Soccer Women Ch 17

Soccer Women Ch 17

The next four months were very hectic for everyone. Melanie, Margaret and Jo still had class work and Katie and Jo also had Soccer Team duties. They spent as much time together as they could. They had sex, but not always. However, they made a point of having "non-sex nights" as if to prove to themselves that their relationship was about more than sex.

Even on the "non-sex nights" they still shared a level of intimacy that was an integral part of their relationship. Jo was putting nail polish on everyone's toes. And it was Katie who began to work on Jo's. Melanie and Margaret would braid each other's hair. While watching television they would all cram onto the couch even though they had chairs as well. It was just the realization that their time was running short that made them want to make the most of their time left.

Katie and Melanie also had to find a place to live that was 2,600 miles away, give or take. Fortunately, they were able to go on the internet, check out their options and do virtual tours. After an exchange of Fed Ex envelopes, they had rented the second floor of a home about ten minutes from where Melanie was going to be working.

Katie had already sent out cover letters and resumes for school districts in the area. While she would still have to meet a student teaching requirement and could not be hired as a teacher right away, she had done what was needed to get a coaching license. Both Katie and Melanie had to get background checks and clearances from their home state, California, and Pennsylvania, even though they had not lived there yet.

One little change of plan came up in mid-April. Carol and Jen had found their new home. The closing would be on June 12

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so they would be moving there about a month after Melanie's graduation. Katie and Melanie wouldn't be able to go into the new house, but they'd be able to see it. And Melanie would have only one last time at her old house as well. Although she had not lived in her house as long as Katie had, she had many happy memories there and wanted to make sure she got one last time to stay there and say goodbye.

There was a week in between the end of finals and Melanie's graduation ceremony. Jo and Margaret helped Katie and Melanie clean out their apartment. Two women from the swim team were going to be moving in when they left. Just as they did when they had moved in, the new tenants were going to drop off a bunch of their stuff before going home for the summer. All of the furniture was staying as there was no practical way to get it to Pennsylvania. Most of it had been there already since the previous tenants had also been unable to move it when they left.

Carol and Jen flew out for the graduation. It was the most comfortable Carol had felt on a plane in years. Jen spent the whole flight just talking to her and holding Carol's hand. The time passed by without Carol even realizing it. She didn't think about how calm she was until they landed.

The ceremony for the psychology department was very nice. When it was all over, there were a ton of pictures that Melanie needed taken. Pictures with just her; her and Katie; her and Jen; her, Jen, and Carol; her, Katie, Jen and Carol; her and Jo and Margaret; her and various classmates. It was some time before they were finished with the pictures.

Melanie had decided that she did not want to go to the main ceremony. Graduate students were allowed to attend, but she had already done that two years before with the undergraduate graduation, so she passed. This turned out to be a very good decision. It meant they got to the restaurant early for dinner. They had no problem getting a table for six. After dinner, as they walked out of the restaurant, there was quite a mob of people waiting for tables. Now that the main graduation was over, everyone who had been there was now heading out to eat.

That night Katie, Melanie, Jo and Margaret said goodbye to Carol and Jen. Carol and Jen were flying back but Katie and Melanie had to get their cars to Pennsylvania, with a detour to Jen's house. They were going to make it to Jen's house in two days. Although they had taken longer going out, the girls were older and they had a third driver in Jo.

Margaret did not have her driver's license. Growing up her dad worked and so did her step-mother. And even when the step-mother was around, she was "not a taxi service" as she would tell Margaret. So, Margaret got very comfortable using public transportation and had never really needed a car and thus hadn't needed her license. This was something Jo and Margaret planned to work on during the coming year.

The girls were actually leaving before Carol and Jen's flight but they had to get on the road early if they were going to make this trip in two days. Katie and Jo would be in one car and Melanie and Margaret in the other. They had the phone on with a Bluetooth connection, so all four were able to talk to each other the whole way.

