Summer Autumn Adelaide

Thanksgiving 2023 was bound to be a unique one. Typically, it consisted of my mom and me sitting in front of the TV watching some sort of movie ranging from rom-com to horror. My father typically volunteered to work because he got paid time and a half for it, and since Christmas was the holiday when we would link up with our more distant relatives, Thanksgiving had fallen by the wayside.

However, this one would be different. I was attending my neighbor's dinner. Adelaide's entire family would be there. And from what I could gather from her socials, both sets of Henri's grandparents would be in attendance. Plus, Adelaide's younger sister and baby brother would be there too. With kids and spouses, there would be no less than twenty people in the house before I even got through the door.

While I enjoyed talking to Adelaide, this also told me that I was not going to be getting any tonight with that many people crowding the house. There would not be a free moment or a private space for us to get more physical. It had already been three weeks since our casual concert encounter, and I was getting pent up, to say the least.

At the designated time, I went to the Walker household. The street and driveway were littered with vehicles, many of them trucks. Finally, at the moment of no return, as I knocked on the door, a woman answered the door, but it was not Adelaide.

"You must be Jason, well c'mon in. I'm Laurel, Adelaide's Lil sister."

This woman shared the Southern Belle's chestnut hair, hazel eyes, and oval face, but the similarities stopped there. Where Adelaide's physique was trim, this woman was hardly that. And where Adelaide's appearance defied age, this woman looked almost twenty years older than her big sister.

I was immediately blasted with the scent of Turkey as I entered the home, and as Laurel brought me down the hallway, a different route than I had taken previously, I ended up in the family room. There was a large black leather sectional couch and another woman with sandy blonde locks that appeared to be at least a few years shy of Laurel.

"And this is Sara, my brother's wife."

I gave a simple wave since I was still anxious about meeting many new people.

"Howdy Jason," Sara greeted me. "Them menfolk and young'uns are out playin' with the pigskin at the park. They'll be back just in time for supper."

I took a seat about as far away from the middle-aged woman as I could. It was clear I was uncomfortable despite the hospitality they were trying to show me.

"Adelaide, mama, and Miss Faith, Jed's mama, are in the kitchen gettin' it already," Laurel explained.

"Now, Laurel and I were debatin' how someone like you might meet someone like Adelaide. My theory was you're one of them, male babysitters. But Laurel thought you were another stray good 'ol Adelaide picked up like she always does. So which is it, honey?"

I wanted to plead the fifth, but I knew that was not an option. "More the second one, but neither, really."

"I see. You're this city's Lucia, then. Let me guess, you consider yerself an artistic type, right?" Laurel was not just nosey. She had zero restraint.

"Lucia? And I guess you could say that."

"Lucia was Adelaide's best friend in Atlanta. She was a fancy pants photographer that worked on the movies down there or somethin' like that. She was a bit of a lost soul, too, before Adelaide found her and got her to commit to Southern Baptism. She was one of them wishy-washy Catholics before that." Laurel's voice seemed to get downright indignant the more she spoke.

I was not sure how to respond to their rapid-fire questions. Honestly, this seemed like more of an interrogation than a conversation. And all I was doing was giving them ammunition to gossip about me and possibly Adelaide.

"But enough with the questions about you. Now's the time to spill all the tea about Addie while she's busy." Sara, thankfully changed the topic.

"That's true," Laurel agreed. "What do ya wanna know, darlin'?"

"Nothing, honestly," I sense the women are apprehensive about that answer. "Well, I guess I want to know what you mean by me being another stray she is taking in?"

"Bless her heart! Adelaide's known to take in some folks who may not be the cream of the crop. When she was studyin' over in Marseille, she was with this fella named Henri. He was a suppos'd smarty-pants but had some funny ideas about communism, so I reckon he wasn't too bright." Laurel sounded just a tad self-righteous in her summation.

Sara then added, "Back in Blue Ridge, Adelaide used to play with them boys, gettin' down and dirty in the mud, rollin' around and such. Why, she's almost a legend for it! Folks say she could pitch a ball faster than greased lightning, even though we all know that ain't exactly the God's honest truth. But she sure could pitch a mean ball, or so the tale goes. 'Course, she gave all that up when she decided to become a proper Southern Belle."

"Then there was that time at Auburn when she was rushin' that sorority. Lord have mercy, that gal went and streaked through the whole campus. Our daddy nearly had a heart attack when he heard the news. But you know Adelaide, she always gets what she wants. Before you knew it, she was accepted into that sorority and became the social chair." Laurel seemed to revel in revealing all this.

"So she has a habit of hanging with the wrong crowd?" I ask more for the sake of having a polite conversation than because I care about any of the negativity these two are pedaling.

"We didn't say that." Sara laughed, clearly meaning the opposite of what she said.

As the two women cracked up in unison, I finally heard the rest of the football crowd enter, which meant that this delightful chitchat was about to end. And dinner was going to be served.

I heard plates, silverware, and glasses clanging together as the table was being set. Jed walked into the living area, "Ladies," he stopped to look at me, "and gentlemen. Supper is ready. So we best get to eaten' it."

