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Reunions

By: greatcameo



It was a night for reunions. I hadn't seen Stacy in ten years. Running into her at the grocery store had been such a pleasant shock, that I couldn't stop thinking about her the entire time I was getting ready to go out. I had already told my husband, Sam, all about her. In my stories of our times together, I had described her as the closest person to my fantasy woman I had ever met. She still was. 

The last decade had been wonderfully kind to her. If anything she was more desirable than before. She still had a youthful appearance, but now there was an impish glint of experience in her beautiful blue eyes. Neither she or I had grown any taller. We were both cursed to never make five foot tall. But what she lacked in height she made up for in so many other ways. At the store her long, straight, dark hair had been in a loose ponytail. She wore no makeup to hide her olive complexion. She still had a trim body that even the sweats she wore looked good on. All through talk of children and jobs I couldn't help but imagine her laying innocently against me, asking me what she should do, as she had so many years ago. 

In minutes it was if we had only talked yesterday. I never hesitated in asking her to join us at the local country bar later. She never hesitated to accept. The only moment of any sexual suggestion was when she asked me if I thought she and Sam would get along. I brushed a strand of loose hair behind her ear and told her that he would absolutely love her. 

I had to get my mind straight. After all, Stacy and Sam would not be the only introductions made tonight. I was meeting Sam's old friend from high school for the first time, as well. I had heard Sam and a few of their mutual friends talk about Steven before. He seemed to be a nice guy with a good personality. I wanted to make a good first impression. I wondered what he would look like as I blow dried my hair. 

Sam and I are known as "regulars" to the bar we entered. The music blared louder and the smoke poured out as he opened the front door for me. As we made our way through hugs and handshakes of other regulars, Sam led me to the bar. As he yelled out our beer order to the bartender, he slapped the man sitting on the nearest barstool on the back. When he turned around, and recognized Sam with a smile, my confidence faltered. 

Steven was a very attractive man, if for no other reason than the similarities between him and my husband. They had the same shaved head, the same style of facial hair, similar devilish smiles, the same perpetually relaxed way that they held their bodies. The only striking difference was the eyes. Where Sam's eyes had always melted me with the hot gold and green tones, Steven's eyes were so bright blue that I felt a chill run through my body as I looked into them. 

We grabbed our drinks and made our way to a somewhat quieter corner table. When Sam introduced me, Steven smiled and I made the fatal mistake of quickly looking away from his stare. My second mistake was looking at Sam instead, and seeing him recognize the embarrassment and grin back at me. This was going to be a very long night of very careful speaking and eye contact. I turned from Sam, a little annoyed that he knew me that well, and saw Stacy walk in the bar. I hadn't told Sam about inviting her, so he was surprised when I started walking away from the table. 

I heard him start to call after me and stop mid-sentence as he saw the direction I was heading. He was as captivated by the woman walking through the door as everyone else in the bar. I giggled as I realized it was like a scene from a movie, where the hottie walks in and even the music scratches to a stop. The music didn't stop, however, and I felt my confidence come back as I felt the envy around me when I hugged her hello. 

As I walked her by the bar for a beer, and then to our table, I kept finding myself staring at her. She was in jeans and a t-shirt, had a little makeup on, and had let her hair down. She made my mouth water. Just as I was wondering if she wore her hair like that because I had told her how much I liked it so many years ago, I caught her looking at me with the same kind of appreciation in her eyes. She quickly looked away and I grinned this time. 

I made the introductions, and noticed that Sam recognized her name immediately. I guess my stories of the good old days had made an impression. I knew that he was already thinking ahead to what tonight after the bar might hold. He and Steven were perfect gentleman. There was no doubt that they were interested in my friend, but they played it off well. After the second round, Sam politely asked Stacy to dance. She looked to me for permission....good girl.....and I warned her to watch her toes. 

Now the table was quiet. Steven was staring at the posters on the wall, deliberately not talking to me. I didn't think I had done anything to make him dislike me yet, but I wasn't sure. 

"I've heard a lot about you". I said. I did look him in the eyes, but only briefly. He seemed relieved that I spoke. So it wasn't dislike, but discomfort. 

"Don't believe anything Sam says....it's all a bunch of lies". We both laughed at his joke. I reached for a cigarette to have something to do. Steven lit it for me and this time the look was longer. There was something there. I wasn't sure what it was, but I could see the corners of his mouth turn up in a way that meant he had something on his mind. 

He cleared his throat and wiped the grin off his face. "Your friend seems nice." 

"She's very sweet". The thought of the double meaning made me smile and I covered with waving down the bartender. "Do you dance?" 

"Not well, why?" 

"Well, I was hoping you would dance with me later". It didn't seem like that big of a deal to me, but he seemed to almost choke on the drink of beer he was taking. 

"Sure, I'll dance with you. Will Sam mind?" It was cute to see old fashion traits in him. He tried the drink again. 

"You could ask if it makes you feel better, but, no, he won't mind. He might even get a kick out of it". I could see he was a little confused but that was OK. If Sam wanted him to understand he would explain. 

We spent the next several hours getting very inebriated, dancing, telling stories and laughing. Things were going extremely well. Everyone seemed to act like old friends. Stacy and I went to the juke box and I could almost feel the guys watching us walk away. As we looked through all the music, she stood very close behind me. I could feel her breath on the back of my neck and my ear. I couldn't concentrate on the music at all, so I just randomly pushed buttons. 

"You know you are driving me crazy, don't you?" I turned my face slightly toward her and smelled her perfume. 

"The feeling is mutual. Do you want me to stop?" She leaned into me as she asked and I felt her press herself against my back. 

I answered her with my own question. "What do you think of Sam?" 

"He's great! He's funny as hell. I could talk to him for hours and never get bored." That had made her back up a little so I leaned back to meet her body again. Finally understanding what I had asked, she added, "Oh, hell yes, he's gorgeous. I don't know how you ever get anything done with him around. His eyes make me feel weak." 

"In that case, no, I don't want you to stop. In fact I would suggest you not be so shy!" 

She squealed quietly and hugged me around the waist. I turned my face to her again smiling, and she kissed me quickly on the lips. "Tonight is going to be so much fun!" As we turned back toward our table the guys were staring at us unabashedly. Stacy and I both knew then how easy it would be to become the center of attention for the rest of the night. 

Stacy and I scooted our chairs closer together so we could whisper in each other's ears. It seemed to both please and infuriate the boys. We made suggestive toasts, light touches of each other's skin, and let them catch us staring into each other's eyes a few times. The next time Sam swept Stacy to the dance floor, Steven wasted no time making conversation. 

"Sam has told me a lot about you, too." There was that grin again. 

"He has, huh? Well, I can guess some of what he has told you, from the look on your face. What do you think?" Definitely the alcohol giving me courage. 

It seemed to be affecting him as well. Some of the shyness was gone. "I think Sam is a very lucky man. He and I were talking about getting out of here pretty soon. We could go back to my house. I'm right around the corner and have a spare room." 

Now it was my turn to look confused. An extra room? Maybe Sam had not told him what I had thought. "Sure, that sounds good. What are we going to do at your house?" 

Before he could answer Sam had come back to the table, laughing hard at something Stacy had told him. Steven was still smiling at me when Stacy fell into his lap, wrapped her arms around him and asked "So we are going to your place, right?" 

I thought he was going to die right there in the bar. It was obvious that he was trying to control himself and not do anything inappropriate. He just nodded and looked at Sam like he was apologizing. Now I knew that Sam had told him that I shared, but had not informed him that he like to share as well. We all made our way out and decided to ride in Steven's truck. 

Without discussing it, Stacy and Sam crawled into the back seat. I had a feeling that this is what Sam had been laughing about moments ago. I climbed up front with Steven. As he drove I saw him watching them in the back seat in the rear view mirror. I caught enough out of the corner of my eye to know that Sam had his hand under her shirt, and she had hers in his lap. Usually I would be completely hypnotized by this, but it was much more fun to watch Steven. 

When he pulled into the store parking lot to buy more drinks for the house, Sam jumped out. I caught Steven by the arm before he could open the door and leaned in close enough to whisper in his ear. I grazed it with my lips while I asked "Did watching them turn you on?" 

He didn't immediately pull away like I expected. Instead he nodded and let his breath escape in a rush, like he was relieved that someone else was in on the secret. I watched him slip out of the truck and right into Sam. Sam was really not good at playing mad, though, and threw his arm over Steven's shoulders. Stacy and I used the time alone for her to fill me in on Sam's plans. 

At Steven's house we drank some more, flirted some more, and touched some more. All of us were very careful to make sure Steven had a good view of what was going on. Eventually I asked if Stacy and I could borrow the shower and was rewarded with one of those nervous nods. As he closed the bathroom door, we let him watch the first real kiss of the night. With her soft tongue in my mouth I lost all thoughts of an audience. Later I would hope he had enjoyed it. 

We took our time in the shower, both to give Sam time to talk to Steven, and to give us time to reacquaint ourselves with each other's bodies. We played slowly and gently at washing each other. It seemed to be an unspoken agreement to not get to distracted until the guys were there with us. I could only stare at her while she dried herself and then came to me with the towel. I could feel the desire from her, but this was more than just that. Stacy had assumed the role she always had. The role of pleasing me in any way she could. 

We didn't bother dressing when we come out. Sam came to the sound of the door opening and Steven followed, looking down at the floor. I led Stacy to the bedroom that we had been shown earlier and turned on just the lamp by the bed. Sam followed us and began undressing. I took the time to watch Stacy enjoy my husband's body, then noticed that Steven was leaning against the door. He was already looking directly into my eyes when I asked if he were going to come in. Then as he took his first steps over the thresholds, I told him he should relax and undress since we all had already done so. I turned away to give him privacy and joined Stacy on the bed. Sam and Steven found their way to a couch. 

