Jeremy ch7 - Worst Birthday

Please note: All characters in this story are fictitious, any similarity to persons living or dead is purely coincidental. The author does not necessarily condone or endorse any of the activities detailed in this story, some of which are dangerous or illegal.

Please keep in mind the difference between fantasy and reality.

Pam rang the doorbell to the Prater's house. Today was Jeremy's birthday. Though it was early Sunday afternoon, the house seemed empty inside. She wondered if she had missed them somehow. Last night, she knew, Jeremy's parents had allowed him to host a sleepover for his friends. Kate had informed her that the get-together would be over by brunch, so Pam figured the afternoon would be a good time to drop off Jeremy's present.

Her finger was just about to press the doorbell again when door swung open. Two boys that she didn't recognize peered at her. “Uh, hi,” Pam said, a bit thrown off. Not only had she been expecting one of the Praters to answer the door, but both boys were dressed only in t-shirts and underwear. Though they were clearly unbothered to be in a state of undress, Pam glanced behind her to make sure no one was walking by the house.

“I stopped by to drop off a present for Jeremy. Is he home?” By way of explanation, she held up a box wrapped in festive blue and gold paper that was complemented by a lime green ribbon.

As Pam stepped inside, she heard Kate calling from the basement. “Boys, did you check the door? I could have sworn I heard...” Kate emerged from the stairs, holding a toolbox and a handful of screwdrivers. “Oh, hi Pam! I wasn't expecting you today.”

“I just have something to drop off for Jeremy,” she said, holding up the present again. “Is everything okay? You look a bit frazzled.”

“Oh, everything's fine,” Kate sighed. “I thought the sleepover would be over after breakfast but they're still going strong down there. I don't think any of them actually slept last night.”

Kate set the tools down on the coffee table and wearily rubbed the bridge of her nose. “They spilled some soda on a rug last night, so they thought they would do me a favor,” she made air quotes with her fingers, “by throwing it in the washing machine.”

“Not realizing, of course, that the washer wasn't meant to handle a large rug,” Kate continued. “They crammed the rug in there anyway and dumped in half a bottle of detergent. Luckily, the motor gave out before the suds overflowed.”

“William gave it a shot, but we'll have to call a repairman. And just now there was a semi-emergency when William and I discovered they were trying to smash each other in the folding ping-pong table.”

“Doesn't it? Now William is still trying to fix that. As for me, I need to find something for this headache.” She headed for the kitchen. “Emmett, Paul? Can you escort Pam downstairs? And tell everyone to get dressed. It's the afternoon, for goodness' sake.”

Pam followed the two boys as they meekly led her to the basement. As her feet navigated the steps, Pam became aware of several loud voices in the direction of the family room. Emmett and Paul may have been subdued in front of Jeremy's mom, but now they raced ahead. Just before she entered the room, Pam heard one of them shout, “Hey Jeremy! Your girlfriend is here!”

Right on cue, Pam's cheeks flushed red. The timing couldn't have been worse. Upon entering the family room, she was greeted by five sets of eyes staring at her. It didn't help that, like Emmett and Paul, most of the boys were in various states of undress. Two boys didn't have shirts on. All of them were in their underwear.

“Shut up!” This was Jeremy, shouting at his friends. “I told you, she's my babysitter!”

“Jeremy.” His dad's voice sounded from under the ping-pong table. “No more yelling. I mean it. Understand?”

William's head popped up from under the table. “Good morning, Pam.” He wearily stood up, immediately grabbing his shoulder and massaging it.

“Is it really?” He began rotating his arm at the shoulder. “That makes sense. It feels like I've been under that table for hours.”

William scoffed. “Jeremy said he would pay for it with his birthday money. Right, Jeremy?”

“Then I guess you'll be doing our laundry by hand from now on,” William retorted.

One of Jeremy's friends piped up. “Yeah! Jeremy knows how to do a small load by hand.” The rest of his friends broke into muffled laughter as Jeremy glared around the room. Even Pam fought a giggle that threatened her straight face.

