Walking the Dog — Chapters 3 and 4

"Jas-purr."

I felt her tongue tickle my ear. "Wha . . ."

"Jas, you need to get up."

I tried to stir but she was lying on my back. I'd overslept again. "I'm awake, Tracie."

She rolled off me and I opened my eyes. My head hurt. "What time is it?"

"Seven thirty."

"Shit." I sat up, took a moment to steady myself, and swung my feet off the bed.

"What time did you and mom get in last night?"

"About three." I pulled my clothes on in a daze. Tracie watched me from the bed, grinning.

"Don't you two need to be in school?" my father asked from the other room.

"We're going in just a minute, Dad." I sat on the bed and put on my sneakers. "Can you get me something to eat from the kitchen, Tracie?"

She slid off the bed, stroking my back as she passed.

I grabbed my bookbag and followed her into the kitchenette. Except for the bedroom and bathroom the apartment was one big open space. My father slept on one of the couches, usually falling asleep while watching TV.

I drank a cup of juice. Tracie handed me a sandwich and we left. My head still hurt.

I was a block away and I couldn't remember telling my father goodbye. Tracie held one hand while I ate the peanut butter sandwich. The school was only two blocks from home so we'd make it with a little time to spare.

"Jas, I was kinda hoping you'd be awake this morning."

"Me, too, Tracie." I seconded that in my mind.

"At lunch time then?"

"It's a date."

"I missed you after you left, Jas. It was lonely."

"You win at Scrabble?"

"Of course."

"What movie were we watching?"

"Sense and Sensibility."

"Oh."

She pulled me into a shop doorway, pushed me against a glass panel and kissed me. She licked her lips afterward. "I didn't get any breakfast."

"Sorry."

She pulled me back onto the sidewalk. "Toothbrush is in the side pocket of my pack." She stopped while I got it.

"Thanks." I watched her face while I brushed my teeth. A school bus passed us with a roar. I stuffed the toothbrush back into the pocket; we resumed walking. "Otherwise okay?"

"Your hair."

We did this almost every day. I walked the dog in the evening. She walked the walker in the morning. It's hard to explain how comforting this pattern was to me, and I believe it was the same for Tracie.

In the morning Tracie and Mr. Johnston had to get Trish and Mike ready for school while Mom slept. I was tired; Mom was exhausted. I know you can't imagine it, but Mike and Trish actually were quiet in the morning, no fighting, no complaining. They were on their best behavior. Tracie could have gotten a ride to school with Mr. Johnston but he dropped her off at my place so she could help get me ready.

"Dad wants to talk to you for a minute this evening."

Ooops, what have I done? was my immediate thought.

"You're okay, Jas. He just wants to talk for a minute."

"Okay."

"And I asked and it's okay for you to spend the weekend. I'll bring you breakfast in bed Saturday morning."

"But it's your birthday."

"You can give me my present afterwards." She pulled me close, kissed me in front of the school and most of my classmates. "Did you call Marge?"

"From the Master's. That was our last stop."

"At lunch?"

"At lunch." We kissed; she squeezed my hand and let go. I watched her walk into the huge front door of the school. Frank punched my arm. He always does that. It started when puberty set in.

"Hiya," Frank said.

"Hi," Lori said.

Frank and Lori were attached, literally, like Siamese twins. It would take a knife to cut those two apart. Frank was six feet easily, skinny with a huge Adam's apple (always with a razor nick on it). Lori was five two, roundish. Not fat. Her face was round, she had a pageboy, wore loose clothes and she had a few extra pounds.

No one ever complained about those extra pounds. She felt nice and vibrant and alive.

Lori never said much, she just watched with unblinking eyes.

"Are you coming to the game Friday?" Frank asked. He'd asked this every day for a week now.

"I have to walk the dog Friday. I don't think we'll be at the gym but you never know."

"Lori wanted to know," Frank said.

The bell rang. "We'd better go in," I said. Frank hit my arm again and walked off.

