Please read When We Were Young Ch. 14 and this will make a lot more sense.
Special thanks to kenjisato for the editing, whom I cannot recommend enough.
Comments would really be appreciated.
**
Back inside the castle, Sharon and Mar said they needed some time alone before Mar had to leave, and went into Mar's bedroom.
Mama sent me and Thea to the grocery store, putting Smoke to work cleaning up, while she, Jazz, and Linda made preparations for lunch.
"I'm glad you and Jazz came this morning."
"When Mar made Smoke tell us what happened last night, everyone was very upset. Jazz and I didn't fully understand, but we knew something bad was going on. Everyone threw on some clothes, and Mar and Linda explained on the way. It's very sad, to have such horrible guilt for so many years."
"It is," I replied, KJ entering my thoughts. The guilt I had felt for years, and continued to feel on a reduced level, could be debilitating. I couldn't imagine how Sharon had managed to be around Mar every day, watching her struggle, thinking she was responsible for what had happened.
"You had fun with Mama last night?" I asked, wanting to change the subject.
"Mmmm, she's wonderful. Jazz has a thing for big women. There is a woman in the group, Liz, who is nearly as big, and she and Jazz have sex every time we meet. Jazz likes Liz to, uh, use a dildo on her, laying her weight on her. Mama said you like this, too."
"Well, not the dildo, but yeah," I said, an image of Mama on top of me, her strap-on in my ass, popped into my head. I nearly moaned.
Thea smiled at me like she knew what I was thinking. "I could do that for you, Tony, when Mama and Linda are not here," she said softly, her hand on my thigh.
I blushed beet-red. "Uh, th-thank you, Thea."
She smiled sweetly. "We were in the playroom, and after a while, Linda and Mar came in and joined us; it was wonderful. Linda is very talented with the strap-on, Jazz and I came many times. And Mama, we've never seen such a big clit, and so sensitive. Mar loves to make her cum; we think they are very good together and are excited to have them here.
"Smoke came in wearing a camisole and shorts around six-thirty. Tony, Jazz and I want more information on her, if that is okay. We are very intrigued. She came in looking for you and Sharon. We were just waking up when your text came in, and Mar demanded to know why Sharon would be there, and so early in the morning.
"Mar is an unusual woman. At first, I thought she was like me and you, you know, submissive, because she is quiet and soft-spoken. But when she learned why Sharon was having you hurt her, a fire in her came out like I haven't seen before. She was very angry and upset."
"It's a long, mostly sad story, honey. Mar has come such a long way in the last year, and we all love her very much. She needed Linda and Sharon to look out for her and protect her, for many years. And now she has a confidence she never had before and is growing into a new woman. But, the old Mar is still in there. That's what you're seeing," I explained.
"I see. I like her. I like all your friends. Tell me about Smoke," she said, as we pulled into the grocery store.
As we gathered the items on Mama's list, I told Thea about my best friend, how Sharon had discovered his love of women's clothing, his crush on me, and how we had become occasional lovers.
"So, you are bi-sexual, then."
"I suppose, though, Rich is the only one I have had an interest in. Cal is handsome and apparently bi-sexual, but I don't have an interest in him sexually," I said, trying to explain.
"I see," Jazz replied, as we loaded our bags into the car and headed home.
"And you call Smoke 'her' and 'she'?"
"We do, yes, if she dresses as 'Smoke'. If she dresses as 'Rich', we say 'he' and 'him'. It's easy to get mixed up, but she doesn't mind, she says, although I know she appreciates that we make an effort."
"So, she doesn't always dress as Smoke?"
"No, usually just at home. Sometimes in the car, or if they're out of town. She's afraid of being recognized. To everyone but us, Smoke is only Rich."
"I get that. She is very beautiful. And her ass is incredible."
I nodded. "Isn't it?"
"Mmmm. Oh, Jazz and I want to know why Mama and Mar call you Daddy."
"Well, it all started when Mar called me that the first time we were together. I teased her about it a few times, and it just sort of caught on. Mama says she prefers it to Tony, and Smoke says she likes it," I said, shrugging my shoulders.
"Do you want us to call you Daddy?"
"Only if you want to, honey. It really doesn't matter to me."
**
We were unloading the groceries when Mar and Sharon came in holding hands. Linda went over and hugged them.
"Okay?" she asked.
"We'll be okay," Sharon said. "We just have a lot to talk through. I'm going to go back with Mar this afternoon. You and Smoke can go together tomorrow?"
"Of course, honey," Linda replied.
"Where is she?" Sharon asked.
"Out by the pool," I said. "Sharon, would you like a tour of the grounds before you leave? The ground is dry enough."
"That would be really nice. Mama, do you need any help?"
"No, honey. We have it covered. Lunch will be at, uh, two-thirty, so go explore this wonderful place for a couple of hours."
Sharon, Thea, and I went out, collected Smoke, and a couple of bottles of wine, and found the carts where we'd left them when the sky had opened up on us.
Sharon hopped in with Thea, and Smoke settled next to me, then we headed down to the gazebo, the only sign of last night's drunken confession an empty tequila bottle on the floor. I filled her in on my finding Sharon by the pool that morning, and our subsequent conversation leading to the visit to see Carmen.
"She loves you, you know," I said.
She smiled. "I love her, too."
"Make sure she knows, okay? Last night has her questioning things."
"I will, Daddy, thanks," she said, kissing my cheek.
Thea and Smoke talked about flowers for several minutes, while a subdued Sharon and I strolled around the pond.
"How's your head?" I asked.
"Not bad. Mar's slap was pretty sobering."
"I'll bet," I chuckled. "Did you two have a good talk?"
"Yeah, we're okay. My guilt is just one more casualty of her dad's hate."