William apparently didn't catch the joke or was too tired to care. “I don't want to have to come down here again,” he warned the room. “Stay away from that ping-pong table, understand?” The boys all murmured in assent. Still working his shoulder, William trudged up the stairs.

Now it was just Pam and a roomful of six boys. Feeling like she was intruding, Pam shifted her weight from one leg to another. The boys were scattered across the family room, alternately sprawled on the sofa or lounging in bean bags. If any of them were shy about being in their underwear, they did not show it. She had a difficult time knowing where to look since there was so much skin everywhere. One of the boys wore a loose pair of boxers that allowed the slightest hint between his legs...

“I didn't know you were coming for my party,” Jeremy said, interrupting her train of thought. He was straddling the arm of a couch and bouncing impatiently.

“I, uh, have a present for you,” Pam offered, taking it out from behind her back.

Jeremy shot across the room, eagerly taking the box from her hands. It had taken her ten minutes to wrap the present, but he only needed four seconds to open it. In a flurry of torn paper, Jeremy tossed aside the lid of the box. “Whoa, cool...” he said, lifting up a camouflage vest. Digging in the box, he produced a pair of cargo pants, a turtleneck, and a stocking cap, all in matching black.

“Actually, it's a Call of Duty outfit,” Pam clarified. “The stocking cap doubles as a face mask. There are dog tags and goggles too.” A hushed awe filled the room. Pam was pleased to not only earn Jeremy's approval but to have impressed his friends as well.

“Neat!” Jeremy crowed, pulling on the facemask. He had already put the vest over his white t-shirt, an odd combination since he was still in his underwear. Pam bit her lip. She knew he would never forgive her for laughing at him in front of his friends.

“Glad you like it,” she said. “Looks like I got the sizing right.” She was completely unprepared when Jeremy, facemask and all, wrapped his arms around her waist and warmly hugged her. Blushing again, Pam glanced at his friends, expecting mockery. Instead, they remained silent. Still, it felt strange to be expressing this kind of affection with so many eyes watching. Pam couldn't help but wonder if Jeremy had told them about the things they did together.

“Pam?” It was William calling from the top of the stairs. “Want to have some cake before you leave?”

“Sure!” Pam called back, grateful for the diversion. She backed out of the room. “Um, see you guys later.” As she was walking up the stairs, she heard a faux whisper from the room that made her freeze in mid-step.

“Shut up!” Pam heard Jeremy say, followed by the sound of a smacking. The room erupted in muted laughter.

“Paul isn't making fun of you,” another voice said. “Did you see how tight her shorts were when she left the roo-”

Beet red now, Pam dashed up the stairs. Behind her, a scuffle had broken out in the room. Jeremy was simultaneously swearing at his friends and yelping in pain. She closed the door to the stairs, relieved to have a physical barrier in place, and joined Jeremy's parents in the kitchen. Kate was seated on a counter stool while William stood behind the kitchen island.

“What's going on down there?” William inquired. “Do I need to go break it up?”

“Oh, it's nothing,” Pam said, trying to smile. “You know. Boys being boys.” She wondered if her face had returned to a normal color.

“Haha,” said William. He was arranging dishes in the washer but Pam suddenly noticed how distracted he seemed. Kate, meanwhile, was staring out the window and hadn't said a word.

“Say Pam, since you're here...” William began. Pam realized he was nervous. He would set something into the dishwasher and then immediately shift it to a different spot.

“Yes, please,” Pam accepted. She was taken aback, however, by the tone of forced politeness in Kate's voice. She had never heard it before.

“I'll get some for everyone,” volunteered William. “Why don't we all have a seat at the dinner table?”

There was definitely something strange going on. Pam could feel it now, an odd tension in the air. She followed Kate to the table. William joined them, carrying three steaming mugs of coffee. There was an awkward silence for a moment as the three of them sat down.

Kate looked out the window again. William cleared his throat. “Pam, we've been meaning to talk to you about... something. For a long time.” He paused. “I hope you understand that this is a very difficult conversation for us. It's just... I guess we wouldn't be here if you and Jeremy didn't have such a... special... relationship.”