Frank was a lucky guy and he knew it. I'm not quite sure he knew how lucky. I think that was something he'd slowly learn. He wasn't stupid.

In the beginning, going out with Tracie, walking the dog, everything was a cinch. But after months of it, I had problems keeping awake in class. The teachers all knew I was walking the dog and made allowances. Mrs. Allen sent me to the school nurse. Mrs. Allen was my second period Algebra teacher. She was nice with a good sense of humor.

Miss Snead, the nurse, had me take a nap. Rick, who walked Mrs. Cooper, was snoring away in the bed next to mine. I told Miss Snead to wake me for lunchtime and I was pretty sure she'd do it so I didn't have any problem relaxing. As for Rick's snores, they'd never bothered me that much before, they didn't now.

Miss Snead, who's extremely pretty, woke me and stayed bent over me until I was fully awake. If I wasn't hung up on Tracie it would have been really easy to form a crush on Miss Snead. Of course without Tracie I wouldn't be walking Mrs. Johnston and needing naps during school.

"What time is it?"

"Lunch is ten minutes."

"Thanks." I realized it was quiet - I couldn't hear Rick snoring.

Miss Snead backed away from the bed.

Ever notice how people look at you when you're connected to something or someone big? A hero or celebrity gets that look all the time. The people associated to them get a little of that look.

Everyone knew Tracie and I were going steady. That I walked Mrs. Johnston. They wanted to think all kinds of things, but personal stuff about Families just wasn't talked about. That Mr. Johnston taught in the school wasn't that much of a big deal. He was a member of a Family by marriage only. I, for some reason, was a little closer to what? The inner core?

Some people abused how people felt. It would be easy to do. That's why Tracie, in a very nice way, asked me, very politely, to watch myself. Which I did.

"Thanks, Miss Snead."

It took only a minute to get dressed and ready to go. When I got to the front of the cafeteria I saw Tracie and Lori talking. Tracie said something more to Lori and walked towards me, a big smile on her face.

Tracie was all I saw. She took my hand and we headed off to the field behind the school. I felt a punch on my arm, "Hey," I said not very loudly and I followed Circe to my doom. I couldn't wait.

Tracie could have had any guy in town. Under eighteen of course. Why she picked me I'll never know. I'm not complaining, but honestly it's not because of looks or because I'm really smart.

We had a spot, if it wasn't raining, across the field in a gully shaded by trees. If it was raining, there was a spot under the eaves, behind the dumpster. That's back of the kitchen. I was always sure we'd be seen. I hated it when it rained.

Tracie took a space blanket out of her bookbag, her magic satchel filled with wonders, and spread it on the ground. We'd pretty much killed the grass in that spot. The space blanket was her idea. I think she liked it because it was shiny and for the sound it made.

She always beat me when it came to undressing. She beat me on just about everything. There was one thing I could do, she couldn't, and she kissed me, held me close and hiccuped while I did it.

Having your girl hiccup while you fuck her is great.

We kissed for as long as we could, drew back and waited. "I'm cured," Tracie said.

The second time was slow. I was patient and took time to feel every bit of her. Every morsel, rib, hair, every atom of skin I could touch.

Tracie becomes rigid while she climaxes. She stiffens. Not always. No two times have ever been exactly the same. But this time she stiffened. Her eyes were half shut, her head thrown back so her chin was in my face. I licked her neck and she rocked.

We couldn't speak afterwards. I held her, touched her forehead and kissed her repeatedly.

"Ahem," a voice said above us.

Tracie's eyes opened and I turned to look.

Trish, Tracie's younger sister, stood above us. Trish was one of those nuisance ninth graders who if they didn't watch out would never make tenth. "That was very interesting to watch," Trish said. "Do you think you could do it again? Perhaps with a little more finesse, Mr. Sloan?"

Chapter 4

Mom did have cookies ready for Tracie and me when we got to the Johnstons after school. The three of us sat in the kitchen and had just-from-the-oven chocolate chip cookies and hot chocolate. Not the healthiest food in the world but delicious none the less.