It was extremely hard to keep myself under control. We kissed softly at first, but quickly needed more. I ran my hand down her side and felt her tense. When I lowered my mouth to her throat, she threw her head back and guided my hand to her perfect tits. I followed my fingertips with my lips and tongue. As I sucked a hard nipple into my mouth, I heard her moan and it set me on fire. I kissed her stomach and licked the front of her hips while she writhed slowly under me. As I blew on her shaved lips, I lightly traced the inside of her thighs with my nails. Stacy squeezed her tits and tried to raise her hips to my face. 

I looked to the couch to see both men completely entranced. This was my first time to see Steven naked. Looking at both of them there made my heart pound in my chest and I had to swallow hard to get back in control. I laid down and pushed her hips back onto the bed. She spread her legs to give me more room and I wrapped my arms under her. When I finally let her feel my mouth, I wasn't gentle. I had wanted her all night and I wanted everyone to know it. I attacked her soft lips with my tongue. The noises I heard were not only from her this time. 

After a minute or two of taking what I wanted, I pulled back gently. Stacy put her hand in my hair and urged me back into her. Instead I eased my hand out from under her and ran my fingers up and down her pussy. It felt like hot, wet silk. I slipped one finger into her and heard her gasp. She rocked her hips to the rhythm I sat with my hand. I leaned back into her and flicked her hard little clit with my tongue. I knew she would cum if I didn't stop. I also knew that I wanted to save that for later, so I gently pulled away from her. She didn't complain, only looked at me waiting for instruction. 

I walked over to the couch and kissed Sam deeply. He and Steven were both rock hard and touching themselves. Sam gave me room to sit between them and I did. I put one leg over Sam's and the other over Steven's, then laid back. Steven tried to scoot over to make more room for me but I put a hand on his thigh to hold him in place. He flashed a look at Sam and Sam nodded. 

"Stacy, come here." She rose immediately and walked to us. "I missed you so much. Have you missed me? Have you thought about me?" To both questions she nodded and sweetly chewed her bottom lip. She looked so innocent, it was hard to treat her like this, but we both loved it. "Show me what you have been thinking about." She stood still a moment longer. "Now, please." 

She leaned over and started kissing me. I felt her restraining herself to keep up the innocent appearance that I liked so much. I reached my hand forward and softly rubbed her clit. That was all the encouragement she could take. She wasted no time putting on a show and instead went straight to sucking on and playing with my tits. It felt amazing. She was tracing around each nipple with her tongue, then barely grazing it with her teeth. 

I reached out to the right side of me and grabbed Sam's hard dick. I found the stroking that he wanted and then reached out my left hand to Steven. He didn't move his hand, so mine only covered his. Sam saw this and said "Let her, you'll enjoy it." He still hesitated for a second, but moved his hand. This time it was him I heard moan as I adjusted my grip and began to move. 

Stacy got on her knees so that she could be comfortable between my legs. Sam reached under her and played with her tits while she got into position. I looked at Steven and he stared back at me. His mouth was opened slightly and his breathing was heavy. I started to tell him to relax again, but Stacy put the first soft kiss on my pussy and I gasped. I laid my head back and let my eyes close. She had become much more skilled in the last ten years. She investigated every inch of me with her mouth, taking note of what affected me the most. Then she would concentrate on just those areas, just that movement until I was shaking from the pleasure. She made sure to not bring me to orgasm, but she came very close several times. 

Sam slipped out from under my leg and took Stacy by the hand. He sat on the edge of the bed and guided her head down to his lap. She looked up at him and I could see the change in him as he stared into her jeweled eyes. I watched as she stuck her tongue out and played it around the head of his dick. He twisted his hand in her hair and threw his head back as he pushed her mouth all the way down on him. 

I started repositioning myself between Steven's legs. He started to protest and I kissed him hard before he could speak. This time he was already kissing me back before he remembered to look to Sam. By the time he realized he hadn't received permission he already had his hand on the back of my neck pulling me to him harder. He almost jumped back away from me. "I'm so sorry." He looked so grief stricken that I felt sorry for him, but he was still stroking my hair. 

"Sam... a little help?" I kissed his neck. 

"If you want her to stop, just say so. If not, then just let her have what she wants." His breathing was getting harder now, too. It sounded so hot that I almost turned around. I wanted to see the look on his face. I wanted to watch as he moved her head faster and slower to please him. 

"You don't have to do this. I can just watch and take care of myself." It was whispered, but I knew that Sam had heard. I heard the sounds behind me slow and then stop. 

"Do you not want me? Would you rather have Stacy?" She and I both started to get up from the floor. It wouldn't have been exactly what I had in mind, but I knew that Sam would more than make up for any disappointments. 

"What?...Wait!" He grabbed my hand. It was the first time he had touched me on purpose all night and it sent a shock through me, as innocent as it was. Steven looked around at us and saw that we were all waiting now. "Please don't go." He meant it. 

"She asked you a question, dude. Do you want her?" Sam knew the answer. He just wanted to hear it. It would excite him to hear it. 

He swallowed hard and looked at me to answer instead of Sam. "Yes." 

I didn't want to make him uncomfortable any longer. I dropped back to my knees and took as much of him in my mouth as I could. I loved the feeling of him relaxing under me while his dick was throbbing hard in my mouth. I slowed down and concentrated on finding what he liked. I was amazed to find that it was almost exactly as Sam liked. I ran my tongue up and down the length of him, kissed and licked his inner thighs, and let him set the pace that he enjoyed. There was no more shyness. He held my hair and guided me up and down. He moved his hips like he was slowly fucking my mouth. 

Sam and Stacy moved back to the couch beside us. Sam put her on his lap and I heard her pleasure as she finally got to feel him inside of her. I looked up but Sam asked me not to stop. Stacy rocked back and forth on him and within minutes I heard her building up to an orgasm. I pulled away from Steven and moved between her legs. She tried to sit still but Sam was moving hard under her. I licked her clit while she came, then I licked and kissed her and Sam while they both caught their breath. I felt him push deeper inside of her every time I had my mouth on his balls. He stopped me before it became to much for him. 

I went to lie on the bed and touch myself. Stacy sat beside Sam on the couch. "Would you like to join her?" 

Steven didn't even answer. He just came to the bed beside me and started kissing me. This time, without the guilty conscience, he didn't have to be told what to do. His hands explored my body. At times barely touching my skin and making me shiver. Then grabbing me hard and pulling me against his body. His hand replaced mine between my legs and teased me with his gentleness. As I bucked my hips under him, he took the hint, and finally slowly put his finger inside of me. I saw Stacy and Sam watching us and touching each other. 


Reunions are Irresistible



There's just something so special about family reunions. Part of the reason would have to be the fact that most members of the extended family have only seen each other once or twice every two years. Now, everyone can gather together in one place at the same time. They are just so pleased to come together and catch up on current events. Some are just happy mainly because they are waiting for their cousins to pay them back those hundreds and hundreds of dollars which probably weren't well spent in the first place.

Kevin didn't always enjoy participating in these sorts of personal congregations, but once he graduated from high school, he wanted to see more of his original acquaintances. Now, at twenty-one years of age, he couldn't wait to see his cousins, uncles, aunts, and grandparents. Family is always the exceptional group of companions because of certain relations that one would never expect from a casual friend. And that was the main reason why he wanted to visit his uncle Francis, who currently resided in Orange County, California. The city of Rancho Santa Margarita had been Francis's home for quite some time now. He never married, but sharing his home, one of the most expensive in the city, with someone he loved most likely didn't matter to him. He found phenomenal success as the principal conductor for the Pacific Symphony Orchestra. Kevin's fuel for admiring classical music burned much brighter just from Francis's occupation alone. Even if Kevin still had rock music percolating in his heart and soul, Beethoven and Mendelssohn would kick in at the right moments.

Even without the classical music, the young man always admired his uncle, so much so that he couldn't stop thinking about him every once in a while. As a matter of fact, in random moments in the evening for the past two years, he would imagine Francis lying in bed with him with his arms wrapped all around him.

The family reunion started on a Saturday afternoon. Uncle Francis held it at his own home, a spacious and lavish two-story house, which was located near the hillsides of the Santa Ana Mountains. It was a good thing that the backyard would be where the gathering was held, since everyone would have a good view of the barren but gorgeous mountainside. When Kevin showed up alone with casual attire, which consisted of blue jeans and black t-shirt, he hung his jacket on the coat rack. He found his parents greeting him at the front door and showed their contentment because of his presence.

Kevin asked, "Where's Uncle Francis?"

His father replied, "He went to the store to get some more liquid refreshments. He'll be back. You really want to see him again, don't you?"

"Why not? I haven't really seen him in a long while."

"Don't worry. He'll be here. In the meantime, there are some other people who can't wait to see you again. Your grandparents are in the backyard."

Kevin groaned. "I don't even know what to say to them anymore. They don't even speak English half of the time."

"Hey, speaking Welsh is a fundamental right. You could have at least learned the language while you're still in high school."

"I don't think California is willing to have a school that teaches basic Welsh, anyway."

His father pointed at the kitchen. "Just go ahead and say hello to them. Remember, they're family. Show respect, even if you can't understand what they're saying."

Kevin nodded with mild reluctance. "All right, I will."

He took one look at the two-story house before meeting his grandparents. Francis's home appeared so large and luxurious, a traditional representation of the American Dream. Brown leather furniture and a grand piano had become stunning items in the living room. Just the mere appearance of a well-kept house ignited another glimmer of irresistibility toward Francis's positive outlook.

Kevin found his grandparents sitting at the patio table, discussing something with one of their grandsons, Seth. The grandparents had that typical conservative look. Their old-fashioned clothing, wrinkled skin, white hair, and warm gracious smiles would make anyone proud of having such lifelong family relations.

As soon as he spotted his cousin opening and closing the patio door, Seth stood up with a smile on his face. "Hey, Kevin! Good to see ya again."