Katie and Melanie would drive their own cars from when they left until lunch. After lunch Jo would drive Katie's car while Katie rested and Melanie would still drive her own car. They would then stop for dinner. From dinner to the hotel, Margaret would go in Katie's car and Jo would spell Melanie in her car. This way each driver got one leg off. They had two rooms at the hotel and each couple just went right to sleep. It had been a long day and tomorrow promised to be as long or longer.

It was almost midnight when the cars pulled up to Jen's house. As excited as everyone was to see each other, the last two days had been just too long for Katie, Melanie, Jo and Margaret. Everyone went right to bed. Since Jo and Margaret were guests, they got Melanie's old room for the first night while Katie and Melanie slept on the air mattress on the living room floor. They switched the next night.

Everyone slept in late the next day and after their late breakfast, everyone got dressed. They drove to see the home that Carol and Jen were buying. The agreement for the sale had been signed but the sale itself had not occurred and so they couldn't go inside. But they were able to see it. When Margaret asked Carol and Jen what the best feature of the house was, Carol answered "Sturdy kitchen counters." Jen laughed.

They got to see the house, drive around the neighborhood, and see the new town where Carol and Jen would be living. It struck Melanie that the next time she and Katie came to visit their mothers, it would be here.

When they got back to Jen's house, Carol and Jen dropped the girls off and went to the store. Melanie kept them all on the porch for a quick trip down memory lane.

"I am a little sad that mom is selling this place. On this very stoop is where Katie and I had our first kiss." And with that, Melanie stood on her tiptoes and gave Katie a kiss right on her lips, just like that night. Melanie came back down on her feet, but Katie bent down and grabbed Melanie around her thighs. Then Katie picked Melanie up in her arms and held her up so Melanie was now a few inches higher than Katie.

Melanie wrapped her arms around Katie's neck and leaned in to kiss her again. They continued until finally Jo said, "Hello? You have guests here."

This did break up the kiss, but Katie did not put Melanie down. She looked at Melanie and said, "I know we have very special memories here. But we're going to create new memories." Katie now cocked her head to the side and looking around Melanie at Jo and Margaret said, "The four of us will make some memories as well. So yeah, it is great to be here, right where one of the best moments of my life occurred. But I can remember it just as if it were happening right now. I'll always have that memory. And I can still have that memory when we go to Pennsylvania. But I am so excited about all the new ones we will be creating, that I really am not sad that we might not come back here." Katie pulled Melanie in for another kiss and Jo and Margaret stepped up to the two of them and made it a group hug.

Carol and Jen came back and they made dinner. After that, they all sat around telling old stories. Carol and Jen took great pains to embarrass their daughter with tales of them as little girls for Jo and Margaret's benefit. Margaret finally heard about "Go Go."

Everyone packed it in early because the next day would be another long one. It would be about a nine-hour drive counting a stop for dinner. They would be going with a storage van as well. Katie and Melanie had crammed as much as they could into their cars before leaving California and now they were picking up stuff from Jen's house and from the storage unit where stuff from Carol's house was still awaiting their move.

After loading up the van at the house and then at the storage unit, they had to figure out who would be in which car. Jen asked to go with Melanie so she could spend some time with her. Margaret then quickly volunteered to go with Katie. That left Jo to ride in the van with Carol. No one spoke for a few seconds until Carol said, "C'mon Jo, you and me. It'll be a hoot."

Jo smiled and Katie scowled but Melanie looked at her watch and said, "Okay, good. That's settled. It's a long drive and I'd like to have some light left while we're moving this stuff into the house at the other end. So, let's go." Everyone went to their respective vehicles and off they drove."

The first thing Katie said to Margaret was, "Did you do that on purpose?"

"Actually, Katie, yes. It's not like she's going to be hitting on your mom while their driving in the van."

"Are you sure about that?"

"Oh, for pity's sake, yes Katie. That was always just her trying to be funny and get under your skin a little to boot. It's lost its steam anyway. Have you heard her saying anything like that recently?"

"Well, no. I know you're right. I guess it kind of became a reflex, that's all."

