Donna Miller swore profusely as she pulled her white 1978 King Cobra Mustang into the driveway of her home in the township of Ezekiel. She had been out enjoying a country drive and was late returning home thanks to a major pile up on the I95. This meant she was late for dinner with her neighbors, Tom and Janine Dortmier and their son Kevin.
Jumping out of the car, she ran to the house and, then up to her room. After a quick shower, she was about to change her clothes when she snuck to the window in the dressing room, located just off her master bedroom. Where once stood a majestic tree, now there was a pile of shattered remains thanks to a bolt of lightening that had torn it asunder. Now she could look straight into the bedroom of Kevin. Truth be told she could look straight at the back of Kevin, seated at his computer and its huge high definition screen.
Yet again he was watching porn. This time it was a downright nasty fuck scene with a girl on her back, on a bed, and a guy relentlessly plowing into her, his hands choking her to near unconsciousness.
Donna's insides immediately sparked and she smirked, running a hand down to her pussy. She'd seen an eye opening range of graphic porn the last week or so since that tree had disappeared, most of it more extreme than anything she'd seen or engaged in, in her life. She was fairly positive, given his arm movements, that on at least one occasion he'd been masturbating whilst watching. Forcing herself away from the window, she threw on a pair of cotton hipsters and then a summer maxi dress, sure that her ample cleavage would be covered, but noticeably braless, over dinner. After that she bolted down the stairs, and into the kitchen, thanking her lucky stars she had been organized enough to make a peach cobbler before she had taken off earlier that day.
The warmth of the day still hung in the air as she knocked on the door and then made her way in, apologizing for her lateness. Fairly soon thereafter she was enjoying a great, pre-dinner, Californian red with Tom and Janine out on their back porch.
Janine, 40, was a successful realtor and Tom, 41, was a defense contractor. They had been the perfect neighbors for Donna and her late husband Sam when they had first bought the house next door. They had continued to be so after Sam had been killed in Iraq.
"Are you still having the dream?" inquired Janine, whilst reaching for a carrot stick.
"Same as always up until that storm last week. Every night for the last four years and six months to then, Sam appeared in the same apocalyptic battle scene. Its chaos, shooting and killing all round. But he emerges from the battle smoke and comes to me. He tells me he loves me but it was till death do us part. "You can move on." he said."
Janine and Tom share a look. Donna has seen the look before and knows what is coming. "Tom, before you tell me that the dream is a sign from beyond, a message from Jesus or whatever that I should get on with my life, just realize I'm not ready." She then drains her glass and Tom refills it.
Tom raises his hands as if to give up, but speaks his mind anyway. "You gotta heed the message little lady. If he stopped coming after four and a half years, maybe that's a second sign that you need to act. You're still what, 28?"
"29 next month."
"That's so young," he continues, "You just gotta get back out there. You work too hard and that house needs a man to look after it. You could always come down to the church..."
Donna laughed. "And you will find me a good fearing good man who will convert me to your bible ways."
"Exactly!" he replies, slapping his thigh and looking at his wife with approval in his eyes.
Donna shakes a finger at the pair of them. "Now you too know all too well that I respect your beliefs in that good book but I'm no believer and have no wish to be."
Janine went to add something but was cut off by the appearance of Kevin. "Mom, I thought you said we'd eat at 7?"
Tom stood and collected the wine bottle and platter and headed inside. "All right mister computer addict, help me carve the roast and we'll get eating. But before then, have you at least acknowledged our guest?"
Kevin cast a nervous glance at Donna before looking at his size 14 running shoes. "Hi Don."
Donna smiled at the awkward teen. "Howdy Kevin. Are you still up for mowing the lawn after school tomorrow?"
"Yes ma'm." came his reply as he disappeared inside.
The two women rose from their chairs to follow the men. Janine grabbed Donna's forearm as the neared the screen door. "I need to talk to you about him after dinner."
A while later, as Kevin headed up the stairs and Tom watched the game on tv, Donna helped Janine put the last few dishes away.
Janine nodded to the stairs and said, "I'm worried Donna. He's so addicted to that darn computer. It's just school, computer, eat, computer, bed. Then repeat. He hasn't played sport in years, won't help out at the church, won't socialize with kids in the street. I just don't know what to do. The only thing he does in the real world is help you with mowing the lawn and the odd jobs you ask him to do."
She started to tear up. Donna went to her and embraced her. Janine sobbed. "He's not even showing any interest in girls. He turned eighteen the day of that huge lightening storm. We're worried he might be gay."
Donna broke the embrace, faked a coughing fit and rushed to grab a glass of water. "Sorry," she apologized, "Something tickled my throat." Donna wondered whether she could ever tell these church goers and do-gooders that their son was into watching hard core porn and whacking off to it. "I don't think you need to worry. He might just be a little late developing or maybe he's just not into to church going happy clapper types."
Janine laughed off the characterization. "Now you know we don't do clapping down at the church. Singing, yes. Lots of clapping, no."