After a few minutes, Mom, noticing my drowsy state said to Tracie, "You'd better take him upstairs before he falls asleep."

I wasn't going to argue. Upstairs was Tracie's room. I grabbed a couple of cookies before Tracie pulled me away from the table and up the carpeted stairs.

My father and I live simply. There was TV in the evenings for him. I worked on the computer or watched the tube if something decent was on. I read in my room or went out and did stuff with Frank.

After Tracie my life had shifted dramatically into a whole other sphere. The Johnstons lived well. Tracie had her own phone, computer, TV and stereo. She could have a cellphone if she wanted one - she wasn't interested. Her bedroom was huge. Half of our apartment probably could have fit in it.

Tracie wasn't terribly into girlie stuff but the room did have stuffed animals, ruffled curtains and pastel colors. You won't believe how comfortable her bed was, and how comfortable it felt to be in her room.

Tracie locked her door for privacy. She helped me undress, get under the covers and then fed me bits of cookies while we talked.

What did we talk about? Sex. School. Sex. The upcoming weekend (birthday party plans). Sex, in this case Lori and Frank and did I miss not being with Lori. No. What she planned to do tonight: help her mother with dinner, (are you sure that's really true, I think Lori misses you), what movie we should watch, my talk with Mr. Johnston, Scrabble, and I can't remember what else. I fell asleep.

"Jasper."

I smiled and gave a little moan.

"I bet you have a monster boner."

I realized at that point, as Trish was preparing to dive under the sheet, who it was. "No," I said. I was too sleepy to be authoritative.

"You do!" She squealed with delight and grabbed me.

I tried to roll into a ball, bat her hand away, and do too many other things at the same time to do any of them right. I held her wrist, tried to push her away.

She leaned close to me, "Kiss me, you fool. You know you love me." She made a face and waited. She still held my cock in a grip of steel. I was doomed.

She kissed my closed lips, backed away laughing, let go of my cock and got off the bed. She turned to me, smiled in a way that was terribly fascinating, and said, "Next week when I ask you to be my steady, think twice before saying no."

I stared at her as she left. She was pretty but not at all like her sister who was mature and poised. I'd never say yes to Trish. Not in a million years.

I dressed, remade Tracie's bed and went downstairs. I secretly had hoped that Tracie would wake me, was disappointed in a small way that she hadn't.

She was on the phone downstairs. She covered the mouthpiece and said, "Lori."

"I'll be in the kitchen."

Tracie said, "Thanks," and returned to her call.

Mom was sitting by the table in the kitchen reading a paperback. She put it face down, "I love lurid mysteries, don't you? Dinner is in the oven. I think Mike wanted to talk to you."

I started to ask. "In the library," she said picking up her book.

Mom's a beautiful woman. It's because of her poise and I'm sure Tracie got it from her mother. The other kids, Trish and Mike, were definitely not poised. They were catastrophes happening (usually very loudly) or just about to happen.

Mom spoke slowly; she had a fascinating voice, a husky quality that drew immediate attention. She moved well, with an economy and grace. Tracie didn't have Mom's voice but she moved gracefully - like a dancer or actress. Every motion precise and fluid.

"Come in, Jasper," Mr. Johnston said from the desk. He was grading papers; mine was there too. He was free with the red pen but fair and if you paid attention you actually learned something. He was one of the hard teachers in school but not an ogre. He was even known to laugh in class. About once a semester.

I sat in the chair by the desk and waited. I could see he was grading Sally Crenshaw's paper. Sally was okay. Not overly bright but friendly. I'd actually had a crush on Sally when I was fifteen.

Mr. Johnston turned the paper over and looked up. "How are you holding up? You knew I was a walker myself, didn't you?"

I shook my head. It was hard imagining Mr. Johnston as anything other than adult and schoolteacher.

"Donald was my steady. Before your time." Tracie brought in a tray with drinks, wine for him, juice for me. She gave me a wink before she left.

