All characters are 18 years old unless otherwise stated.
Thanks for everyone's patience between parts. I appreciate all the comments, feedback and votes.
I'd like to give a big thanks to a real life
Jessica
for helping keep me on point while I write and again to
Devir Ginator
for all his help. You both are awesome!
And we now return you to your regularly scheduled program.
****
"Mom?" Staci asks while attempting to cover her nakedness.
"I don't want to hear it, Staci!" Mrs. Daniels snaps. "I know that I've talked about you and Jake getting together before but not like this!"
"Mom, it's not what it looks like." Staci tries to tell her, but her protest is ignored.
"I expected a lot better from you, Jake." Mrs. Daniels states when she turns to him. "Jessica is the sweetest girl and I cannot believe that you would treat her like this! And she's your best friend for goodness sake, Staci!"
"I still am, Mrs. Daniels." Jessica calls out from the top of the stairs. Having heard the yelling from downstairs, both Jessica and Ray came out of the bedrooms to see what was going on.
"Jessica?" Mrs. Daniels calls out.
"Yes ma'am, I'm here." Jessica answers.
"I am too, Mrs. Daniels." Ray calls out.
Mrs. Daniels takes a moment looking from her daughter to Jake then sighs with relief. "I think you should both join us down here right now. Also some clothes for your significant others are needed."
"Yes, ma'am." Both teens answer.
"So you and Jessica?" She asks pointing at Jake.
"Yes ma'am." Jake answers.
"And you and Ray?" she asks her daughter.
"Of course, Mom. And before you ask, we were in different rooms, too." Staci answers. "You didn't seriously think that Jake and I were... ya know, did you?"
"Well sweetie, you have to admit that it looked pretty bad from my point of view." Mrs. Daniels tells her. "I walk in with Jake standing half nude in my kitchen and then you come walking downstairs with that look on your face and not wearing very much."
Ray and Jessica descend the stairs, both fully dressed, both holding clothes for Staci and Jake and both looking just as embarrassed as Jake and Staci at being caught.
"I think we should all head into the living room to discuss this." Mrs. Daniels states. "Ray and Jessica, come along with me. Staci, you and Jake take a moment to get dressed then join us."
As the foursome departs for the living room, Jake turns to Staci.
"So, on a scale of one to ten, how much trouble do you think we're in with your mom?" He asks as he hops into his jeans.
"That's tough to say. This is a new situation for me." Staci answers as pulls on a pair of pajama pants that Ray found for her. "We could just be in for a lecture on being safe to me being grounded until I'm a sophomore in college. Either way, it was kind of worth it wasn't it?"
"It certainly sounded like it, on your end at least." Jake chuckles.
"We all heard exactly how much
fun
Jessica was having, so don't you even try it, Jake." Staci giggles.
Jake sighs. "Ready for this?"
"Not really," she shakes her head. "I'd suggest that we sneak out the side door here and make a run for it but we can't leave Ray and Jess here to face the music alone."
****
Jake and Staci join Ray and Jessica who are seated on the couch opposite of Mrs. Daniels.
The couples immediately clasp hands with their respective significant others and Mrs. Daniels must hide the smile that blossoms on her face.
"Staci, this is not acceptable." She begins. "We had discussed Jessica staying the night tonight, but you neglected to share that both your boyfriends would be here as well. I don't like it when you lie to me."
"It wasn't exactly a lie, Mom." Staci answers. "Ray is always over and Jessica is usually with Jake so..."
"An omission is the same thing when you're trying to be sneaky and you and I have been through this before, young lady." Mrs. Daniels argues. "I hated it then and I don't like that this behavior is poking its ugly little head up again. I thought we were past this."
"Mom, it's not like before." Staci says.
"The company is certainly better this time around but that doesn't excuse this." Mrs. Daniels states. "While I appreciate the changes in you this year and I truly do, I know that you can't sit there and tell me that none of you has had alcohol tonight."
"Well Jake didn't." Staci answers. "Jessica and I had maybe a half a glass of wine each and Ray had a beer."
"Half a beer." Ray corrects. "We got uh... distracted before I could finish it."
"With the way I caught Jake and Staci dressed, I can imagine exactly what the distraction was." Mrs. Daniels says shaking her head. "Jessica, were your parents aware that Jake was going to be spending the night here with you?"
"No, ma'am." Jessica answers. "Mom knew that he was going to be here, but I never said he was staying the night."
"That's what I thought." Mrs. Daniels says. "Jake, where do your parents think you are tonight?"
"They know that I'm with Jessica but how long I was going to be out didn't come up." Jake answers.
Mrs. Daniels nods. "Okay then. Jake, you'll need to gather your things and head home. I can't allow you to stay unless both you and Jessica parents know that you're both going to be here together."
"Yes, ma'am." Jake answers and gets to his feet.
"Mom, seriously?" Staci asks.
"Staci, it's fine." Jake says.
"I hate being the bad guy here, Jake. I really do but this is how it has to be." Mrs. Daniels says. "I could get into a lot of trouble with both your and Jessica's parents if they found out I knew what was going on here tonight and allowed it to continue."
Jake nods. "I understand, Mrs. Daniels."
"I should go to." Ray says getting to his feet. "It's not fair for Jake to leave and for me to stay."
"When did you have that half a beer, Ray?" Mrs. Daniels asks him.
"About two... wow, two hours ago." Ray answers when he checks his phone for the time. "Was it really two hours?"
"Uh huh," Staci sighs contentedly.