The two hugged each other before Kevin whispered in Seth's ear, "Help me out here."

Seth asked, "What's the problem?"

"I need you to tell me what grandma and grandpa are saying."

Seth almost laughed. "You still don't know how to speak our native tongue?"

"Okay, first of all, both of us were born and raised in California, so our native tongue is nothing but ENGLISH. And second, you know I never have the time to learn such a thing."

"All right, I'll help."

"Good."

Kevin gave his grandparents a big smile. "Hello, how have you been doing?"

Seth translated from English to Welsh, from Welsh to English. The exchanges had grown ordinary whenever Kevin had the chance to find a translator in order to have a normal conversation with his grandparents.

But all of a sudden, in the middle of a hot topic, Seth gasped when he saw someone who arrived in the kitchen.

Kevin looked to see if Uncle Francis had returned from the store. "Who are you looking at?"

Seth quickly crawled under the patio table and whispered, "It's Aunt Lorraine. I don't want her to see me."

"You DID pay her back the nine hundred, didn't you?"

"Well, what do you think?"

"It's been two years, man!"

Seth hid behind his grandmother. "Blame the economy. I'm outta here."

He dashed for the back door that led to the dining room, leaving Kevin with abrupt silence between him and his grandparents. He forced a smile in the midst of an awkward situation.

His grandfather asked him a question in Welsh. Kevin hesitated and said, "...Ydw?"

Basically "yes" in English.

His grandparents gasped simultaneously and expressed sudden shock.

Kevin whispered to himself, "Ah, crap."

He stood up from his seat and didn't even bother to try and translate his next phrase: "I need something to drink."

Once he went into the kitchen, he greeted his Aunt Lorraine. No one would ever forget her because of her fancy hairstyle and long painted fingernails. She asked if he had seen Seth wandering around this house.

Kevin thought of a lie pretty quickly. "I think I saw him at the ATM making a withdrawal."

Aunt Lorraine smiled. "So it ends tonight. I feel so relieved right now."

She had become one of the cooks for tonight's dinner. With a large spoon, she kept stirring what looked like a bowl of mashed potatoes, but Kevin couldn't be too sure. It looked way too thick and brown.

"Would you like a taste?"

Kevin took a few steps back. "I'd rather not. I don't want to spoil my appetite just yet."

Aunt Lorraine had never been a good cook in the first place. Her adding pieces of garlic into her latest concoction would be considered empirical evidence. "You'll love it. It's one of my specialties."

"Uh, please tell me it's mashed potatoes."

"Don't be silly. It's for the peach cobbler that I'll be producing in the next few minutes."

"Why are you using garlic instead?"

"Peaches are overrated. Garlic gives that real exotic flavor."

"I think I'll pass."

Lorraine chuckled as she added more bits of garlic into her bowl. "You'll be sorry."

At that exact moment, Kevin's father walked in with his younger brother, another recognizable face.

Kevin gave his uncle Jeremy a big hug. "Man, it's real good to see you again."

"You haven't changed a bit, and that's a good thing."

Jeremy had always been as charismatic as Francis. Working as a librarian at an Anaheim library, he lived a good life despite his divorce from several years ago. Kevin only hoped he would bounce back from such a bitter separation from his wife and son. Jeremy looked so handsome with his glasses and long brown hair that reached his shoulders, any sort of woman would be happy to be his next wife.

"So how have ya been?"

The forty-three-year-old librarian took a good look at Lorraine's bowl of strange ingredients. "I'll be fine as long as I don't eat anything from that."

Lorraine used sarcasm to make a point. "As if you ever knew how to make the perfect peach cobbler."

"At least I use actual peaches to get my point across."

Kevin chuckled. "So how are ya doin' these days?"

He, his father, and Uncle Jeremy took seats at the round-shaped kitchen table. Jeremy breathed a big sigh of gratification before saying, "I've never felt better in my entire life. I still miss my son, though. I wish he was here with everyone else."

Kevin murmured, "I'm wondering if you got over your separation from Tara. Because if you are, then it's good to look on the bright side."

"I've overlooked this melancholy for a long time now. I've already found someone else to share my life with."

"Who is she?"

"His name is Lonnie."

Kevin paused for a moment to take in what the librarian just said to him. "I can't tell whether you're joking or not."

"I know how to show you that I'm telling the truth. Lonnie is in the living room talking to your uncle Francis."

"Wait, Francis is already here?"

"That's right."

"Excuse me for a moment."

Kevin walked a little faster to fulfill his anticipated reunion. As soon as he reached the living room, he found his uncle introducing himself to someone who sat on the couch. Francis was his usual self, his dark brown hair and black polo shirt giving off such an arousing impression.

Kevin didn't even concentrate on the stranger when he came up and said, "Hey, Uncle Francis, how's it goin'?"

Francis gave him a hug. Kevin embraced him even tighter.

"So, Kevin, how's life in Cal State Fullerton?"

"I've been doing better than before. How's the orchestra?"

"Everyone's been performing splendidly. Next week, we'll be performing Mahler's Second Symphony."

"It sounds like it's gonna be a box-office sellout."

"Here's hoping. Anyway, have you met Lonnie yet?"

Kevin finally noticed the young and skinny Native-American man standing up from the couch. They shook hands while Kevin examined his outside features. Lonnie looked to be a couple of years younger than him. He had long black hair and wore a black shirt and white pants. On top of that, he looked particularly striking. No wonder Jeremy had fallen for such a person like him.

Kevin cleared his throat. "So how long have you, uh...been with Jeremy?"

Lonnie replied, "Ever since October."

"Six months, huh? Is he that good?"

"What?"

Kevin tried frantically to say something else. "I mean, you know, I'm sure Jeremy's a good person for something other than what happens behind closed doors. I mean, he's really smart. He loves books. Lots and LOTS of books. But Fifty Shades of Grey is not one of them. I can assure you that. But I guess you already know that. I mean, you talked about it with him. I'm not assuming that you act it out or something. I mean...you know he was married to a woman once, right?"

"Of course, I do."

Francis intercepted at the right time. "Lonnie, why don't I introduce you to everyone else in the family?"

Lonnie gave a little grin. "I'd like that."

Francis led him straight to the kitchen, but not before giving Kevin a curious glance. Kevin gave himself a slow deep breath. He just couldn't believe the abrupt transition that Uncle Jeremy underwent. His divorce probably had something to do with it. Regardless, Kevin still felt satisfied that Jeremy had found someone else, no matter if it was a man or a woman.

Half an hour later, everyone had shown up to this reunion. Most of them gathered in the backyard while the steady sounds of classic rock became suitable for background delight.

Something interesting happens when there's always a family reunion. A pattern forms in the shape of some exclusive and sometimes well-rounded personalities. In one corner, a couple of twenty-something cousins competed against their two uncles with a game of poker, all betting which ones will get to keep their video game consoles and stereo systems. In another corner, some of the kids showed off their smartphones and the new apps they had recently paid and downloaded. They didn't even want to say hello to their own grandparents. And then there was Seth, who kept hiding behind different ferns and bushes whenever he spotted Aunt Lorraine in the distance. Maybe he shouldn't have borrowed so much money in the first place.

Some of the gossip that formed in scattered sessions dealt with Jeremy and his Native-American boyfriend. While having a little chat with his older cousin Brad, he overheard his two female cousins lamenting the loss of a potential hookup. Lonnie's good looks and appealing exterior became a primary topic between Monica and Janice, both of whom sat at the patio table with nothing but frowns on their faces.

"Why do all the hot guys prefer to date other men? What's wrong with being attracted to perfectly fine women like us?"

"You think that's bad? Most of the guys I know who love to sleep with other guys always love to watch sports, know how to fix cars, and can cook an excellent Porterhouse steak. We're stuck with straight guys who love to use facial cream, always watch freakin' nature documentaries, and never know how to fix a kitchen sink."

"We've sunk to a new low."

"God have mercy on our souls. So how's the baby?"

"Oh, she's doing fine. Preston's being a real good father to her."

"Oh, that's good."

Kevin just had to shake his head with amusement. He had heard this sort of discussion before with other young women. He didn't want to have anything to do with it because it just seemed like such suitable entertainment by itself. As a brown-haired pretty boy, Kevin himself wasn't very muscular, but young women his age always found him to be cute, adorable, and most of all, nice. Maybe that's why they always ran off with straight-up douchebags instead of him.

When Brad left to meet up with Aunt Lorraine, Kevin had been forced into a hasty banter with his blond-haired brother Donald.

He whispered in Kevin's ear, "I need your help, man. Please!"

Kevin asked, "What's the problem?"

"I'm in a major crisis here. I don't know any of these people's names!"

"Didn't you memorize that email I sent you?"

"I didn't want to."

"Well, at least you're being honest."

Donald looked so desperate. "Please, help me! Everyone already recognizes me. Even your grandparents know my name...and they were speaking ENGLISH at the time! I'm trying real hard not to look like a complete idiot."

Kevin sighed. "Oh, all right. But stay close to me. You have to remember not only their names, but what they look like."

"Whatever you say. You're the boss in this situation."

For the next few minutes, Kevin had to show his brother every member of the extended family without having to repeat introductions. As they moved on from room to room, Kevin would whisper the correct names to Donald, who faked a smile and greeted himself to what must have been complete strangers. Kevin pointed his finger to whoever he could come across.

"The young boy who's tuned out with his iPod is Edward. The spoiled princess over there is Victoria. The man who doesn't give a crap about what people say about his smoking cigars is named Keith. And the young man hiding behind the barbecue grill is Seth. He'll tell you why he's avoiding communication altogether by the end of the night."

The two of them did hit a snag when they moved on to the front porch and bumped into another one of Kevin's cousins, Carolyn. Donald didn't need to remember her name, since he always knew who she was because of her weight gain. Unfortunately, he opened his big mouth and described how he could recognize such a large woman right in front of her.