“I... um... I'm not sure what you...” Pam stammered, searching for words. Her palms had instantly become sweaty.

“We feel really embarrassed about this,” Kate said, finally speaking up. “Well, speaking for myself, I am very embarrassed. I knew exactly what was happening all along. I just didn't want to believe it.”

“None of us did,” affirmed William. He shared a gaze with his wife. “Collectively, I think we believed we could just make it... you know, disappear. Through sheer willpower.”

“I had blinders on.” Kate looked out the window again. “I thought everything was fine until one day when Jeremy told me...” She trailed off, wiping a tear from her eye.

Pam sat perfectly still. She had feared this day for a long, long time. Somehow she had convinced herself that it would never come. But now she was about to pay the full price for playing with fire. Truth or Dare. Jeremy's periscope. Go Fish. The camping tent. Their hike through the woods. It all seemed so far away now. “Kate... William... I'm so sorry,” Pam whispered.

“Everything was f-fine,” Kate said, struggling to compose herself. “Until one day when Jeremy told me, one morning, why he hadn't slept well. Why he had been having so many bad dreams.” Unable to contain her emotions any longer, Kate began sobbing.

A constricted sensation formed in Pam's throat. “How much did he... what did he tell you?” she asked.

“Everything,” William said grimly. “We sat down as a family that day, and he told us everything. It had been tearing him up to keep it a secret. He said he thought he would get in trouble. He thought we would be mad at him.”

“What are you... going to do now?” Pam cocked her ear, listening for the police sirens. Or maybe there was already an officer in the next room, ready to take her away in handcuffs? “I just want to say... I'm so sorry. I never wanted this to happen. I honestly don't know why I didn't... listen to common sense.”

Pam knit her hands together and stared at her lap. The three mugs of coffee sat forgotten on the table. In the living room, she could hear the ticking sound of the grandfather clock. The normally soothing sound only served to accentuate the silence. “I'm sorry,” she said again.

William fiddled with his coffee mug. “I do want to reassure you, Pam, that we won't be getting any lawyers involved.”

A wave of relief. The knotted tension in her belly loosened, just a bit, but enough to let her breathe normally again. “That's... good,” Pam told him. She paused. “Thank you.”

“Of course,” William said. “After all, we only want what's best for Jeremy. We know you want the same thing.”

“I do,” affirmed Pam. “I never meant to hurt... Is he going to be okay? Is he... mad at me?” She thought back to a few moments ago in the basement. Jeremy had seemed perfectly fine. Had he just been faking it for his friends?

“If anything, he's mad at us,” Kate said. Pam cringed at the sorrow in her voice. “He's mad at us for not being there. To protect him.”

Pam opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out. A terrible guilt was consuming her. She was supposed to protect Jeremy too, but look what happened. Not only had she hurt him, but she had even damaged his relationship with his parents.

“We're going to protect him now,” William stated. “We're going to do everything in our power to make sure he's all right.”

“That's true,” agreed Kate. “If Jeremy's happy, then that's all that matters. We should be able to work this out as adults.”

William nodded vigorously. “We will. And that's where you come into the picture, Pam. You see, we'd like to ask you a special favor.”

“Anything,” Pam said. There was a glint of light at the end of the tunnel now. No lawyers meant no police. No jail. Leave town and never see Jeremy again? She knew his absence would one day be heartbreaking, but the alternate option was far less palatable.

“First of all, it's quite clear that Jeremy has taken a very strong liking to you,” Kate said. Pam blushed. They know, she thought again. It was difficult to wrap her head around that fact. Jeremy told them about touching her breasts. How she gave him a sexy dance in his own bedroom. The way he woke up, nuzzled against her in the tent. Pam was mortified.

“We've been through a lot of babysitters,” William added, “and none have had such a deep rapport with Jeremy as you.” He paused, but Pam couldn't look him in the face anymore. He continued, “So that's why we'd like to ask if you would be interested in being a nanny.”

Previously, the color had drained out of Pam's face. Now she could feel it rushing back as her confusion swarmed. “Excuse me?”