The women rushed past him toward the dining area, but Jed put his hand on my shoulder, halting me. "Glad you could make it, bud. I've been meanin' to catch up with you since I caught you in my house the other night. Glad we can get acquainted, finally."

I forced myself to smile, but I knew it was not convincing. "Yeah, we will have plenty of time for that."

We entered the dining room, and I couldn't help but feel a sense of unease. The room was packed with people, all bustling about as they set the table and laid out the various dishes. People were finding their place in the ad-hoc seating arrangement. And in the center of it, all stood Adelaide, looking as poised and put-together as ever. She wore her classic Braves baseball cap backward, a red Braves jersey, blue skinny jeans, and Nike tennis shoes.

As she caught sight of me, she flashed me a quick smile before returning to her task. And as I took in the scene around me, I couldn't help but feel a sense of disorientation.

Two other women were in the room helping set up, both of them considerably older than Adelaide. The shorter of the two had a neat silver bun atop her head and a set of cheekbones that could cut glass. She must have been Mama Anderson, Adelaide's mother. And as I caught a glimpse of her dimples, I couldn't help but feel a pang of recognition.

On the other hand, the taller woman had a shock of short hair and an androgynous air about her. She seemed to be the antithesis of Mama Anderson, a fact that wasn't lost on me. This must have been Faith Walker, Jed's mother.

Jed took his seat at the head of the table, farthest away from the window, peering out at my house. Meanwhile, I was directed to sit at the other end, between the kitchen area and the window to the outside world. After a few more moments of bringing in all the food, Adelaide passed my chair to sit right in front of the window, directly opposite her husband but beside me. The married couple now resided on opposing ends of the dining space.

"Glad you could make it, sugah," Adelaide greeted me.

Everyone started to get settled in, despite the kids being quite boisterous. Jed coughed to get the room's attention, "can we all join hands to say grace?"

I take Adelaide's hand to my left, and Laurel's to my right as we form a circle for grace. Jed spoke up, "Jason, why don't you lead the prayer?"

Adelaide nervously smiles at me and indicates with her eyes that I ought to get a move on with it. So without further delay, I take a stab at it, "Dear Lord, as we gather together on this day of thanks, let us express how grateful we are for each person here today. Let us be thankful for the roof over our heads, the food on the table, and the warmth of each other's company. And, as we break bread together, let us remember those who are less fortunate and take a moment to give thanks for the blessings in our lives. Amen?"

"Amen!" The dinner guests broke the circle and picked up their utensils.

"Could have used a lil more praise for The Almighty, but not a bad attempt for a heathen," Jed tipped his glass toward me.

"Jed, honey? Can we be civil to the guests, Southern Baptist or not?" Adelaide chastised her husband. "Ignore him, sweetie. We are all happy to have you in our company. Ain't that right, Laurel?"

"That's right, sister 'o mine." Adelaide and Laurel ding their glasses together with that.

Adelaide goes on to point out who everyone at the table is, "You know Sara and Laurel already, then there's the two old biddies that help'd me out earl'r, my Mama Sandra and Jed's Mama Faith. Over there is Jed's father, Jett, is wearing' the ten gallon hat. There's my daddy John, who is responsible for my love of The Braves. My brother John Jun'r is a man 'o the law. Then, there's my nephew John the third. Laurel's husband, Wyatt, is next to their daughters, Harper and Savannah. John Junior's wife Caroline is over there lookin' all prim and proper. Of course, last but not least, there's my darlin' Henri and my lovely hubby Jed."

"You have quite the family. Mine is not even half this large."

"If you start countin' second and third cousins then we'd need an entire cafeteria to fit'em all. This is just the tip of the iceberg. But tell me, how're they treatin' ya? Are ya havin' a nice time?"

"Yeah, they have been as kind as can be," I lied. They had been quite judgmental of me as a bit of an outcast and of Adelaide for associating with the wrong crowd. "They even told me this lovely story about Henri, the communist."

"They did now, did they," Adelaide glares at Laurel. "Henri identified as more of a Marxist, but I suppose one might say he was a big 'ol commie down South. Personally, I rather liked his thinkin'. The way he appl'd Simulacra and Simulation has been the cornerstone of my social media plan. So commie or not, he's been aidin' and imbeddin' Capitalism."

"She gets real particular when people bring him up. He died right around the time Adelaide got pregnant. He was one of her oldest friends," Laurel whispered to me.

"What else did Sara and Laurel say?" Adelaide could not hide her agitation.

"Nothing much," Adelaide gave me a death stare. "Just that you were a bit of a tomboy growing up and may have streaked once in college?"

"When high school came 'round, I was quite the proper lady, but before then, I reckon I may have dabbled in a little bit 'o baseball. Shoot, I even showed John Junior how to catch with a mit. And whether I streaked or not, at least I managed to finish college, unlike poor Laurel."

"Well, I done dropped out for my family, you know that," Laurel slammed her fist on the table for emphasis.