And she didn't let him forget her wrath. "Excuse me? Are you saying that I'm fat? Oh, so this is how it is, huh? You remember me being a big fat slob of a woman!"

Donald raised his hands at her. "No, I didn't mean that!"

But she cut him off by yelling, "You think you're better than me because I'm fat?! I'm morbidly obese, which means I definitely must be a complete retard! You must be out of your damn mind!"

Donald whispered to Kevin, "Can you please help me out here?"

Kevin placed his hand on his shoulder and replied, "You're on your own."

He left his brother alone with the goddess of fat and fury. Thankfully, her fist didn't have the time to come in contact with Donald's face. Dinnertime had just started. Kevin could hear the poor little punching bag thanking God for helping him see the light.

Everyone collected their paper plates, formed a long line in the backyard, and put as much food on their plates as they could. This included pork chops, turkey legs, roast beef, Glamorgan sausages (a combination of eggs and cheese and breadcrumbs in the shape of a sausage), corn, mashed potatoes, egg salad, cornbread, and Aunt Lorraine's famous garlic cobbler. Seth had to hide under the table and, with lightning speed, grab anything he could touch on the surface and put it on his plate. He was fortunate to hide behind the long and wide tablecloth. In the meantime, Carolyn chose the largest turkey leg in the history of Rancho Santa Margarita, while middle-aged Keith kept his lit cigar between his lips, not even paying attention to the people behind him who coughed and waved away the smoke he kept exhaling.

When everyone walked past the bowl of garlic cobbler, Lorraine kept scratching her head. "I don't understand, ladies and gentlemen. Aren't you big fans of garlic?'

Everyone kept silent. Even Francis didn't want to savor a primary example of his sister's deficient talent.

Lorraine blurted, "Sure, keep ignoring my dish all you want! I'll never cook for you again!"

Everyone still kept their mouths shut.

Her snarky demeanor didn't change a bit. "I'll put a curse on all of you!"

Keith shouted, "I hope it involves a quick death!"

And then he started coughing aggressively after inhaling more smoke from his cigar.

Meanwhile, Brad couldn't find what he was looking for on the table. "Hey, where's the monkfish?"

Francis replied, "We decided not to serve it. We've already cooked enough food for tonight."

Brad refused to shut out his denial. "But I thought we would have monkfish. We don't have monkfish?"

Uncle Jeremy tried to calm him down. "I'm sorry. We'll make some next time."

Brad looked like he was about to shed a tear. "But I waited for monkfish for so long. I always love eating it at a time like this. It's a tradition. What just happened? Are we turning hipster or something?"

Francis grunted as he patted Brad on the shoulder. "Just shut up and enjoy the rest of the food, all right?"

"I'll try and survive, but I won't be happy about it."

By six o'clock, the sun no longer left a trace of its vivid luminosity, resulting in dark shades of blue and orange. Complete blackness enveloped the Santa Ana Mountains, its towering shadows looking quite the sharp contrast to the fading heavens. Back in the household, the reunion excelled in enthusiasm as family members either shared their current personal events or had long talks ranging from politics to video games. More classic rock blared on from the boombox situated near the patio doors. At one point, Kevin and Uncle Francis sat alongside Uncle Jeremy and Lonnie at one of the patio tables.

Francis had one look at Kevin's plate and asked, "Why isn't it filled to the brim like the rest of ours?"

"You know I don't like to eat that much."

Francis joked, "You'll be doing your inner man a disservice if you don't qualify for typical features like this one."

"I'll give it a day off."

Kevin noticed his uncle Jeremy whispering something in Lonnie's ear. Lonnie, in return, let out a soft chuckle. Kevin's curiosity reappeared in the shape of a casual conversation.




Reunions are Irresistible



He took a sip of his citrus soda before asking, "Since I'm the last one in the family who found out about this, I'd like to know how the two of you met, anyway."

Jeremy replied, "I'd like to say that it just happened and we went along with it, but it's much more complicated than that. We were friends the first time, and it just went on to become something more."

"I keep hearing that you married the wrong woman, and that's why you chose an alternate lifestyle."

"I'm still not convinced. This bond between Lonnie and I...it's something really special. I can't really explain it."

Francis raised his hand. "Maybe I can. Let's just say that you met someone who really cares about you, and loves you a whole lot. You love him back and the two of you are now together. Let's just leave it at that for now."

Jeremy brushed back his brown hair. "That's good enough."

Keith had just walked past them but had to stop for a moment to reflect on a slightly puzzling situation. "So let me see if I got this right, Jeremy. You marry this woman and she takes away half of your crap, takes away your son, and moves to the East Coast with who I'm presuming is a complete asshole. Cut to present day, and now you're having some fun with someone who's not only of the same sex, but is also still in college."

Jeremy nodded. "That's the most basic scenario, yes."

Keith let out a big sigh. "You are a lucky son of a bitch. I'd kill for a nineteen-year-old woman to satisfy my needs."

The man with the cigar bit through a huge chunk of roast beef as he tried to find another spot in the backyard to sit on.

Lonnie asked Kevin, "You're okay with this, aren't you?"

"Of course, I am. I was just caught off-guard for a few minutes. I mean, I thought Jeremy still had his thoughts on...you know...women. No offense, Jeremy."

Francis remarked, "It's his choice. Let him do what he wants. If it makes him happy, then it works."

Jeremy smiled. "Everyone should remember that."

"Besides, it's the 21st Century. Everyone should love whoever the hell they want."

That statement almost lit a spark in Kevin's psyche. "You really think so?"

"It's the honest truth. There's nothing wrong with loving the person who loves you just as much as you love him."

Francis's little grin, which emerged as quite a magnetic manifestation, almost gave Kevin the shivers. He always had an admiration for his uncle's positive attitude. His friends expressed the same philosophy, but not in a much smaller amount. Francis made him feel worthy of unremitting survival in the real world. Just another reason why Kevin sometimes imagined himself sleeping in the same bed as his uncle's.

Half an hour later, everyone finished their dinners and moved on to some more casual conversations. Carolyn still had a few more words for Donald, resulting in everyone else hightailing out of the living room to evade potential knockouts. Aunt Lorraine thought she spotted Seth behind the bushes somewhere, but it turned out to be a frightened chipmunk that ran off in top speed. 

As for Keith, he began shuffling a deck of cards at the kitchen table. Kevin, Francis, and Lonnie joined him for a game of Texas Hold 'Em. Keith lit another cigar, which was the third one for tonight.

Francis remarked, "Maybe it's best you read the surgeon general's warning next time."

Keith narrowed his eyes at him. "Last time I checked, this is still a free country."

Lonnie waved away the incoming smoke. "He has a point. If he wants to give himself emphysema, let him do it."

"You still have a lot to learn about the bright side of life, buddy."

Francis raised a finger. "You better watch it, Keith. He's Jeremy's boyfriend now. There's no more room for heartbreak in this family."

Keith handed five cards to each of his opponents. "Lighten up, Francis. It's not like I'm waging a war. Now, just let me do what I want and everyone will be happy."

He coughed again, and this time, he spat out some unwanted phlegm on the grass.

Francis chuckled. "You have the freedom to use the grass for support."

"Thanks."

Kevin lost the first two rounds of Texas Hold 'Em, but he didn't care. With a little grin on his face, he enjoyed watching Uncle Francis earning a little more wealth thanks to his poker face.

Keith sighed. "That's the problem with big rich guys like you. You take our money and you spend it like it's something from off of your bucket list."

Francis flipped through the dollar bills with his fingers. "Don't judge me for doing something that I haven't even done yet. Besides, I'll donate all of this to charity if I'm careful with it."

"Yeah, you'll send it to the Rich Fucks Foundation."

Kevin laughed. "Stop it, will ya, Uncle Keith? Francis is a good guy."

"Try saying that when he's wearing one of his fancy suits while he's going to the opera."

"Maybe I will someday."

It was Francis's turn to reshuffle the cards and hand them to his opponents. Kevin noticed an interesting hand right in front of him: three Kings and two Aces. He tried to act as patiently as possible as he asked for one more card before setting the Ace of Diamonds down on the table.

Francis handed him another card and said, "You always like to back me up when criticism, whether constructive or not, is on the loose to tear apart my reputation. Am I like a second father to you?"

Kevin's new hand consisted of all four Kings and the remaining Ace. He didn't want to spoil his opportunity by losing his blank stare. "I wouldn't say that. I'd say you're like a close friend...a VERY close friend."

Francis asked, "Care to elaborate?"

"Well, we care about each other, and we would do anything to help each other. I love ya, Uncle Francis. I really do."

Keith snuffed out his cigar with the ash tray. "Don't talk about feelings when we're playing cards. Remember that, Kevin."

Francis interrupted, "I thought you said this is a free country. Let him talk about how he loves his family as much as he wants to."

Kevin kept his eyes on his cards. "I really do."

"Tell me more."

The young man finally looked up to see Francis's enlightening little smile, which calmed his senses more rapidly than usual. "Whenever I'm feeling a little down, you're always there to cheer me up. I'd do the same thing for you, but you always refuse."

"Unfortunately, that's not how I deal with problems. I can take care of myself fine."

"I'd still do anything to help you out."

"And that's why you're a good person. You do care about your family members."

Lonnie pushed his cards aside. "I fold."

Keith did the same. "I think I'm losing my ability to win a few rounds. I blame it on you."

Francis ignored his older brother's finger-pointing. "You're responsible for your own actions. Deal with it."

Kevin looked down at his cards once again. He tried to ignore the drop of sweat that popped out of his forehead. Francis bet all of his chips for this round. Kevin kept his mouth shut as he began to lick his teeth.

Francis asked, "How long have you felt this way?"