“It would only be a temporary arrangement,” William said. “I understand we're asking a lot. After all, we're essentially asking you to put your career on hold...”

“We would pay you, though,” Kate interjected. “William and I have already discussed what we could afford. Is $5000 per month enough? We wouldn't charge you anything for room and board, of course.”

William and Kate exchanged a glance. “For Jeremy, of course,” William said. “I suppose we could give it a more modernized title. I personally think 'personal assistant' would be more accurate. Assistant to us, that is. We're essentially asking you to be a third parent.”

“You want me to be a live-in nanny?” Pam clarified. She still wasn't sure she had heard them right, but they both nodded. “Why?”

“I'll be moving out,” William stated. He wasn't looking at Pam when he said this, but at Kate. “It's for the best.”

“Exactly,” William said. He reached out to place his hand atop of Kate's. “I know it's tough, but a trial separation for now. And then one day...”

Stupefied, Pam stared at them. Her mind raced, trying to follow the conversation. It was as if a veil had suddenly been lifted, allowing her to see clearly. “So... no divorce lawyers,” she ventured.

“Good god, no.” William took his hand away since his wife was nor returning his gaze. “Like I said, we don't want to get those leeches involved.”

“Do you know where you'll be living?” Pam asked. It was starting to make more sense. She recalled all the times she had noticed them bickering in the last few months. Even Jeremy had been worried about them.

“Well, the thinking was to move in with...” William trailed off when Kate fixed an icy gaze on him.

“Wouldn't that be nice?” Kate said icily. “Or maybe you can move in with her. Be together all the time. That way, your son won't have to take messages from his father's mistress.”

William massaged his temples. “Kate, please... We already talked about this.”

“You just can't own up to what you've done, can you? Can she? Does she know she made your son cry? Does she know how crushed your son was when he found out that his father has a ladyfriend on the side?”

“Please,” William said again. “Let's not do this in front of Pam. We've dragged her far enough into this.” Kate turned away. Though she was silent, it was clear she was crying again.

Pam's head was swimming. It was as if she just woke up on an emergency room operating table and the doctors were informing her that, not only was she perfectly healthy, but she also just won a million dollars. Her, a nanny? For Jeremy? She wondered if she were dreaming.

“He knows about me and...” William cleared his throat. “Me and Marla. That's all. We haven't told him about my plans to move out. Maybe in the next few days.”

“It's his birthday,” Kate sniffled, blowing her nose. “What an awful thing to find out. That his parents are divorcing.”

The three of them had been so engrossed in the conversation that no one had noticed Jeremy in the doorway. He was dressed from head to toe in the black Call of Duty outfit. Lifting the googles from his eyes, he perched them on his forehead and stared at his parents with wide eyes.

Kate quickly wiped her face. “Jeremy, how long have you been there?” she asked.

“The guys wanted more soda, so I came to get some from the kitchen.” Jeremy indicated the cans of Coke nestled in his arm. “But then I overheard you say... Are you getting divorced?”

Kate stood up. “It's not what you think, Jeremy.” She moved to put an arm around him but he backed away.

Kate and William glanced at each other but said nothing. A dreadful silence filled the room. Pam couldn't bear to see the look on Jeremy's face. The soda cans in his arm fell to the floor, causing a tremendous racket before rolling every which way.

“I knew it,” he whispered, his face crumpling as tears began rolling down his cheeks. His breathing sounded ragged. Turning, he dashed from the room, leaving the cans of soda on the floor.

“Wait, Jeremy, please...” Kate ran after him, followed closely by William. Based on the sound of Jeremy's pounding feet, Pam suspected that he was headed for his bedroom. Her hunch was confirmed when she heard his door slam. She tried not to listen as his parents pleaded with the young boy through the closed door but it was hard not to. What else could she do? Leaving was an option, but it seemed rude to quietly slip out the door. So instead she sipped her cold coffee and waited.

Kate and William soon returned to the room. Both were ashen-faced. “He won't let either of us into the room,” William explained. “He even barricaded the door.”