Mr. Johnston handed me the juice, leaned back in his chair and watched me.

"Thank you, sir."

A smile appeared briefly. He leaned forward. "Any chance you'll decide when you're eighteen?"

"No, sir."

"That's too bad." That smile again. "My friends were so hoping."

I'd been in the room for three minutes and he had me blushing more brightly than a stoplight. "Sorry, sir."

He laughed, sat back in his chair. "You've become a part of this family over the past six months. We all like you, not that we're surprised. We knew Tracie would choose well. But she did better than well."

I was blushing again.

"So I'm going to tell you something that Barb, Tracie, Trish and Mike know but no one else. Barbara and I are getting a divorce. Not right away. This summer. The kids are old enough, but the real reason is that Donald is ready to stop fooling around and settle down. We've always been in love, now we're ready for each other."

I didn't know what to say.

"I know Tracie and you have made plans, not too detailed, and that you two have feelings for each other. Tracie and I haven't talked. I haven't asked her the question about her decision I just asked you.

"Traditionally, if she decides not to, your role as walker ends. Trish will find someone and in a few more years Mike will also. But I'm not going to be here and Barbara has no plans to remarry, though that may change. No plans that she's told me. In the interval, no matter what Tracie decides, could I ask you to continue to walk Barbara?" He watched, fingers steepled by his chin, unblinking.

If Tracie said no, her plans were to go to college. I'd go to college and if everything worked out, we'd come back here and get married and raise a family of our own. Family with a small "f." If Tracie said yes, something we never really talked about, she'd leave the Johnstons, be set up in her own home and receive, shall we call them, suitors? Since I was seventeen, because of the rule of eighteen, I could have nothing to do with her sexually and was ineligible unless she decided to wait a year.

If I said no, I don't think Mr. Johnston would be upset or angry. Just disappointed. If I said yes, it would be a huge, open-ended commitment. But I'd be close to Tracie and that's what mattered most. "Yes, sir. I'll continue."

"It may be for a year, until you're eighteen. No longer than that."

"I'll continue to walk," and here I was confused for a moment, "Mrs. Johnston."

"Thank you." He looked relieved. He picked up the wineglass and took a sip. "Thank you very much." He let out a breath. "Thank you," said more softly.

After a minute, he said, "Well, Barbara is outdoing herself for dinner tonight." He checked his watch. "I think it'll be served in a half hour."

"Thank you, sir." I rose.

"Why don't you call me Mike. Except in school of course." He gave that smile.

"Mike." It felt funny to say.

"I'm sure there's something Tracie and you can find to do for a half hour." That smile. "Some important literary discussion."

I grinned back at him and left. I looked back in the library as I went out the door and he was sitting in his chair, head back, a smile on his face, his hand on the wineglass.

Tracie grabbed me when I passed the recreation room. "What did you do to my sister? She's in hysterics upstairs. Saying your name over and over and giggling."

"She woke me." I shrugged my shoulders.

Tracie eyed me for a moment and then pulled me into the recreation room. "We have a few minutes."

"Your father said half an hour."

"He's a pessimist."

"In here?"

Tracie shut the door. "Can you keep quiet?"

"Tracie, I think everyone knows."

"Can you keep quiet?"

"Sure."

She fell to her knees. "Not a peep now." Her fingers wrestled with my pants.

I undid my belt and pants, dropped them and pushed my shorts down.

Tracie studied me. "It is not small," and looked up at me. "Trish said you were built small."

"How would she know?"

"That's what I thought. I just wanted to check to be sure."

I grew hard in her mouth and, yes, I was as quiet as I could manage to be.

Read the next two chapters

Walking the Dog Page
Chapters 1 and 2 | Chapters 3 and 4 | Chapters 5 and 6
Chapters 7 and 8 | Chapters 9 and 10 | Chapters 11 and 12
Chapters 13 and 14 | Chapters 15 and 16 | Chapters 17 and 18
Chapter 19

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