As graduation day approached, I couldn't wait for the whole thing to just be over and done with. I was so tired of the boring daily grind of school that, at this point, it was nothing more than a bureaucratic dotting of the I's to get me through to completion. I had more than enough credits to graduate and was just putting in the requisite time required by the school board.
My workload had been increasing dramatically. Mable was continually adding new clients and that in itself was enough to keep me hopping. What neither of us had accounted for though was the general word-of-mouth being passed around by my enthusiastic clients. I was quickly overwhelmed with work.
Mable and I put our heads together and came up with an equitable employee presentation to bring John in as a junior partner. We wanted to make sure he would be adequately compensated for his efforts as well as add to the general business coffers of Jamble. John was enthusiastic and, as he would be completely at liberty after graduation, was available and more than ready.
We began by taking him along on both types of client meetings, from the first where the initial setup occurred to the monthly maintenance. John was an apt pupil and already had the knowledge and computer experience to get the work done in a timely and efficient manner. He was also very personable which was a tremendous asset as well.
When I informed Mom that I had no intention of participating in the graduation ceremony, and that it felt like a colossal waste of my time, she was completely crestfallen. Moments later, Mable grasped my arm rather forcefully and led me into what was now our bedroom. "What in the hell do you think you're doing?" She hissed, her eyes flaring with anger once we were alone. I was immediately taken aback as she had never before expressed even the slightest form of anger toward me.
"What? What did I do?" I stammered, completely at a loss.
"Didn't you see the look on your Mother's face just now?" She demanded. "What the hell is the matter with you? Don't you realize that graduation is not all about YOU? It's never about the students at all. It's ALL for the proud parents who've spent the better part of their existence wanting the best for their children."
I nodded thoughtfully as my selfishness suddenly dawned on me. Mom had always said that I would be the first of her family to ever graduate from high school; she herself had never done it, having dropped out in her senior year.
"Oh, my God, you're right," I admitted, my face warming with embarrassment.
Mable smiled and I was incredibly relieved to see the anger dissipate from her countenance. "Trust me," she said, taking me in her arms. "We're going to make this a fun event for all of us. I promise you, you won't regret it. Leslie and I have been making plans for several days now."
I was moderately surprised by Mable's heightened sense of excitement for my graduation, and I could readily see the pride and enthusiasm in her eyes. So, for as much as I maintained a complete ambivalence about the whole thing, I knew I would be letting both women down if I did not participate wholeheartedly.
Mom would have been there regardless, for John. Beyond the constant sexual attraction, she had for him, she had developed a genuine affection for him as well. After that first date night we spent together, John had managed only one more sleepover. His parents had clamped down on his extracurricular gaming activity as graduation neared, wanting to make sure he had the requisite credits to graduate.
Mom and John managed to supplement any sleepovers with a few afternoon trysts, entertaining Mable and me with loud and passionate sounds of enthusiastic sex from beyond Mom's bedroom door as Mable and I worked on my client calendar.
On the afternoon of graduation day, the four of us were together at the house. Mom and Mable looked over the graduation program, which enumerated the proper etiquette for picture taking (where parents were lined up to take photographs singly as each student received their diploma, rather than rushing the stage en masse). And as well, listing the time and place for the reception, following the ceremony, for everyone to mingle.
"Are we all going to the reception as well?" Queried Mom with a raised eyebrow.
I shrugged, "I hadn't really thought about it."
"Yeah, man...we should go," said John with a wide grin. "Can you imagine the look on people's faces when we arrive with these beautiful ladies on our arms?"
I laughed and nodded, thinking it might indeed be fun at that to see the looks we would get.
"If you'll have me as your date," said Mable, batting her eyelashes rapidly with a flirtatious smile as she slipped her arm around mine, "I would certainly love to go."
"Then it's settled," smiled Mom, tossing aside the program. "We can start with the graduation ceremony and then maybe go out for a nice celebratory dinner somewhere, before dropping by the reception. We don't have to stay long, just put in an appearance to see what it's all about."
John embraced Mom and they kissed lovingly. "I want you to wear something really sexy tonight," he smiled, his forehead against hers. "I want to hear jaws hitting the floor when they see how beautiful and sexy my date is."
Mom giggled almost girlishly. "I'm not so sure that's a good idea with your parents in attendance," she said.
