Seeds of Doubt

If you've read my other stories, you know that circumstances at any given point are not always as they appear.

Sixteen-year-old Traci and 18-year-old Colleen Jenkins were two happy-go-lucky sisters raised in a very loving family. Oh, they fought like cats and dogs at times like any normal siblings but if someone outside the family ever berated one of the sisters, the other one would jump in with both feet to defend her sister with everything she had regardless of the consequences. Their parents had a tremendous influence on the girls, always making family the highest priority. With them, the family was always the most important aspect of their lives and it showed.

Robert Gavin Jenkins (Gavin), their father had slowly worked his way up to become the shop supervisor at an auto body and paint shop. He made decent money. They'd never be rich but he was a solid and good provider and gave of himself to his two angels every spare minute he had. They were both daddy's girls but loved their mother dearly as well. Gavin took on extra hours early in his career so that his wife, Darlene could quit her job as a secretary at an insurance company and be there for the girls during their formative years rather than using daycare. They invested as much as they could of their ethics and morality in their girls to make them strong independent women who could take care of themselves.

Unfortunately, that upbringing would be tested too soon. Gavin was driving the four of them out to supper after Colleen's evening high school graduation rehearsal. Gavin and Darlene couldn't be any more proud of their daughters and they were all laughing and cutting up in the car on the way to the restaurant when Gavin became distracted for a split second and ran a stop sign. A large Ford Expedition T-boned their car, forever changing the direction their lives would take. Dad was declared dead at the scene and although mom made it to the hospital alive, she too passed away mere hours later from severe hemorrhaging.

Both girls were devastated, of course, upon learning the news of their parent's fate as hospital patients themselves. They clung to each other with unrivaled tenacity. They were all the family they had left. Gavin's parents were both retired and lived in an assisted living facility 1600 miles away. Darlene's parents still lived in Japan having retired from the service and decided to retire there after being stationed there for almost twenty years. With no living aunts or uncles, it was understandable how the girls loved and supported each other developing a bond beyond the average family. There was no one else.

Ronnie Eldridge, Gavin's boss stepped in and helped the girls tremendously through the harrowing circumstances. He had the highest respect for Gavin and had planned for Gavin to take over the shop completely upon his retirement. The girls both knew him well because they all attended the same Church and had shared numerous backyard barbecues at one or the others' homes. Having buried his father a year earlier, he assisted them with all the arrangements for the funeral and the burial. The girls considered them family and insisted that they all sit together during the funeral as they dealt with the tragedy.

Ronnie had a close friend and golf buddy Philip, who was a family law attorney. He got him involved with the girls. Since Colleen had just turned 18 and was already a legal adult, she fiercely insisted that she and Traci continue living in the family home. There was nothing she could do about losing both parents so suddenly, but she sure as hell wasn't going to lose her sister as well. The attorney guided Colleen and Traci through all the steps to establish themselves and arrange for Colleen to become Traci's custodial guardian until she became an adult herself.

Gavin had wisely taken out a $500,000.00 term life insurance policy with a double indemnity clause in the event of accidental death. The $1,000,000.00 benefit provided the girls with enough resources to pay off the home mortgage with roughly $850,000.00 to live on until they could decide the direction their lives would take.

Colleen wanted her sister to have as normal of a life as possible given the extenuating circumstances, so she decided to put off going to college until Traci graduated high school. Colleen raised her sister for the next two years becoming both father and mother to her. She didn't begrudge her burden. She embraced and welcomed it. Being responsible for Traci gave Colleen a focus that helped her deal with her loss in her own way. As a result of Colleen's care and sacrifice for her sister, their bond grew far closer than that of mere sisters and Traci instinctively listened to the wisdom of her older sibling.

When Traci graduated high school, both girls decided to attend college together. They were both accepted at the same university where Colleen pursued a major in teaching. Her mother's example of teaching them to become strong women coupled with her recently developed desire to teach others, by having helped Traci through high school, made it a natural choice for her. Traci, on the other hand, loved music and singing so much that she decided to pursue a Bachelor of Arts in Music. Both girls helped each other through their studies and roomed together sharing a dorm on campus. They remained inseparable as they worked toward their respective degrees.