"Good. I have no worries about Jo being in the van with your mother. If I had any worries, it was when she was in the car with you leaving California." Margaret just smiled and Katie let it drop.

For the first part of the drive Carol and Jo talked almost exclusively about soccer. The fact that Carol had also been a defender led to both of them having similar philosophies about the game. Jo was really enjoying her coaching and she was learning about analyzing film from Coach Hochbauer. This led to conversations about how the Blue Lightning used tape analysis and they were passing Terra Haute before that topic had been exhausted.

There was silence as the farm country of Indiana rolled by and Jo looked out her window. She turned to Carol and said, "Carol, I hope all that talk over the years never offended you. I didn't really mean it. Well, I mean, I meant it." Jo was suddenly very flustered.

Carol could have let her off the hook, but part of her wanted to give a little back to Jo, playfully of course. And letting her squirm worked for that. Plus, the fact that this beautiful young woman was flustered over her was nice for her own self-confidence. So, she just let Jo go on."

Jo continued to try to explain, "I mean, you were a beautiful woman. I mean you are. You are a beautiful woman now and you have been."

"Why thank you Jo." She felt she should finally let Jo off the hook. "And no, Jo. I was never offended. In fact, I was flattered that such a lovely young woman would say those things and call me hot. I knew you were just playing, trying to get under Katie's skin. She is far too intense sometimes. She's my daughter and I love her to pieces, but we both know she can be too intense at times."

Jo laughed remembering some of Katie's more intense moments from their soccer days.

Carol continued, "And I think it's been you that's really gotten her out of her shell and having more fun. Melanie opened her up but she stayed in that open shell. It's only after you joined the team that I saw her really come out of it. You've been a great influence on her."

"I love her very much." Jo was stunned that she'd said this out loud to Katie's mother. She was divulging what they had all agreed that they would not tell their families, the full story about the four of them.

Carol saw the look on Jo's face and smiled. "And she loves you very much too Jo. Look you girls don't talk about it and Jen and I don't talk about it, but we're mothers. We can read our daughters like books. I think it's wonderful that you four have such a loving relationship. People my age never conceived of something like that when we were your age and we probably wouldn't have known how to handle it if we did."

"You're not that old."

"I'm old enough. But I have learned so much over the years. Let me tell you something. You never met Katie's father. But he was a wonderful man and an amazing husband and an excellent father. I loved him so very much. And I still miss him. I miss that he didn't get to see Katie get married or win the National Championship. I'm sorry that he didn't get to meet you. Or Margaret. You're both spectacular women and I am glad that Katie has both of you in her life.

"I was still very much in love with him when I met Jen. And to be honest, there was something between us right away, just like there was with Katie and Melanie. And for the longest time, I thought that was a problem. But I've come to realize it is not a problem. It's just a fact. The problems come with everything that surrounds that fact.

"Sometimes you love someone and they don't love you. Sometimes you love someone and they love you, but not as much or they love you differently. They just want to be friends. And sometimes you love someone and they love you and you find that you love someone else. And they love you too. Now you start getting into that problem territory. If that first love is very strong, it provides a strong foundation. And you can build other things on top of it. If it is not that strong, those things on top will cause it to collapse.

"I know Katie and Melanie have a rock-solid relationship. They would never let anything come between them. And with it being that solid, they can add things to it without it breaking. So, they can love you and love Margaret and it won't collapse their love for each other. You need to know how special that is. I hope the four of you all realize just how incredibly lucky you are to have that."

"We are Carol. To be honest, that's why this has been so hard. Katie has promised we won't lose touch with each other, but it's never going to be like it's been with all of us together. And I know she'll work hard and do all she can for the four of us. But it hurts knowing that I won't see Katie every day."

"So just treasure what you do have and what you are able to have going forward. And I am glad to hear that Katie will make sure that you all stay together. Because that means that I'll still be able to get to see you every once in a while too. You're very special to me too, Jo. Even if we aren't going to have

that

type of relationship."

