Paul brought a girl home. Her name was Kira. She attended the college in town. She was from Portland.
Pretty, smiling, blonde. He always picked sort of generic pretty ones.
His elbow was angled around her neck, and I felt a little sorry for her. Paul was nice enough, but rather immature and insensitive when it came to women. I knew he'd grow up eventually, but it seemed like it would take a while.
Jonah, on the other hand, had a kind of maturity beyond his years. I'm not quite sure how he and Paul had ended up being friends, but I suspected that part of it was simply the fact that there weren't that many kids to choose from around here.
She joined the boys in their nightly ritual of TV watching and beer drinking. I could hear her feminine voice and laugh coming from the living-room now and then.
Paul took her to his bedroom earlier than he usually turned in, and Jonah joined me in my room, where I was reading in bed. For some reason, the beer on his breath smelled stronger than usual, and it bothered me a little bit.
A loud bump came from Paul's room across the hall, then a crash, muffled voices, and laughter. I didn't know what had happened, but if they were laughing, I figured it was probably okay.
Then there were some yelping and whooping noises, and more bumping. They were conducting quite a circus in there.
I didn't know for sure, but I suspected that Paul was sending a little payback for all the nights Jonah and I had been cloistered away together in my room. Well, he was certainly due. I didn't begrudge him some entertainment. Kira was quite a live wire, and Jonah and I looked at each-other and laughed.
He leaned over me and kissed my mouth. The playful, amorous vibes floating in the airwaves were turning us on, so we took advantage of it and joined in. A house of love, tonight - or lust. Maybe both. Maybe just lust. Good enough.
He moved in closer, his tongue getting more emphatic, his hand moving to my breast. Just the thought that Paul and Kira were kissing, making love, ignited a warm flame in my bowels and pushed me further into the inviting sensations.
My mind kept picturing Paul touching Kira, and it made the movements Jonah was doing doubly arousing. My body was undulating in a snake-like motion, rubbing up against Jonah, pulling off his clothes, exposing my skin to his hands as I tugged impatiently at mine. The beer on his breath was intoxicating me now, and I sucked his tongue, breathing the vapors in deeply.
"Fuck me, Jonah," I pleaded. And in my ear, I could hear Kira saying, "Fuck me, Paul."
So he entered me and began pumping, and I could see the double machinery, like two oil wells side by side, Paul and Jonah, dipping deeper, deeper, deeper into the earth.
I heard low masculine sounds which I knew were Paul, and Kira yelled then, her uninhibited banshee cry urging me on to my own release, which came quickly and suddenly. Then Jonah cried out, and we were complete.
We were satisfied and satiated, and we rolled over to snooze until morning.
****
Kira and I met early over the coffee pot.
"Do you have class this morning?"
"Yeah, I've gotta rouse Paul, or I'm gonna be late."
"That's not so easy to do. He has an afternoon job for just that reason."
I looked at her, knowing I needed to take her into my confidence. She was young and liberal. I figured she'd understand.
So I said casually, woman to woman, "Kira, nobody really knows about Jonah and me. I'd appreciate it if you wouldn't mention it to anyone."
I didn't figure she ran in any of the same circles I did, but in this town, it didn't take much for connections to be made, even inadvertently - especially inadvertently.
"Sure, Mrs. Welsh," she said agreeably.
"Oh God, please don't call me that. I'm Jean."
I put my hand out and she took it.
"Kira."
"Yes, I know. A very pretty name."
"Thanks."
She turned toward Paul's bedroom. "I better go blast him out of bed."
"Yeah. Hey, Kira, you're welcome here any time."
"Thanks. I'll see ya'."
****
Margaret called again that day. She had waited a respectable few days, but she'd had time to realize I hadn't given her all the information on our lunch date, and wanted to complete her score card.
"Let's meet somewhere more private," I suggested, giving her the indication I knew she was hoping for. "That'll be perfect. See you then."
I hung up the phone, feeling pretty confident. At least the cat was out of the proverbial bag now - though I wasn't sure what damage its claws might do.
Jonah and I headed out the door in the evening at the same time.
"Going home?" I queried.
"Yeah."
He kissed me good-bye this time. I looked into his green eyes. He was so beautiful.
"I love you. See you."
****
I arrived at Margaret's sweet little faux log cottage about sunset. The colors in the sky were gorgeous, really brilliant, and her house looked so perfect against them. Being up on this hill reminded me of everything that made me want to live in this area. It was a magical place.
She ushered me into her small but meticulously appointed living-room, and the sunset tour de force was framed in its huge picture window. We sat at the tiny round table with its high wicker back chairs and served tea from her dainty china tea set. She had made delicate cookie wafers to go with the tea.
I always loved to visit Margaret at home. It was as nice as going out, but more comfortable and relaxed. She wore a lovely caftan that was as chic as a party gown, and as homey as a bathrobe. I was comfortable, as usual, in my cotton gingham dress, but not nearly so fashionable. Oh well. She never seemed to care.
We kissed and exchanged pleasantries. Then it was time to get down to business. Women's business.