Both girls dated on and off during college. But they had made a pact and swore to one another that neither of them would ever let a man come between them. They never had any secrets between them, always sharing all the details of any dates. They double-dated as much as they could arrange it but it wasn't always practical. One rule they were both fiercely loyal to was chastity. Due to the strong influences of the Church and honoring their parents, they both swore to be virgins on their wedding day.

It was during their junior year that Traci met me, Charles Hough. I was different than the other men she had dated in that I never tried to push her out of her comfort zone while we were out on dates. I fully respected and understood her boundaries. I was a business major who, from her perspective, seemed to have a good head on my shoulders. Being a perfect match, Traci couldn't help herself and fell head over heels in love with me. We soon became exclusive and I proposed to her before the end of the school year but we both agreed the wedding would wait until after we both graduated.

Colleen was conflicted. On one hand, she was happy for her sister and agreed that I was a good man with a good heart, so I probably would make a good husband and father to our children. But at the same time, she was insanely jealous of the time that I spent with Traci. She kept reminding Traci of their pact to let no man ever separate them and Traci felt pressure to honor that as much as possible. As a result, Colleen learned to tolerate me but never really warmed up to me. She resented me solely because she viewed me as a wedge coming between her and her sister. I didn't know what to make of it and tried my best to win Colleen over but she never opened up to me. I was hoping that once we were married that Colleen would learn to accept me in her life. That never really happened.

Colleen calmed down some during her senior year of college when she met Ted Wooten. She had never dated anyone quite like him before. He was a tall, stocky, alpha male, six-feet-four inches, and very dominant in their relationship but not in a bad way. Ted was extremely loving and caring to Colleen and won her heart in short order. What Colleen found so attractive about Ted was his dominance. She was tired of being responsible for her and her sister and welcomed the relief of letting someone else carry the weight. She always felt safe with Ted and knew that he could protect her from all harm. But he was a stubborn one. Once he made his mind up about something, there was no changing it.

Traci thought Ted was perfect for her sister and heartily welcomed Ted into their lives. She never expressed the jealousy that Colleen had shown toward me. Of course, we had planned a double wedding after we graduated and would get off to a good start in our respective marriages. Colleen would be dividing up the remaining money with her sister from their inheritance which would allow both families to purchase nice homes.

Although Ted towered over my five-foot-eleven-inch height, he and I respected one another and although we would become brothers-in-law, we knew we would never grow anywhere near as close as the unbreakable bond that existed between our girls. But we did have one special man-code conversation initiated by Ted. He'd invited me out for drinks shortly before the wedding where we had our first man-to-man away from our fiancées.

"Charles, I think we can both agree that we have snared a great pair of girls."

"No argument there, Ted. I can't imagine a sweeter woman than Traci and can't wait until we tie the knot."

"Well, that's sorta what I want to talk to you about, Charles. We both know that the girls never keep any secrets from one another and I shudder to think what you already know about me because I sure know a hell of a lot about you."

"Yeah. I figured it went both ways. You're right. They don't seem to hold anything back. But I hope you aren't looking for something like that between us."

"Oh hell no. Not that you're not a good guy or anything, Charles but I'm just not wired that way. I guess I can get used to the idea that you're going to know every time I fart or make love to my wife and in what position and vice versa but there are some things I'd like to keep private just between you and me."

"What do you have in mind Ted?"

"Well, it's that unique bond they have that bothers me just a little. Now don't get me wrong, I don't resent the love between them and I respect how close they are. Hell, I'd rather Colleen share her life with her sister than blab everything out to the world with her coworkers or other friends. You know what I mean?

"I think I do, Ted. So what are you getting at?"

"Before I say any more, I need to know if I can count on you to never disclose our conversation today to either of our girls. What we say here can't go any further. Can you give me your solemn word on that?"