That almost caught Kevin off-guard. "What do you mean?"

"When did you start caring about me?"

"Ever since childhood."

"But you're not as considerate for everyone else. What makes me so special?"

Kevin couldn't figure out where this was heading. "I guess...I'd like to be there for you because you're my favorite uncle. You know...the one who's helped me with dealing with the real world as much as Dad did."

Francis no longer set his eyes on his cards and told his nephew, "It feels good to hear that."

They looked at each other with delicate fondness before revealing their cards. Kevin showed his four-of-a-kind, which beat out Francis's straight hand.

Keith raised his hands in amusement. "Looks like your luck has finally run out."

Francis handed Kevin every dollar bill he had previously counted. "You win fair and square. Buy yourself an online subscription or something."

"I think I'll donate it, just like you said."

Keith laughed. "You can always tell when someone's telling a lie."

Several minutes passed, and family members showed some progress as time went by. Aunt Lorraine bumped into Kevin and asked if he had seen where Seth had run off to. Seeing as how Seth now hid himself in the powder room, Kevin couldn't keep the absolute truth concealed any longer. He whispered to Aunt Lorraine that he would pay her back once she would find him in the correct location.

Lorraine clapped her hands together. "It's about damn time!"

Once she walked off in silence, the young man had to see what happened to his brother. He found Donald in the living room, trying to have a chat with the Welsh-speaking grandparents.

And he did the exact same thing that Kevin did. When the grandmother asked him a question, he simply said, "Ydw."

And again, the grandparents gasped in complete and utter shock.

Donald's had the eyes of a frightened rodent as he tried to correct himself.

Kevin could only shake his head in amusement. Once he entered the kitchen, he spotted both Carolyn and his uncle Keith sitting at the table with nothing but frowns on their faces. Carolyn kept blabbering on about not finding the right man, all the while devouring her second chocolate bar. Keith, on the other hand, kept ranting on how not a single woman he has ever met found him attractive. The cigar smoke that caused his unforeseen coughing at the moment didn't give him a hint at all.

Kevin remarked, "People can be so obtuse these days."

Carolyn already finished her chocolate bar. "You said it."

Next, the young man tried to find his uncle Jeremy. None of the others could find him, either. After wandering around the house for a full minute, Kevin discovered the hallway that led to the garage. The front door had been sealed shut. He tiptoed towards it and pressed his ear against the door. He recognized the two muffled voices on the other side. Jeremy and Lonnie gave each other brief banters before making light smacking noises, most likely kisses on the lips. It sounded like Lonnie was the one who did the zealous moaning. Kevin kept quiet when walking away and giving them their well-intended privacy. He had heard from other family members how Jeremy and Lonnie loved each other. He let out a deep sigh. He wished he had the same feeling for his uncle.

He met everyone else in the living room. In a frantic manner, Seth had just finished writing an I.O.U. for a disenchanted Aunt Lorraine. The other members (including Carolyn, Keith, Brad, and Donald) had a wonderful time chatting in the living room. Every single word ranged from soft mumbles to joyous cries. Keith and Kevin's father continually told bad jokes to each other, while the kids stayed in the corner concentrating on what happened on their smartphones. Kevin couldn't help but feel content. Despite a few eccentricities, and several obstacles that he had to face with these people, he had no problems with every one of them for being themselves. At the age of twenty-one, those who stayed with him the most would be the ones he admired the most. 

Amidst the discussions continuing in the living room, Kevin asked his father where Francis had gone.

To which his father replied, "He's upstairs. The last time I checked, he was in his study room."

"So he's alone?"

"Don't feel so suspicious. It's not like he's stealing something from his own home."

"I'm not."

Kevin hurried on upstairs to find his uncle in the study room. The room itself looked quite spacious, complete with bookshelves and picture frames hung on the wall featuring awards and certificates in music. Francis sat at his desk, staring at an upright picture frame on the surface. 

The young man asked, "Who's in the picture?"

Francis sighed. "It's just a picture of you, me, and your parents at Lake Tahoe from two years ago."

"We had a fun time up there."

"Well, at least you did. I had an uneasy feeling that the women I talked to in that ski lodge never had an interest in me."

"I'm sure they were. Good guys like you are growing rare in this country. But I guess not a lot of people realize that."

"Still, it would have been nice to have someone to talk to in those long late evenings. It's been a long time since I've had a relationship."

Kevin drew closer towards him. "How long has it been?"

"I don't know. I can't remember. But what does it matter? I love my career, and I love where it's taken me. I don't have time for relationships anymore. It would be nice, though, to have someone in this house other than regular visitors."

"It can still happen."

"I doubt it."

"I'm serious, Francis. I mean, if I was a woman, I'd be happy to be your wife."

"Say that again."

"I said that I'd be happy to be your wife if I was a woman."

"What would you do to entice me?"

After a few seconds of slight hesitation, Kevin replied, "I'd give you what every man would want in a partner. We'd help each other, support each other, and sometimes challenge each other. But I'd do something a bit more old-fashioned than what's regarded as a normal tendency these days. I'd fix you a hot and delicious dinner when you come home after a hard day's work. I'd give you your slippers and fix you a bath."

Francis straightened up in his chair. "That sure sounds enticing."

Kevin tapped his fingers lightly on the desk. He eyed the picture frame, which did indeed show a picture of the two of them at Lake Tahoe. "Furthermore, I'd make you feel a lot better by...never mind."

"Oh, please continue. I like the sound of this."

Kevin's smile grew larger. "This may sound a little peculiar, but I'd make you feel better by taking you to your bedroom and give you an evening that you would always remember."

Francis stood up fro his chair and drew a little closer. "How long have you felt this way?"

Kevin wanted to take a few steps back, but at the sight of his curious relative, he decided to stay still. "I don't think I should say it."

"Oh, please do. I need a little bit of assurance right about now."

Kevin didn't hesitate at all. He just expressed his well-kept sincerity as he stated, "I've felt this way for a few years."

"And you didn't have the courage to tell me sooner?"

"Why would I? I was afraid of destroying our loyalty to each other."

"It's not loyalty unless you tell the absolute truth. At least that's the way I see it."

"Well, I'm sorry about my strange feelings."

Francis chuckled. "Don't apologize. This sort of thing would have cropped up in your head sooner or later."

"You're not uncomfortable with this?"

"I never said I'd see you in a more negative light."

At that moment, the first notes of a string instrument could be heard from downstairs. Kevin and Francis recognized the motive of a lifelong musician. Kevin's grandfather had just decided to bring out his fiddle and play a traditional Welsh folk song to everyone who had gathered in the living room. Those who settled in the kitchen and elsewhere were kids who had no intention of moving their eyes away from their smartphones. The tune the grandfather had chosen sounded dramatic with its slow speed and almost otherworldly melodies.

Back in the study room, Francis whispered to his favorite nephew, "Do you know which one this is?"

Kevin shook his head. "I don't have a clue, but whatever it is, it's superb."

"It's a classic folk song."

Kevin's ears had already been delighted by such delicate music. Once more, a strange sensation grew from within his entire body. The gentle sound of the fiddle provided primary encouragement for nonstop movement.

"Shall we dance?"

Francis took his hand, a gleam in his eye resurrected from provisional slumber. "As long as you have the right moves."

"Oh, I think I do."

"Show me."

While the folk song continued on, Kevin and Francis moved away from the desk and experienced a meditative state with a traditional Welsh dance. The original sequence of steps involved a man and a woman, but in this case, uncle and nephew took part in a more radical contribution. Both men held each other's hands and relied on their feet for correct correlation. Kevin didn't feel awkward at all that such a romantic dance had been taken over by a modern revision. As a matter of fact, he accepted the change, mostly because of how his uncle took part in it as well. The two went on with their unhurried and meditative dance in the study room, their modern attire appearing quite incongruous with what was required for such an old composition.

Downstairs, Jeremy and Lonnie had returned from the garage (fully clothed) to hear the grandfather's fiddle produce the sound of nocturnal bliss. The family members took a liking to the old man's long-lasting musical skills, save for a certain cousin.

Brad almost yawned. "This is boring. We need some drums!"

With rapid speed, he took off his shoes and banged them on the coffee table, which almost caught the grandfather off-guard. Brad kept a steady rhythm to keep the fiddle on-track. Both instruments quickened pace in a matter of seconds.

Brad shouted, "This is more like it!"

Keith appeared impressed. "Three can play this game."

He opened up his duffel bag and brought out his Welsh bagpipes. "Let's do this!"

The three men performed a faster and more upbeat composition in unison. People started to tap their feet and pat their thighs to the tune of an adrenaline-pumping folk song.

Aunt Lorraine yelled, "Let's dance, everybody!"

Donald asked, "But what about Francis? Is he going to agree with this?"

Brad didn't stop with his pounding rhythms to make a statement. "Who the hell cares? He'll pay for the damages. He's a rich guy for God's sake! Come on, let's have fun!"

Aunt Lorraine clapped her hands. "Ladies and gentlemen, show your stuff!"

The people in the living room set the recliner and coffee table aside to assemble as a group of vivacious dancers. Husbands and wives, brothers and sisters, even cousins of all kinds joined together and followed the beat of the energetic melody provided by the three musicians.

The two dancers upstairs changed their routine with no complaints. This time, Kevin and Francis hurried their steps to catch up with the frantic beats. At one point, Francis watched his nephew swirl around for several seconds. The older man drew him closer towards him to achieve a circular spin together. Absolute vivaciousness surpassed dizziness as Kevin wanted a firm grip on an increasingly powerful relationship. When the musicians sped up, so did the dancers. Kevin and Francis's rhythmic movements grew faster and more rugged. Kevin enjoyed these moments of pure dynamism. It seemed to feel like the equivalent of a steamier encounter that he longed for.