Jo had been tearing up a little, but Carol's comment made her laugh. She thought about it for a few seconds before deciding to say this to Carol. "Maybe we kind of will?"

"Excuse me?"

"It's something Melanie once said. You're right that part of why I would say things about you was to get Katie going. And so, one time I said something to Melanie with Katie listening about how attractive you are and didn't she ever think about you that way and would she want to get with you. And her answer shocked me because she said, 'I will.' And I was like, 'WHAT?' And she said that Katie looked so much like you and that when Katie was your age, she still would look just like you. So, it was like being with you in a way, her being with Katie in the future. Maybe that could work for me too."

"Maybe, Jo. Maybe."

After a little while, Jo said to Carol, "So you know about the four of us and you think Jen might know about us. What about my mom?"

"I don't know her well enough Jo but I am guessing she probably does. But at the end of the day, mothers all have one thing in common. We all want our daughters to be happy. Since you all seemed to want to keep it a secret, we never said anything. But yes, Jo. I think it's pretty safe to assume she knows."

They made it to Pennsylvania by 5:00pm and to the new home a little past 6:00pm. With six people to share the work, they were able to get everything inside the new place before it was dark. Dinner was pizza delivery.

They managed to set up the bed. Katie and Melanie insisted that their mothers take the bed. When they started to object, Melanie said that the four of them wanted to stay up late and talk. Since Carol and Jen had to drive the moving van back 9 hours tomorrow, they did not put up much of a fight.

The girls spend a lot of time talking about plans. Margaret was working at that same engineering firm for the summer and Jo had her coaching and soccer camp responsibilities. Since Jo had come this far east, she and Margaret were going to be flying up to see Jo's parents before heading back to California. For Christmas they planned to do the reverse. They would spend Christmas at Jo's parents' house and then come to see Katie and Melanie before going back to California.

Next summer would be Margaret's graduation from undergrad and Jo's graduation from the Master's Program in History. They were not set on what they would do after that as the job situations for both of them were uncertain. Katie and Melanie would make sure they could go out to California for the graduations.

During a lull in the conversation, Jo looked at Katie and said, "Your mom knows about us."

"How does she know?"

"She said she's a mother and mothers notice things and figure stuff out. I don't know. I used to think my mother could read my mind."

Melanie asked, "What about my mother?"

"She said they never talked about it but she probably knows too. That 'mother' thing again. She guesses my mother knows, but I don't know. Margaret and I have to sleep in separate rooms when we stay over. If she doesn't think we're doing it, how would she think the four of us are?"

"I guess that means my 'mother' doesn't know a thing." said Margaret. Her mother had died when Margaret was very young and she had a terrible relationship with her step-mother. Melanie reached over and gave her a hug.

Jo continued, "Well, this is the last night we are going to be together for six months. And if your moms already know about us, it doesn't matter if they hear us, does it?"

There were smiles all around as Katie said, "No, Jo, I guess it doesn't." And with that Katie leaned over and pulled Jo into a tight hug and began kissing her.

Melanie still had Margaret in her arms from when she had comforted her after the comment about Margaret's mother. Now that they saw where the evening was apparently heading, they too began to slowly and sensuously kiss each other.

Each girl now held tightly to the one in front of her. They were all very cognizant of the fact that this would be their last night like this for six months. Although unspoken, there seemed to be an agreement that they each wanted to impart to the other the love and affection they felt so it could hold them over. The kissing went on for a very long time.

As time went on, the sense of intimacy began to get replaced by feelings of arousal. Katie was the first to move in that direction. She grabbed the bottom of Jo's shirt and began pulling it up over Jo's head. When the shirt came up to her face and broke the kiss, Jo immediately reached behind her back and was unfastening her bra, even as the shirt was still covering her face. The shirt and bra came off simultaneously and Katie leaned in, taking one of Jo's nipples into her mouth.

Katie sucked on the nub, feeling it harden in her mouth. After a few seconds she switched to the other and gave it the same treatment. She was going back and forth in a ravenous way. There was an urgency to her actions quickly bouncing from one breast to the other.