Kate's eyes were red, though she was no longer crying. “I wish he didn't have to find out like that.”

The room fell into an awkward silence. Finally, William cleared his throat. “I'll take his friends home,” he said, picking up his car keys.

Kate began picking up the soda cans that had rolled everywhere. She had only picked up two when she stopped. “Pam, could you try talking to Jeremy?” she asked. “”Maybe he'll let you in. I can’t stand thinking of him all by himself in there.”

Pam nodded and got up from the table. At the end of the hallway, Jeremy's closed door stood defiant. She felt like a mountain climber staring at the summit. Tentatively, she knocked on his door. “Jeremy? It's me.”

She knocked again. “Can I come in for a little bit? Please?” Still, there was no answer. Pam glanced behind her. At the other end of the hallway, Kate was watching anxiously with her hands clasped.

“All right, I understand if you want to be alone,” Pam said, trying a different tack. “I'm going home now. See you around.” There was no response so Pam started walking away. She had barely gone two steps when she heard a scraping sound from the other side of Jeremy's door. It sounded like he was dragging something across the hardwood floor. The door opened an inch. More scraping. Then a few more inches.

It wasn't much, but Pam managed to squeeze through the cracked door. “Ouch,” she grumbled as her breasts pressed painfully against the door frame.

“I'm fine,” she said, dusting herself off. He was still wearing his black Call of Duty outfit, but his eyes were puffy. Glancing at the floor, Pam saw the source of the scraping noise: Jeremy had pulled his dresser across the room and used it to barricade the door. The scrapes in the wooden floor marked the trail he had inadvertently created.

He noticed her examining the marks on the floor. “I don't care if they get mad at me,” Jeremy said. He closed his door again. “Can you help me move the dresser back against the door? It's kind of heavy.”

Pam had misgivings about blocking the door, but she played along anyway. Together they huffed and puffed to move the dresser. “How on earth did you move this by yourself?” Pam wheezed. It took all her effort to move it the twelve inches required to block the door.

“Whew,” Pam sat down in a heap on his armchair. “I guess you should get a lock for your door, huh? That would be a lot easier.”

She meant it as a joke, but he didn't smile. Jeremy sat down on his bed. Whiskers emerged from the closet and darted into his lap. She was waiting to be petted but Jeremy was just blankly gazing at the wall. Her heart wrenched in her chest. Try as she might, Pam couldn't recall a time when Jeremy looked as inconsolable as this.

Not wanting to invade his space, she gingerly sat down next to him on the bed. Jeremy responded by leaning against her, so she put her arm around him. The goggles on his head were uncomfortably poking her, so Pam removed them, along with his stocking cap. Jeremy didn't react in the least, but he seemed gratified when she pulled his head back to her shoulder. His forehead felt hot against her neck, his cheek soft as it pressed her collarbone. Pam couldn't see his face so she didn't realize he was silently crying until she felt the wetness from his tears spreading across her cotton shirt. Not knowing what to do, she just held the young boy tighter.

“Yes, Jeremy?” Pam's free hand began stroking Whiskers as she lay in Jeremy's lap. Mirroring her actions, he began petting the cat too.

“I don't know,” she admitted. Pam touched Whiskers' velvety ears. The cat's tail whipped back and forth in pleasure. Her first instinct had been to reassure Jeremy. But was it better to be realistic?

Pam hesitated. “Sometimes... when two people care for one another, I mean really, truly care... they have to let each other go. Sometimes being apart is the best way to show that you care for someone else.”

“I don't get it. If they love each other, why can't they stay together?” He still spoke in a whisper, as if he were afraid someone might hear. But the door was safely barricaded and the only other living being in the room was Whiskers, who was now purring contentedly. Occasionally, Pam felt Jeremy's hand brushing hers as they pet the cat together.

“They do love each other, but part of that is wanting the other person to be happy. And I guess they've decided that they would be unhappy if they were.. together.” It was circular logic, Pam knew, and she was struggling to explain it in a way that Jeremy could understand. She wasn't sure if she succeeded, until she felt him trembling in her arms again. Fresh tears drenched his face, rolling off his chin and dripping onto her shirt. Pam could see (and feel) as his teardrops formed a dark spot on the fabric directly atop her nipple.