When the song stopped all of a sudden, everyone in the living room cheered at both the musicians and themselves. Brad and Keith took a bow. Grandmother gave her husband a big hug. And up above, Kevin and Francis congratulated each other on memorizing such frenetic performances. Francis brought his nephew closer to him.

Kevin whispered, "I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did."

Francis almost touched his nephew's nose with his own. "I call it heaven."

The two embraced, with Kevin giving Francis a slight peck on the cheek. He didn't mean to do it, but he just couldn't resist after a few years of bottling up his true imagination.

Once the festivities ended in the living room, it was time for everyone to leave. Just thirty minutes before midnight, the family members took their coats or jackets and left the house in sporadic numbers. The grandparents departed first and said goodbyes in their native language. Keith struck a match and lit his fifth cigar for the night before leaving the front porch, taking his duffel bag with him. Donald quickened his pace to steer clear of any more mishaps with Carolyn.




Reunions are Irresistible



Aunt Lorraine was next to leave and she had a few more words for Francis. "You can keep the peaches. I'll stick with my originality."

Brad reminded both Francis and Jeremy to serve some delicious monkfish for the next family reunion before heading off with everyone else. In the meantime, Kevin told his parents that he would stay behind and help Francis tidy up the house a little more.

His mother gave him a kiss goodbye while his father said, "Don't waste your time by getting drunk."

Kevin replied, "Don't worry. I won't. I'll see you later."

He watched his parents get in their cars and drive off. Next in the line of departures was Seth, who whispered in Kevin's ear, "I'll get you for this."

Kevin shrugged his shoulders. "At least you'll pay her back sooner than expected."

Seth frowned as he walked out the door.

Jeremy and Lonnie had been the last to leave the house. Kevin tried to find the right words to assure them of their newfound satisfaction.

"Sweet dreams."

"What?"

Kevin cleared his throat. "Just forget it."

He closed the door and locked it. He and Francis were now alone in the house. Solitude settled in the household with a permanent stance. Kevin could hear a distinct melody arising from Francis's lavish grand piano, which was situated in the living room. Fortunately, the dancers from earlier left it intact, completely devoid of stains and broken wood. Francis sat in front of it, using his specialized fingers to perform a slow sensuous sonata from Beethoven. Kevin didn't know which one, but it sure sounded beautiful.

He leaned against the piano and remarked, "It's a good thing this piano is still in one piece."

Francis stopped playing. "I'd be a fool not to move this upstairs next time."

"At least there's no dirt on it...unlike your coffee table."

Francis chuckled. "I'm free to play whatever you want. What shall it be?"

Kevin scratched the side of his neck. "I can't think of one at the moment."

Francis's little smile gave off the sign of things to come. "Maybe this'll do."

He began to play a contemporary composition, and Kevin instantly recognized it. His uncle's vintage rendition of Seal's "Kiss from a Rose" had grown to be a beloved recollection of the past and present. Every time the conductor played it on the piano, impure fantasies would overwhelm Kevin's thought process. Since his high school graduation, this instrumental became a staple in his mind, a cherished supplement for his daydreams. Tonight, the thought of Francis overtaking him in every conceivable project thrown in his imaginary adventures made a welcome return. The young man watched the pianist with eyes that had no intention of looking away.

Kevin drew a little closer, his fingers sliding toward the keys. Francis kept his gaze on his instrument, but a brief sidelong glance gave a mild indication that he expected an imminent forward motion.

Kevin whispered, "I love how it sounds."

"I'm getting better at it all the time."

Kevin placed his hand on Francis's shoulder. "Yeah, I know all about your endless talents."

When he ended his performance, the solemn look on Francis's face gave Kevin silent pause.

"Tell me, Kevin...is this something you really want?"

The young man didn't flinch. "It depends, I guess. Do you want me, too?"

Francis stood up. "You know the answer to that one already. I just want to know if this is what you really want."

His seductive glance spoke invisible volumes, motives that stirred from the open heart and dared to reject casual alternatives.

Kevin whispered, "I don't have to say anything."

He held his uncle's left hand, caressing it with delicate potency. The skin, ripe with familiarity, was warm and invigorating. The fingers felt even better as Kevin kissed them for a moment that felt like perpetual ecstasy. Once he used his tongue to taste the soft and gentle surface, he could no longer resist the temptation that maintained permanent habitation from within his psychological tendencies.

Francis slowly pulled his hand away. "Follow me."

He turned his back and made his way into the kitchen. Without hesitation, Kevin followed him into the place where the lights had been turned off. The blinds were left open, with the brilliant moonlight taking shelter in this airy abode. A perfect mixture of gray and blue light struck the walls, giving the kitchen an almost unearthly facade.

Kevin didn't want to turn the lights on. He just let Francis kiss his neck from behind. He kept his hands on the counter so the two of them could partake in a prelude to absolute affection.

Francis whispered, "This is where we express ourselves."

He grabbed Kevin by the shoulders and continued to kiss him on the neck. Kevin didn't feel nervous at all, however. Even as his uncle unzipped his jeans for him, all he could do now was linger for the impending recital that felt long overdue. Francis brought out Kevin's cock from out of his jeans. Having someone other than himself stroking it made Kevin shiver.

"You have no idea how good this feels."

Francis pulled down his nephew's jeans and boxer shorts before tossing them in the corner. "Oh, I think I do."

Kevin immediately took off his shirt and set them on the counter. He faced his uncle as the latter examined him from top to bottom. Partial moonlight came in contact with the young man's skin, a bluish gray hue appearing as an opulent addition to his bare figure.

Francis caressed Kevin's hair. "I pity the women who have broken up with you."

"It's an unfair world, isn't it?"

"Not anymore."

The two of them shared their first kiss, a long and ardent affair. Francis held him tightly in his arms as if never wanting to let him go. Kevin didn't want to stop their loving embrace. He yearned for the liberation of his primal instincts. Now it was his turn to slide Francis's pair of pants off of his legs and hurl it into the same darkened corner. It was also his turn to stroke the other man's cock while it began to harden and straighten itself, just like his own.

Francis charismatic smile never looked so sanguine. "This will feel quite electrifying."

Again, he stood behind his nephew. But this time, he rubbed his hard cock against Kevin's buttock as soon as he grabbed the young man's own penis and pulled it forward for him.

Kevin almost gasped, but he commenced with quicker breathing. Francis's warm fingers, along with the boner pressed against his buttock, offered further acceleration to stimulate his five senses. It proved to be effective. Kevin turned his head to give his uncle another long kiss. Their heavy breathing added more fuel to the ardor that dominated their mutual attraction. Gaining momentum became a guarantee at this point.

A familiar feeling arose between Kevin's thighs and hips. "Yes! Yes!"

Francis didn't stop stroking Kevin's cock with tremendous potency. The nonstop motion caused Kevin to eject the thick liquid substance from between his legs. His knees buckled from the might of his pure discharge. He didn't get to see the little puddles of cum landing on the kitchen floor due to the darkness obscuring the view of the marble tiles, but he could hear the soft splashes that came with it.

Francis let go of his nephew's cock. "Funny feeling, isn't it?"

"It's much better than that. I don't want it to stop."

Francis took off his shirt. With careful excitement, Kevin placed his hands on his uncle's chest, sensing the scrupulous warmth that originated from the skin. With the exception of the dance in the study room, he had never been this close to Francis before. He laid his head on Francis's shoulder as the two of them shared a big hearty embrace. Kevin could only chuckle at how they cuddled each other naked, their hard members rubbed together with delicate force. This sort of scenario would have only existed in his daydreams, but now it progressed into a real-life situation. He was now grateful for the fulfillment of a typical reverie.

They stood there for quite some time, until Kevin broke the silence by saying, "I want something more than this."

Francis nodded. "I think I know what you mean."

He grabbed a chair from the kitchen table and took a seat. "Let's see what you've got."

His rock-hard pleaser was now completely straight, pointing upwards. Kevin's own piece of maturity was still dripping releasing drops of cum. He could no longer handle the suspense. The two of them faced each other as Kevin bent his knees to sit on Francis's lap. Kevin felt the top of his uncle's shaft coming in contact with his special hole. Slowly, he bent down even lower. Francis's dick set its penetration in motion. Kevin grabbed it and wedged it right inside him. He gasped as soon as it reached its primary destination.

"Oh...I can't believe it."

Francis replied, "All you have to do is earn my affection."

Kevin wrapped his legs around Francis's hips and pressed his feet against the chair's legs. He sprung his body up and down, letting the dick inside him rub against the walls that surrounded it. He did it slowly at first, picking up speed as time flew by. The overwhelming sensation in Kevin's body soon surfaced. Between deep breaths, he let out a soft moan every now and then. Francis held on to his nephew's hips as Kevin quickened his pace. His increasingly energetic bouncing brought a more effective stimulation. The member that was lodged deep inside him began to work wonders. This unfamiliar feeling had taken over.

"I can't stop...it feels...SO GOOD."

His whimpering encountered a crescendo when his forward and backward motions intensified. He could hear Francis panting growing louder in a matter of seconds. The experience proved to be one that refused an abrupt conclusion.

It appeared that Francis wanted more of this physical attraction. He picked up his nephew while pushing the chair aside and lay him down on the floor.

"This'll be even better."

Francis shoved his cock deeper inside him than ever before. The ever-popular "missionary" position offered a more vibrant sensation for Kevin.

"Yes, fuck me!"

He almost lost his train of thought. Francis didn't give the impression that he was about to end their long-awaited pastime. More excessive strength culminating from his continuous propulsion transpired in their confidential delight.

Kevin had to grab hold of one of the kitchen table's legs. Lasting for many minutes, the powerful force surrounding Francis's forward thrusts overflowed with high octane. It took several more minutes for the climax to draw near.

"Oh, I feel it!"

"We're in this together. Feel it with me!"

"Oh, fuck!"

With his loudest scream echoing across the halls, Kevin approached relaxation after enduring an advanced form of his orgasm.