"Of course. Like you, I'm glad they have each other to count on for support, especially, about women's issues but you and I seem to be a bit more private, at least to the extent they allow it," I laughed.

"Good Charles. I agree. Well, we're both looking at houses to live in once we're married and I think it's great we'll have a jump start on a life that their inheritance affords. But at the same time, you and I need to think this through a bit before final decisions are made concerning selections."

"In what way?"

"As you know, if Colleen had her way, we'd both buy houses next door to one another so the two of them would never be apart. I'm not saying that's wrong, mind you. I'm just saying that's not what I want nor what I believe to be healthy for the two of them in the long run. I believe it would be better overall if there was some distance between our homes. I'm not talking about different cities or anything like that. But I think that you and I should set a goal to have at least five miles between our homes, close enough for visits but far enough away to allow some space between our two families. Otherwise, neither of us would ever have any privacy to speak of, if you know what I mean.

"Well Ted, I've heard the girls talk about that very thing and I agree with you. I have no objection to them being close as sisters and all but there have to be some boundaries like you suggest. How should we go about making that happen? You know the girls are pretty strong-willed on that issue."

"I know that; trust me, and I have a plan, but the only way it will work is if you're in this with me. I can deal with Colleen, don't worry about her but you will need to put your foot down and keep it down on this issue while you and I present a concerted front to the girls."

"How can you be so sure that you can deal with Colleen, Ted? She's a pretty spirited woman from my experience around her."

"Don't take this the wrong way, Charles, it's just the way of the world. There are two basic personality types of men in varying degrees when dealing with women, alphas, and betas. I'm an alpha male. I have seized control of my relationship with Colleen. I love her and would never hurt her but I call all the shots and she is attracted to my dominance. My authority over her is absolute. I am her master and she is my submissive. Don't share that information with Traci because she might not understand Colleen's depth of commitment to me. I've instructed her to keep that aspect of our relationship to ourselves. You're not like me in that regard. You're a beta male. That's not a bad thing necessarily, it's just the way you're wired. You view Traci as your equal in every way. You're a super nice guy and want to please her, so most of the time you follow her suggestions, and everything you do is geared toward pleasing her. As I said, there's nothing wrong with that. We're just different, that's all. But that's why I'm sure I can handle Colleen."

I had mixed feelings about what I'd just heard. While Ted and I always get along well, somehow I felt as if I had just been insulted. In a nutshell, it seemed that he viewed me as a wimp. Setting those feelings aside, for the time being, I wanted him to know I was on board.

"Count me in, Ted. But how will we go about it?"

"Good. Glad we agree. Okay, here's what we'll do; let's let the girls pick several sites that they like, and then you and I will check them all out. Of course, they will only choose sites where two houses are available either side by side or very close by on the same street. Your mission is to help Traci fall in love with the house she wants to buy. I will act like I'm undecided while you two put a deposit down on your house. Then I will steer Colleen to another house much further away but one that perfectly meets all of her criteria for her dream home with the one exception of it not being next door to her sister. I will 'persuade' Colleen to buy her dream house with me and will not allow her any other options."

Ted continued, "But you are the key player in this scenario, Charles. When Traci learns that Colleen and I are buying another home several miles away, she's going to try to convince you to let your house go and purchase a different one closer to us. You are going to have to be adamant, put your foot down and not budge no matter what. You merely have to stand firm this one time and, once the girls adjust to their new situation, they'll be fine after realizing that they can call each other all they want. But at least you and I will have some autonomy in our own homes. Do you think you can hold the line on that, Charles?"

I wanted to prove to him that I was no wimp. I grinned and stuck out my hand to Ted and shook it. "Traci may be angry with me for a while but I agree with you that it would be best in the long run for all of our sakes. I'll do it."