His raw emotions were contagious. It broke her heart to see Jeremy so completely shattered. Pam felt her eyes moistening in sympathy. Biting her lip, she struggled to keep her emotions in check.

Jeremy must have sensed it, because he immediately sat up and looked at her. “Why are you sad?” he asked.

“I don't know,” Pam said, embarrassedly clearing her throat. “I just... wish you were happy.” Suddenly remembering, she said, “Hey, guess what?”

“What?” He wiped his face with his shirtsleeve. The gesture was so sweet that Pam couldn't help using her own sleeve to dry off a spot he missed on his chin.

She suddenly felt embarrassed, for reasons she couldn't explain. Pam returned to petting Whiskers. Jeremy followed suit. Not looking at him, she said, “Your parents asked me to... be a nanny.”

“What does that mean?” His hand grazed hers again as they both tried to pet Whiskers in the same spot.

“Why are you doing that?” asked Jeremy. Their hands touched again, but this time Pam rested her palm atop his.

“Because... I love you.” The words escaped her mouth like a caged bird taking flight. Pam certainly hadn't meant to say it, but now that she had done so, the words were reinforced by a fierce conviction deep inside her. It was true. It was truth. She knew, then and there, that she would do anything for Jeremy.

He gazed at her with an expression of curiosity, his eyes puffy and red but no longer crying. Pam leaned in close, unsure of what she was doing. Her lips kissed his ear, hot from being pressed against her shoulder. A burst of emotion filled her as she felt his small hand squeezing her own.

There was the faintest hint of pink on his face, but Pam could also see the smallest of smiles tugging at his lips. She kissed him again, on the cheek this time, bringing forth another shade of pink. “I think you should lie down and rest,” she said, patting his head. “Your parents said you didn't sleep all night.”

“But I'm not tired,” he protested. Pam pressed a finger to his lips. She hadn't expected it to work, but Jeremy was immediately shushed. Encouraged, Pam stood up and fetched his pajamas from the dresser that still blocked the door. Jeremy remained sitting in the same position, watching her. She returned with a pajama set decorated with red rocket ships. He still hadn't moved.

“Come on,” she said gently, pulling up his black turtleneck. Whiskers darted from his lap. Jeremy obediently held his hands above his head as she yanked the sweater off. Pam giggled upon seeing his tousled hair that resembled a ginger mop.

His t-shirt was next. Now shirtless, Jeremy sat waiting as she pulled off his socks. Her hand touched his bare shoulder, urging him to lie down on his bed. Pam unbuckled his belt and unbuttoned his pants. Jeremy compliantly lifted his hips as she tugged at his waistband. There was little resistance as she pulled his pants down to his knees.

“Um, oops,” Pam blushed. She hadn't meant to pull down his underwear, but it had gotten caught with his pants. His penis and scrotum were as pink and hairless as she remembered. Jeremy lay on the bed, completely naked, yet docile as a lamb. He was looking at her, but made no move to cover himself. She quickly removed his feet from the pant legs and untangled his underwear. Pam was just about to slip his feet back into his underwear when she noticed his erection.

It certainly wasn't there when she pulled his pants off. Pam couldn't help but admire it, but she must have stared for too long because Jeremy shifted position on the bed. He was blushing from all the attention, but his hands remained at his sides as he lay in bed.

Pam knew what she wanted to do. The bottle of Coppertone on his nightstand had not escaped her notice. Wordlessly, Pam picked it up and knelt next to the bed. Jeremy didn't say a word as she uncapped the top and squirted a dollop of suntan lotion into her palm. She saw him pursing his lips as her greasy fingers made contact with his waiting erection.