And it was all over. They finished their private performance, resulting in partial exhaustion. They looked at each other in silence. Francis kissed him lightly on the forehead. Kevin just smiled not only for his lover, but for himself. It finally happened. His opportunity to grow closer to his uncle had taken place at the right time.

"I don't want to move."

"I don't want to, either."

Francis rolled over to let him lay on top of him. Resting his head on Francis's shoulder, Kevin closed his eyes for a moment, not even realizing that he would soon give in to his reverie.

"I'm so exhausted."

Francis whispered, "All you have to do now is rest."

Kevin did exactly that.

When he woke up, he found himself in Uncle Francis's bedroom, lying right beside him. He felt a little confused. The last time he closed his eyes for a prolonged period of time, he lay on top of Francis on the kitchen floor. He lifted his head up to observe familiar surroundings. The digital clock on the nightstand read 10:11 AM. The blinds remained closed, so he didn't get a chance to wake himself in direct sunlight.

Francis opened his eyes and whispered, "Good morning."

Kevin asked, "How'd I get here? Did you carry me upstairs?"

"I sure did. You were so fast asleep that I didn't have any trouble bringing you here whatsoever."

"Well, I'm glad I didn't get to sleep on a hard floor all night."

Kevin got out of bed and found himself still undressed. Francis had been the same as he put aside the blanket and stood up.

Kevin cleared his throat. "I'm also glad that it didn't turn out to be a dream."

Francis kissed him on the lips. "You loved it, didn't you?"

Kevin smiled. "Of course, I did. We should have done this sooner."

"I'm beginning to concur. Come on, let's take a shower together."

But they did more than just showering. Once the descending trails of water hit their skin, the two embraced yet again. Their hugging and kissing felt even more invigorating when droplets of water slid down their bodies, the profound moisture enhancing the highest point of their endless love. The intensity reached a breaking point. Francis turned off the water and took control of his nephew yet again. The forty-five-year-old man got down on his knees and made his nephew ride his cock once more. Kevin wrapped his legs around Francis's hips and bounced up and down against the long hard member that seeped through his hole. Taking complete control, Francis grabbed hold of Kevin and thrust his cock deeper inside than before. Droplets of water flung from their skin and hair and landed on the walls. Francis kept ramming against Kevin's buttocks, while the latter couldn't stop moaning louder and louder. Just when they thought their private entertainment ended, their reinvigoration helped them repeat their performance.

"Don't stop fucking me! I don't want this to end!"

The stance of Francis's physical liveliness didn't change for awhile. He and Kevin stayed in the shower for quite some time. It took Francis at least a handful of minutes to reach his limit. Once again, he held his nephew tight to give him another inundation of his creamy ejection. Kevin wailed the loudest before relaxing himself from the pinnacle of their intercourse. Sweat merged with tap water. Both men couldn't stop panting. They kissed for several seconds as more semen infiltrated inside Kevin's body.

He whispered in his uncle's ear, "You are amazing. Don't forget that."

Francis replied, "You're right. I'm really amazing."

Once they finished showering, Kevin and Francis put on their clothes and prepared to say their goodbyes at the front door.

Kevin remarked, "We should do this again real soon."

Francis held him in his arms. "Come back if you're ever in the mood to see me again."

Kevin smiled. "I can visit you on weekends if you want."

"Do it on your own time. You do have the freedom to adjust your schedule. I'll be waiting whenever you want to come back for a weekend getaway."

"I do hope so."

Uncle and nephew both embraced and shared a passionate kiss before Kevin said goodbye. He left the house and drove off, leaving an unforgettable location behind. Prior to reaching the freeway, the young man turned on the radio to hear his favorite Pearl Jam song begin right away. He turned up the volume and sang along while tapping his fingers on the steering wheel to the upbeat rhythm.

The mundane value of his everyday routines seemed to last for so long. His late night festivity with Francis finally broke the monotony. To top it off, he finally expressed his love for his uncle in the most proficient way possible. He never felt such higher spirits as he returned home from an evening of family matters.



Reunions Aren't All Bad



The last time I stepped through the school gates was seven years ago, when I was eighteen, but now I had received an invite to the yet another school reunion. Every year at the same time one of these dropped through the letter box, and every year I picked it up and threw it straight in the bin. I just couldn't see the point of going back to a place where I had suffered years of bullying and torment from all the other kids, and even a couple of the teachers. Only this year I was on the way out when it was delivered so I just left it on the side, to dispose of when I returned, and forgot about it. It was only later that night when mum had come round for a drink and meal, and she found it, did I even remember it was there.

"You ought to go to this Andrew." Mum said waving the invite in my face.

I cringed when she used my full name, she was the only one that ever did, everyone just called me Andy. Even though she always used my full name I was so grateful I still had her in my life, having lost my dad earlier in the year, and we spent two days a week, Sunday and Thursday, together catching up on all the news and gossip.

"Why would I want to go back to that place?" I asked her.

"So you can show them all how you made something of yourself." She answered.

She was right about that. All through school I was voted the least likely to succeed, the least likely to get married and the one that would get off government handouts but I was now the manager of my own shop specializing in all things gothic. Okay so I hadn't got married but I had never wanted to, even though I had plenty of girlfriends, there just wasn't anyone I had wanted to share my life, and wealth, with.

I had started my business with just a few items that I used to sell at car boot sales and market stalls but after a few months of doing that, and being amazed at just how many people loved the dark gothic items I sold, I ended up renting a small shop. Soon, though, even that wasn't big enough and I ended up with a two story gothic emporium. Ornaments were sold on the ground floor and clothing on the second and I had four full time members of staff as well.

"Okay mum I'll think about it." I said, hoping that she would forget and that would be the end of it.

"You will do more than think." She barked. "You will go it will be the ultimate revenge for what you used to go through at that place."

"That's why I don't fancy it mum." I told her.

"Me and your dad didn't fight that place and get you through for nothing young man." She answered.

"I know but..." I started to say but mum interrupted.

"You will get the best clothes from your shop." She said, emphasizing the word your. "And go with your head held high."

The rest of the evening went really well, without another mention of the reunion, and eventually she went back home leaving me alone and thinking about what she had said. I could see her point of view, it would really shock everyone if I turned up in my car and the best, most expensive clothes that I sold, especially my car. In keeping with my lifestyle I had managed to purchase, and completely modify, an old hearse. It was jet black with my shop's name down both sides and images of ghouls, vampires and a cemetery sprayed on the bonnet, roof and rear door. I smiled to myself as I pictured the look on everyone's face when I pulled up and decided, as usual, mum was right. After tidying up and watching TV for a while I decided to head off to bed. I didn't sleep well though, dreams of my time at school invading my sleep, and when morning eventually came I wasn't sure that the reunion would be a good idea.

I was getting ready to go to the shop when the phone rang.

"Morning Andrew I hope you haven't changed your mind." Mum's voice said.

"I'm not sure mum I dreamt about all the trouble I had last night." I told her.

"If you even think about changing your mind I shall come with you." She warned.

"Okay you win I'll go." I told her, visioning walking in with my mum.

"Good I will talk to you later bye." She said and the phone went dead.

There was no way I wanted mum to come with me, that would be so embarrassing, so I was left with no choice. I knew she would be over on Saturday to make sure that I kept to my word and went, so go I would.

The rest of the week flew by and before I could catch my breath, this week had been the busiest ever, it was Saturday and the day of the reunion. I shut the shop early and got a couple of the staff to help me find the best clothes for me, something that would blow everyone's mind, before heading off home to get ready. Unsurprisingly mum was waiting outside when I got there and we went inside.

"What you doing here mum?" I asked her, as if I didn't already know her answer.

"I just wanted to make sure that you did go to your reunion." She answered.

"Yes mum I am going I said I would and look I have the clothes."

"I knew you would see sense now go and get ready." She told me. "I want to see what you decided on."

I left mum in the living room and went to my bedroom. All week I had hoped to somehow get out of going but there was no chance now. Stripping off my clothes I went and got in the shower. As the water cascaded down over my body I started to wonder who would actually be at the reunion, I hardly ever saw anyone from school, and wondered if anyone and would remember me. I looked so different from my school days, with long jet black hair that I kept dyed, numerous tattoos and a totally different taste in clothing.

I turned the shower off, grabbed a towel and stepped out into the bathroom. Drying myself down I caught the reflection of my body in the mirror. My tattoos glistened with the wetness from the shower and my body, although not perfect didn't look too bad. I was of average weight and although I was muscular my body didn't look out of proportion, in any department. I finished drying myself off, wrapped the towel around my waist and headed into my room. I glanced at the clock and saw that it was half past six, still an hour until the reunion started, and began to get dressed.

Once I had my underwear and socks on I picked up my trousers, black leather with numerous buckles and zips, and slid them up my legs and over my hips. They were tighter than I usually wore and I was surprised at how comfortable they were. I stood and turned in the mirror to make sure they didn't look ridiculous before I picked up my shirt, a blood red long sleeved shirt with ruffled cuffs and front with a lace trim.

Reaching for my boots I sat on the edge of the bed and slid them on. They came halfway up my leg with a zip front and four buckles with skull heads on them. Once fully dressed I reached under my bed and pulled out my box of gothic jewellery, selecting eight big, chunky skull rings and slipping them on my fingers followed by two full length studded arm gauntlets and my favourite neck chains and earring. Finally I brushed my hair and tied it into a ponytail, which went three-quarters of the way down my back, before turning to look at the finished article in the mirror.

I smiled as I looked at my reflection, thinking no-one would recognize, before walking back to the living room and my waiting mum.

"That took you long enough Andrew." She said. "But you do look really good."

"Thanks mum." I answered. "I suppose I best be on my way now."

"Go and have a good time son." She said as she hugged me. "Go and knock them dead and get some good pictures to show me."