The only thing that backfired about Ted's plan was Colleen. She knew that Ted would force her to stay in the home she had chosen for them as her dream house and that was that. However, Colleen's resentment toward me grew even stronger. She pulled me aside one day and angrily told me she hated me for not allowing Traci her freedom to uproot us and move closer to her and Ted.

On our honeymoon night, after we finally shared the most wondrous lovemaking imaginable, Traci looked me directly in the eyes and sang her heart out to me. She put her musical talent to work and effused me with her acapella rendition of Céline Dion's song, 'The Power Of Love'. We melted into each other's arms secure in the knowledge of our boundless love.

After we married and were all settled, Colleen would often invite my wife over to their home without me. Traci felt obligated to humor her sister but also felt bad for me. She said she loved me with all her heart and didn't want me to be left out. When Ted finally caught on to what Colleen was doing, he laid down the law. He told her that it was embarrassingly rude of her to invite her sister over for visits and exclude her husband and he forbade her from doing it again. Colleen grumbled and obeyed her husband but her hate for me grew even more because she believed I was somehow influencing Ted to force her to accept me which only served to fuel her hatred. Ted must have told her I was a beta male so Colleen felt that I should do everything she or Traci wanted without complaint. I was in a tough spot.

Colleen's solution was to stop inviting us as a couple over to their house at all. That way she rarely saw me. She'd frequently invite Traci to meet her for girls-only outings away from her home, either shopping, movies, or going out to eat. That way the two of them could socialize and stay close without any interference from either husband. That pattern seemed to stabilize both families and though Ted and I were unhappy with Colleen for continuing to ostracize me, neither of us thought it important enough to make a life or death issue of it.

Whenever either husband would be away from home for several hours or longer, then the girls would arrange to visit the home of the absent husband. That seemed to make Colleen happy and avoided any confrontations. Birthdays and holidays were the exceptions and Colleen barely held her tongue during those occasions, enduring my presence during the infrequent short-time events.

= = = = = = = = =

I was very pleased with my sex life with Traci. She loved intercourse in over a dozen positions that we'd experimented with and eagerly loved pleasing me after holding off having sex until marriage. It was worth the wait for us. She even came to love anal, which many women learn to tolerate, but Traci could orgasm from anal alone. I never questioned her. If she liked it, then I was all for it.

The only drawback in the area of intimacy was oral. When we experimented with it, I came to dearly love it. Traci went crazy when I went down on her and embraced my aptitude. I learned to get even better for her over time. But although she could physically perform oral on me, she didn't like doing it. She thought it was somehow demeaning for her to do that to me and found the taste of my semen disgusting, so she would always immediately spit it out. I was disappointed, of course, but didn't want to try to coerce her to do something she truly found repulsive, so I stopped asking her for it. Aside from that one thing, she freely gave her body to me without reservation and never denied me or held back from me in any other way. She would compromise and perform oral on me on special occasions such as my birthday, our anniversary, and Christmas. I eagerly looked forward to those special occasions and cherished them dearly.

Over the next four and a half years, Traci fruitfully blossomed giving me three wonderful blessings: two girls and a boy. Darlene Marie Hough appeared on the scene first, of course, being named after Traci's mother. Charles Edward Hough, Jr. came next followed by Roberta Teresa Hough as the youngest of the lot. Roberta after Robert, Traci's dad's first name, and Teresa is my mother's name, so we had two daughter namesakes. We couldn't have been happier. We were the epitome of the term, one big happy family.

The fruitfulness of our family presented an awkward situation with her sister. Colleen didn't have a clue why but as active as her sex life was with Ted, and you can believe that he ensured it was active, she had not conceived and it was exasperating to her. Of course, Colleen was very happy for her sister's good fortune but at the same time, not unexpectedly, she came to resent me all the more. She reasoned that I did my best to keep Traci barefoot and pregnant as a means to interfere with her time with her sister. No one understood Colleen's obsessive dislike and resentment toward me and just accepted it as her main quirk. Colleen doted over her two nieces and nephew and made sure that all three knew they were loved by their Aunt Colleen and Uncle Ted.