"They'll only be at the ceremony...and not at the reception," he said with a wink.
"In that case," said Mom with an arched eyebrow, "I think I can probably manage a little bit of sexiness for you."
"Yes," I agreed with an enthusiastic nod toward Mable. "That little black dress you modeled for me the other day would be perfect."
Mable laughed, "Perfect?" She retorted, "Perfectly slutty you mean." When Mom cocked an eyebrow, Mable continued. "It's a little black, halter-style dress, backless...and shows a fair amount of cleavage."
"Nice," said Mom with a smile, "I can't wait to see it. I have something a little similar, it might be fun to dress a little what alike, don't you think?"
"I like it a lot," smiled Mable, "At least I won't be the only one looking like a tart at the reception."
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It was decided that John and I would go together in Mom's car, while Mom and Mable would follow in Mable's vehicle. John and I had to get there earlier to go through the rehearsal process.
The rehearsal was thoroughly boring, but it did save a lot of confusion as we all lined up alphabetically in several rows. About ninety minutes later, we all marched into the auditorium to the strains of the obligatory "Pomp and Circumstance" while flashbulbs strobed from the multitudes of family members in the bleachers along the sides of the room. We flowed in rows to take our seats in our caps and gowns and then sat through several interminable speeches from the school principal to the valedictorian. I kept looking in the bleachers to see if I could find Mom and Mable, but it wasn't until they announced my name and I was officially handed my diploma and began to walk off stage that I finally saw them both standing in front of the stage, wreathed in smiles, as they both took my picture.
Both women wore the black dresses, as they had planned, but as to showing cleavage, as John and I had proposed, it was difficult to discern in that both women wore short, waist-length, black jackets to make them appear more modestly dressed. Several minutes later, as John received his diploma, Mom and Mable once again stepped forward to record the event with their cell phone cameras.
As the ceremony concluded, we all stood and filed out of the auditorium, once again to the strains of "Pomp and Circumstance". We all mingled together in the parking lot, many of us tossing our caps into the air and cheering loudly. And, of course, John and I were no exception. We hung around and waited, finally seeing Mom and Mable exiting the building and then making our way to them.
When Mable saw me, she rushed to me and crushed me to her, kissing me passionately on the lips and, seemingly, not caring who happened to see it. As our lips parted I could see John and Mom also involved in a prolonged kiss. Then Mom stepped away from John and rushed over to me and embraced me warmly, telling me with tears in her eyes how proud and happy she was as Mable and John embraced with warmth and affection.
John's parents arrived and the hugging and handshaking continued as a plethora of photographs were taken and we all beamed for the cameras. "Don't wait up for me," John admonished as his parents prepared to leave. They smiled, knowing full well he wanted to spend the night at my place after partying heartily.
"We've got dinner reservations for six, at the Bellagio, which gives us lots of time to then get to the reception," said Mom as Mable stepped up and took my hand.
"Should we take both cars then?" Asked John.
"Cars?" Smiled Mom, lapsing into a fairly decent Mexican accent reminiscent of "The Treasure of the Sierra Madre". "We don't need no steenking cars."
She turned and indicated a long stretch-limo parked ostentatiously at the edge of the parking lot. The driver, in hat and sunglasses, held up a large sign that read "James T. Kirk" in big, bold letters. Several of the other grads oohed and aahed at the vehicle and laughed good-naturedly at the name plaque while pointing my way.
"I suppose I have you to thank for that?" I said, canting an eyebrow at Mom. She smiled, "I cannot tell a lie," she said, looking contrite with a hand over her heart, then pointing at Mable and smiling, "It was HER idea."
Mable grinned like a Cheshire cat as she performed a little curtsy. "Couldn't help myself," she said as she took my arm and led me to the vehicle. The driver leaped forward to open the door for us and we stepped in to complete luxury.
We no sooner settled into the incredibly comfortable seats, Mable and I facing Mom and John, when Mom reached down and took a bottle of champagne from an ice bucket and popped the cork. She poured into long fluted glasses and we all toasted.
"To the graduates," smiled Mable.
"Jimmy and John," added Mom.
John and I laughed and took big swallows of our champagne as the driver opened an intercom to ask, "Where to, ladies?"