I grabbed my long black gothic coat and walked towards the door, picking up my car keys, invite and mobile phone as I did, and headed out to my car. Turning the car on music blasted out from the stereo and I pulled out and headed towards the school. Twenty minutes later I turned into the school car park, people were all over the place already, and drove to find somewhere to park. As I drove slowly round everyone stopped what they were doing and stared as I passed them.

The look on some of their faces was priceless, with most pointing, but a fair few standing opened mouth unable to speak. Finally I pulled into a space, turned the car off, and swung the door open.

As I climbed out I vaguely recognized a group of five females standing together, staring opened mouthed, and walked past them

"Do any of you remember him?" One of them asked the others.

"No but I wish I did." Another one answered.

"So do I, he is gorgeous." Said a third.

I carried on walking, smiling to myself, and wondered what they would think if they did remember me. If I was right they were some of the worst offenders towards me when I was here. They were a couple of years older than me, always pretended to fancy me and then burst out laughing when I tried to speak to them, calling me all the evil names they could think of. Although I was sure I knew who they were I couldn't put a name to any of the faces, probably due to the time that had passed since leaving school, but knew I would find out before the end of the night.

As I walked up the steps and swung the reception door open I was greeted by a couple of my old teachers, Mr. Dawkins and Miss Irvine, who asked to see my invite. I reached into my inside pocket and pulled out the envelope.

"Hello Andrew pleased you could make it." Miss Irvine said as Mr. Dawkins looked me up and down suspiciously.

"I hope you are not going to behave like you did when you were a student Andrew." Mr. Dawkins said.

"No sir I am very mature now." I said sarcastically. "And with my own business I can't afford to be anything else."

As I uttered those words Mr. Dawkins walked away, looking slightly annoyed, and I smiled.

"You have your own business Andrew?" Miss Irvine asked. "You must tell me all about it later."

"I will if I can find you." I told her. "And please call me Andy not Andrew Miss Irvine only my mum calls me that."

"Okay Andy and you can call me Alice." She said. "Miss Irvine makes me sound like your English teacher still."

Alice turned and started to walk away and I suddenly realized that I was staring at her as she went. I had never thought of a teacher as fanciable before, even when I was a hormonal teenager, but there was something about her that caused a slight stir in my leather trousers even though she must have been at least twice my age.

Quickly I turned and walked in the opposite direction, towards the assembly hall, and tried to get rid of the images running through my mind.

Not a lot had changed with the school layout in the seven years since I had left and when I entered the hall I saw that there was about fifty or sixty people in there looking at some of the displays that had been set up. There were photos, trophies and various other awards proudly displayed in glass cabinets down either side of the room, all from the years that I had attended. 

It seemed pointless looking at the names on them as I knew there would be none with my name on, but I couldn't help myself. As I read each name I tried to picture the person and see if I could remember if they had treated me badly, like the five women outside had, but I could only visualize a handful of the people and most of those were female, as they were the ones that made my life hell the most. In fact there were only about three males that were really evil to me but nothing like what the females put me through.

The rest of the hall had been set out with tables and chairs for eating and at the far end, the whole width of the hall, a massive finger buffet had been laid on for everyone that came. They were obviously hoping that a lot more people came, and stayed to eat, as they must have spent hundreds of pounds on food and drink. Starting to get slightly bored with the hall, and everyone there not talking to anyone, I walked out and decided to go and see how much of the school had changed.

I was about three quarters of the way down the corridor when the group of girls from outside came out of the girl's toilets, laughing hysterically, definitely pissed. The alcohol on their breath nearly took me off my feet.

"Having fun ladies?" I asked them.

"Oh it's you Mr. Vampire." One of them giggled. "My name's Veronica."

As soon as she told me her name I remembered exactly who she was. Veronica Miller, the object of every male's attention and chief bully. That meant that the other four women with her were Louisa, Maria, Sara and Kelly and they were most definitely the five women that caused me the most embarrassment and humiliation. The five of them used to walk around, as soon as they turned eighteen and were allowed not to wear uniform, in the most revealing clothes that they could get away with. At least I know knew who they were, and the fact that they hadn't got a clue who I was meant that I could have some fun at their expense.

"So Mr. Vampire are you going to tell us your name?" Kelly asked brushing her ample tits against my arm and giggling.

"That would ruin the air of mystery wouldn't it ladies?" I said with a smile.

"That's not fair you know all our names." Maria pouted, fluttering her eyelashes at me.

"Who said anything had to be fair." I answered. "We could make it a little game just between the six of us."

"What does the one who guesses first win?" Louisa asked with a wicked smile.

"You want a prize as well do you?" I said winking and starting to walk away.

"You can be the prize." Veronica called after me. "Seeing as we have been talking about you non-stop since we first saw you."

I stopped and turned back to the five of them. I could quite happily fuck any one of the five, even after everything, they were all stunning.

"Do you all want the same prize?" I asked.

"Yes and it has to be done before we leave school tonight." The other four said in unison.

"Okay it's a deal." I told them. "If you can actually find out who I am."

This time I did walk away, leaving the five of them in the middle of the corridor, and headed back towards the hall. I was almost there when, out of the corner of my eye, I caught sight of a figure sitting alone in one of the classrooms. 

Out of curiosity I stopped and peered through the, slightly open door, and was surprised to see Alice in there alone. For a few minutes I just stood there, watching her, wondering why she had left the reunion and gone to sit alone. She didn't look upset, and I could see she was leafing through a book of some description. 

Suddenly she stopped turning the pages and held the book up closer to her face, staring intently at the page, before slamming the book shut and dropping it back on the desk. She threw her head back, smiled, and pushed her chair back. I carried on watching as she slowly stood up, ran her hands down over her body smoothing her skirt down, and started to walk towards the door. I quickly ran into the next classroom and waited for a minute or two before venturing out again. 

It could have been really embarrassing if she had caught me watching her, but the more I saw her the more I started to fancy her and it just felt wrong. 

I headed back to the hall, this time not letting anything hold me up, and walked back in. There seemed to be less people in there than there had been earlier, but I soon caught sight of Veronica, her friends and Alice. I found a table that was empty and sat down. After how busy the week at work had been it felt good to sit down, alone, and just relax. I just wasn't alone for very long.

"Mind if I sit here Mr. Vampire?" Veronica asked.

"It's a free country." I told her.

"Come on tell me your name I can't keep calling you Mr. Vampire." She said as she slid her chair closer to me.

"That wouldn't be in the spirit of our little game would it Veronica." I told her.

"I won't tell the others, I promise."

"But if I do that you would win unfairly." I said.

"Wouldn't you like to spend some time alone with me?" Veronica asked as she undid the top two buttons of her blouse.

Glancing down at her, almost visible tits, I was amazed to see just how well endowed she was and felt the same stirring in my trousers that I felt when I watched Alice. Quickly I lifted my gaze to Veronica's face and saw that she was grinning.

"Well Mr. Vampire are you going to tell me." She asked

"As nice as your tits are Veronica no I'm not." I answered.

As soon as I said that she did her buttons up and walked away, scowling. I saw her rejoin her friends and, after pointing towards me, she started to whisper. I smiled to myself, unable to believe that she thought it would be that easy, and wondered what else they would do to get me to tell them. As I carried on watching them I became aware of someone sitting down next to me.

"Hello Andy are you having a good night?"

I turned and saw Alice had sat next to me. She had crossed her legs, letting her skirt rise up, and I could see the top of her stockings. 

"Oh hi Miss Irvine I mean Alice." I said. "Not really I'm a little bored but something funny has happened."

"Are you going to tell me or just leave me in suspense?" She asked.

"Well you see Veronica and her friends." I started pointing across the hall. "I have a little game going with them."

"Come on tell me." Alice pleaded.

"They haven't got a clue who I am and they are all desperate to find out." I said. "And I told them the one that guesses will win a prize."

"What is the prize?" Alice asked continuing to press me.

"They chose it and I seem to be what they want the most." I answered. "But it's not going to happen, not after everything they put me through."

Her face dropped once she had heard that I was the prize but she tried to hide it.

"What will you do if one of them gets it right?"

"I haven't even thought about that because I know they haven't got a chance of guessing, I look so different from when I was here." I told her.

"I know you do I saw your picture in an old yearbook." She said. "I can't believe you have turned out like you have."

"And I can't believe you are still teaching at this place." I said.

"It's a job and I think I will be here until I retire to be honest."

"Haven't you wanted to do anything different though?" I asked.

"Yes loads but I've never got around to them." She answered.

We both went quiet and I looked back at Veronica and her friends, noticing that Kelly wasn't with them. 

"Do you want to have even more fun with those five?" Alice asked.

"How?" I asked. "What else could I do?"

"Let me go and talk with them and see what they are planning." She said. "And maybe we could both set them up, I never liked them either."

"Okay then if you are sure." I told her. "Please just make sure you don't let them know my name by accident I don't want anything to do with them in that way."

"Trust me I won't." Alice said as she got up and headed over to the five of them, Kelly having returned.

I got up, headed out of the hall, and went outside for a cigarette. The cool night air was in stark contrast to the stuffiness of the hall and was a pleasant relief. I finished my first cigarette and promptly lit another one before walking over to my car, leaning on the side, and taking a drag from my cigarette. There seemed to be more people outside than there was in the hall, some of them getting in their cars and heading off, some just taking in the night air like me.

I was just about to head back inside when I noticed someone had put a note under one of my windscreen wipers and I took it out.

MEET ME HERE WHEN EVERYONE HAS GONE BECAUSE I KNOW YOUR NAME

I looked round to see if I could see any of the five women walking around, as the note had to be from one of them, but there weren't any of them about. Feeling puzzled I folded the note and put it in my inside pocket, before heading back inside to see how Alice had got on. 

I found her still in the hall, sat alone, and went to sit with her.