"Now, why do you both gotta be like that? Every time you two get together, you end up fightin' about somethin' dumb. It's like I'm relivin' my childhood," John Junior cut in.

Before long, the entire room erupted into chaos. It seemed for all the civility this family claimed to have, and for all the charm the South provided, it took very little to unravel it all at the seams.

Then John Senior stood up amidst all the pandemonium, "Shut up!"

The air was still after that. Everyone returned to eating, and order fell over what was discord moments prior. To say I was impressed was an understatement. I could see where Adelaide got her no-nonsense approach to situations from her old man. The rest of the dinner was uneventful, if not boring.

Then, as I assisted Adelaide in washing the dishes in the kitchen, I got some insight into why John Senior commanded such respect. "Let me tell you 'bout my daddy. Bless his heart. He worked on that factory floor for forty years. And through all them years, he provided for my siblings and me when industries were packin' up and leaving right quick. But he wasn't just some regular ol' worker. He was a union steward. And until the day he retired, every family that counted on a paycheck from that factory depended on him, including Sara's. So when he asks folks to listen, you best believe they do."

"He sounds like he was a good influence growing up."

"You know, my mama fell in love with my daddy for a reason. She worked hard as a baker back in Blue Ridge, but his steady factory job kept us all fed and clothed. Now, I may be a Republican through and through, but I can't deny the importance of unions. They're the reason my family never went without, and I'll be damned if I support any politician who wants to abolish 'em."

"Sounds like he was the glue for your family." While scrubbing dishes was not high on my list, at least it gave me some private time with Adelaide. After all, that was the only reason I came. Otherwise, I could be at home with my mom, watching another mediocre movie.

"He sure was. Jed's kin don't get what it means to work hard for a livin'. We had a good ol' argument about it the other night, how he'll vote for anybody who'll lower taxes, no matter the damage it does to other folks. I don't trust the government much, but I know we need it for healthcare and education. But Jed cares about his fancy deductions and tax breaks. That's what it's like for people who go to places like Duke 'cause their daddy went there. Life's different for folks like me, who grew up in rural Georgia and had to work for everything we got."

I knew I was treading on dangerous ground here, so I tried to smooth things over rather than risk igniting the powder keg, "I hear you."

"Thanks for listenin' honey," Adelaide took off the rubber gloves. "Why don't you follow me? I have somethin' to show you."

Adelaide led me into the dimly lit laundry room, her hand firmly grasping mine as we navigated the cramped space. With a flick of a switch, the room was illuminated, revealing a collection of appliances and cleaning supplies scattered about.

Adelaide began to undo the buttons of her jeans without a word, the sound of the metal clinking against itself echoing in the small room. She wriggled out of the denim, the fabric sliding down her legs until it pooled around her ankles.

I couldn't help but stare as she shimmied out of her black Victoria's Secret panties, revealing a tantalizing glimpse of her skin. She hopped onto the washing machine, her legs spread wide as she offered me a view of her most intimate parts.

"Time for the oral you owe me, sweetheart. I reckon we got 'bout five minutes to git 'er done."

We locked hands as I glared down at her crotch. She was completely bare down there. I coould hear people in the other room as I lowered my face to her vagina. I began by sucking on her, to which Adelaide delightfully squealed.

"Yeah, sugah keep goin'."

I let my tongue spelunk inside her as I continued to suck on her pussy lips. My heart kept beating faster the more I could hear the ruckus going on just beyond this door. I could not imagine a worse position to get caught in. There was no plausible deniability with my head between her thighs like this.

Adelaide freed one of her hands from my grip to start the washer. The appliance started vibrating as I sucked and explored her insides. I just hoped the washer was not alerting anyone to our presence as my available hand spread her lips apart so I could get my tongue deeper and suck on her clit.

Adelaide's hand went to her mouth to quiet the yelps and moans I could faintly hear escape her mouth with every flick of the tongue, vibration from the machine, or suction from my mouth. Within a mere minute, I was being flooded by Adelaide's moisture. Her hips started to buck as her knees buckled. Her feet pushed off the edge of the washer, and her hand shoved my head into her crotch as she let out a long-low groan of pleasure. Adelaide orgasmed all over my face.

Once she let me come up for air, I was greeted by a blissful smile from ear to ear on her face, "Thank ya, darlin'."

She grabbed a paper towel from the rack beside her and tears off a piece so I could wipe her fluid off me. After she hopped off the machine, she stopped its spin cycle and pulled her panties clear up her legs, letting them snap against her ass in the way only elastic can. Then she shimmied back into her skinny jeans.

"You should get outta here, but Jed is goin' on a business trip soon. I'll invite ya over then." Adelaide gave me a peck on the cheek before slowly opening the door to the laundry room to make sure the coast was clear. Once she was sure, we both exited. While she headed back to her family, I went back to mine.

Sure, I had hoped for some alone time with Adelaide, but I did not get the relief I had anticipated. Still, I did owe her for the other night, so what is fair is fair. With that, I wandered off into the cool November night air with my expectations for our next meeting higher than before I had arrived hours earlier.