Spend time, get to know each other, be friendly, but no sexual activity outside the game," she reiterated. "Let's be clear on that. I have already made Brooke clear on all of this and she still wants you there. So I will allow this."
"Thank you," I said.
"Oh, sweetie, don't thank me," she responded. "Brooke wanted you there to fuck her all the time. She is not pleased and won't be easy to live with. I am not doing you a favor."
"Ok, are there any other rules I need to be aware of," I asked.
"Not really, play by those and you will be fine," she confirmed.
"Then let me not keep you from your dinner," I acquiesced, as I stood from the table.
"Sit down," she commanded.
I did as I was told and sat immediately.
"We have another issue to discuss," she continued. "An extremely important issue that you are right in the center of."
"What would that be," I pressed.
"Mindy's video to Brad," she disclosed. "We have reached a settlement of the situation."
"That's great," I exclaimed. "What did you two decide was best?"
"This is not easy for me," she explained. "I made a deal with her. A deal that will allow that disk to be destroyed and ensure Brad never sees it."
"That sounds like the outcome you wanted," I allowed. "What did you have to give up to get Mindy to agree to that?"
"I had to concede another point of contention between her and me," she clarified. "I had to let her into the game."
"WHAT," I screeched. "Are you sure that's a good idea?"
"I structured it so that it is a one time deal," she went on. "One night only. She gets a taste of the game for one night. Tonight. That truck is filled with her stuff and she is off to school tomorrow. So, for one night, she is one of us. She gets only one taste."
Leslie was choking back tears. I could feel how uncomfortable she was with this. I was at a loss for words. I reached over and wiped away the first tear that fell down her cheek.
"Don't look at me," she said, turning her head away from my touch. "You have to be 100% great tonight. I cannot have any loopholes that Mindy tries to exploit. Just give her what she wants. Everything she wants so I get that disk. I have to go."
Leslie stood up and walked through the kitchen. As she made her way to the front door, she had one more piece of information.
"Mindy will be home shortly," she yelled back to me. "You are staying at Brooke's tonight, so head there when you are done. Mindy knows the limits."
She disappeared through the front door. I heard the heavy oak door slam shut. I was confused. How was I supposed to be at my best seeing Leslie crying like that? I was torn. Mindy was hot but she was Leslie's niece. This was complicated.
I got up and headed to the fridge. I opened it and grabbed a beer. I fired it back, hoping to calm the fuck down as I felt my heart racing. I threw back another before I heard the front door open and Mindy walked in.
She saw me in the kitchen and ran to me. She threw her arms around me and squeezed me tightly with shopping bags in her hands. She withdrew and looked at me, smiling as bright as I had ever seen her smile.
"School supplies," I said, pointing at the bags.
"As if," she replied quickly. "That shit is all packed on the truck. These are supplies for tonight."
I said nothing, I just stared at her. I think she picked up my nerves.