It felt wonderful to touch him. Pam patiently spread Coppertone along his small shaft, paying special attention to the wrinkled globe of his scrotum and the two modest jewels within. His foreskin was stretched so tight that Pam could easily see the outline of his penis head. Remembering what he liked, Pam moved her hand in a circular waving motion, letting his hardness press against her open palm. Jeremy sighed, the most lovely sound she had ever heard. With her free hand, Pam ran her fingers through his hair, twirling her finger through his irresistible ginger locks.

Jeremy closed his eyes. He had lay perfectly still at first, but the young boy began to squirm beneath her relentless touch, his limbs mussing the bedsheets. Occasionally, he would throw his head back, his neck straining as his chin pointed toward the ceiling. Each time he did this, Pam could feel his erection throb insistently against her palm.

“Oh...” he moaned softly. Pam cast an eye to his door. Were his parents standing outside, listening? She hoped not. But the dresser still blocked the door, affording them a certain degree of privacy.

Besides, it was too late to stop now. Jeremy's back was arching slightly, thrusting his penis upward against her hand. He suddenly opened his eyes, his gaze locking with hers. His eyes were questioning, uncertain. Pam realized he was asking for permission.

"Okay," he whispered. Despite his affirmation, she could tell Jeremy was still a bit reluctant. She could understand though. All this time he had been pleasuring himself alone, but now he was sharing the moment with another person. Deep inside, Pam wavered just a tiny bit. Was she corrupting him? Or merely giving him what he wanted?

Gently squeezing his penis with her slippery fingers, she redoubled the efforts of her waving palm. That proved to be the tipping point. The young boy began trembling in his bed as his body locked up in orgasmic pleasure. Pam was enraptured. This was the first time she was able to completely observe him in his most private moment. With her free hand, she placed a finger at his lips to remind him to be quiet. It must have worked because he made no noise at all, despite his mouth falling open. Pam could feel his breath, hot against her finger. Committing every moment to memory, she watched his stomach muscles undulating beneath his creamy skin, his delicate arms clenching in release, his bare toes curling with abandon.

She felt him pulse in her hand, just once, yet so powerfully that she was momentarily taken aback. Once again, Pam found herself anticipating a wetness that never came. A ten year old boy, she remembered. “Eleven years old,” she corrected herself. She ramped down her touch as Jeremy came back to earth, but didn't want to let go of him. Rubbing his chest with her other hand, she found his skin to be warm yet damp with his perspiration.

“Are you ready to go to sleep now?” He nodded again, closing his eyes. She planted a kiss on the spent boy's forehead. He smelled of inexpensive shampoo, an oddly alluring scent. “Happy birthday, Jeremy,” she told him. Her thanked her with a tired grin.

Pam went to his hamper, hoping to find something she could use to clean the Coppertone from her hand. At the very bottom of his laundry pile was a towel. Better than nothing. She returned to the bed, towel in hand, to clean up the evidence but was gratified to find him already snoring softly. Working gently, Pam dabbed away the excess Coppertone from Jeremy's now soft penis. She felt like a museum curator handling a precious work of art. Using her finger, she adjusted him this way and that, making sure to wipe up every last bit of suntan lotion. Then she pulled his underwear back on, one leg at a time, gently easing the elastic under his bum.

Jeremy did not stir even once throughout all this. While she rearranged his covers, Whiskers crept from the hiding spot under the bed, his tail whipping back and forth for a second before he soundlessly leapt into the bed and curled up next his master's sleeping form. It was such a perfect moment that Pam took out her phone and snapped a picture.

Smiling, she couldn't help but admire Jeremy's sweetness when asleep. His face was perfectly peaceful with no sign of the sadness or anxiety that had plagued him earlier. She delighted in his perfectly symmetrical lips, just faintly parted from his breathing. Lovingly, she brushed the hair from his forehead, luxuriating in the thick lushness of his rust colored locks.

What she wanted most at that moment, more than anything, was to slip into bed with Jeremy and hold him while he slept. But she knew Kate was waiting for her, so Pam reluctantly shelved the idea. But when she stood to leave the room, Pam had a brief moment of confusion. The door to the room had disappeared!

“Oh, right,” Pam murmured to herself, staring at the massive dresser that blocked the exit. “How am I going to get out of this?”

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