Eva

Hi readers. Just wanted to let you know this chapter goes through about six years of Eva and Jon’s life together. Also, there isn’t a lot of sexual content, though there is some. This is more about telling their story. Some bad things happen, but mostly great things take place as they head towards the end of their 20s and beyond.

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Connor Reed Glazer-Grossman. Dr. Thomas was right, it was a mouthful. His first name was in memory of my mom, Carol, and his middle name was for Eva’s grandmother, Ruth, who died when Eva was 15. They had been very close. And he had both our last names, like we had done for each other. In practical situations, he’d be Connor Reed Grossman.

The first days of his life, Eva was a very sick woman. She was terribly weak and was only allowed out of bed to help feed Connor. There was even doubt that she’d be allowed to go home in time for his Bris, a Jewish religious ceremony, ritual circumcision, that should take place 8 days after birth. We could delay it if necessary and we talked about it.

“Honey, let’s just postpone a few days. I want you to be able to handle being around everyone. Let’s not push it? Please? I know you want it done traditionally, but we can wait a few extra days. And I’m not having it done without you there.”

“Oh, you’re not doing it without me, that’s a guarantee. Not a chance. Let’s see what Dr. Thomas says today, ( Saturday the 20th, 4 days after his birth). And they want him released tomorrow. Will his furniture be there?”

“Your dad is at the house now, waiting for the delivery. And your shower will also be postponed until you feel better.” It was supposed to be that day, Saturday, because we were so busy finishing up with school.

“Having a baby shower after the baby’s been born. I can’t do anything right.” But she smiled when she said it. She was getting stronger and her color was better. I was starting to feel less worried about her.

Dr. Thomas came in a little later, while Eva was sitting in a chair and feeding our little man. After examining mother and son, and talking to us, the doctor said Connor could come home the next day and Eva could come home with him…IF she stuck to bed rest for the first three or four days. The Bris would have to wait until Friday the 27th, the 10th day after he was born.

“And Eva, you’re going to have to take it easy for a couple of months. No running around, doing chores and so on, for at least two months. Maybe three. We’ll see how you progress.”

She was about to protest but I cut her off. “Not a problem, doctor. I’ll cancel my work plans and I’ll be around. I’ll do the cooking, cleaning, shopping and so on. I’ll drive them to their appointments with you and his pediatrician. And my sister will help me out. She’s excited about being an aunt.”

“All right. But you have to stick to that. Eva, I’m serious. Lot’s of rest for the next few months. I don’t even want you going to the bathroom for the first two weeks without help.”

“Is that really necessary?” my wife asked, frustration filling her voice.

“Yes it is, if you don’t want to end up in the emergency room and getting a hysterectomy. I’m totally serious, Eva. You don’t get out of bed without help for the first two weeks at least.”

“Don’t worry, doctor. She won’t. I’ll make sure of it.”

The doctor left us as Connor finished feeding. She was clearly pissed off at me.

“What do you want to do? End up back in the hospital? Maybe bleed to death? You’re such a smart woman; stop being stubborn and silly.”

“I know” she said resignedly. “I just…..” she started crying. Hard. I took Connor from her and sat next to her while holding our son. I managed to hold her hand.

“Honey, what’s wrong? This is a happy time, the happiest of our lives. We have a beautiful, healthy son. Don’t be sad.”

“Oh, stop trying to make me feel better! Don’t you get it? Are you dumb? I screwed everything up! I can’t have any more children! One and done! I can’t even give us a proper family!” Eva turned away from me and cried into her pillow.

I rang for the nurse and she took Connor back into the nursery. I wasn’t sure how to talk to her, so I just went with my instinct. “Eva, listen to me.” Gentle, Very gentle. “Please. Nothing that happened is your fault. It’s no one’s fault. When I saw you right after Connor was born, you were the most beautiful I’ve ever seen you look. So happy and full of love. Then you turned whiter than a ghost and they pushed me out of the room. I thought…..I actually prayed, to God or whatever might be out there. Because nothing would have been worse than if I lost you. If Connor lost you. And Cammy too. We all need you. We’re going to need you for a long, long time. We have such a wonderful family right now. And if some day we want another child, there’s always adoption or foster care. There are a lot of children out there that need a loving family. We could do that. There’s even that procedure, surrogacy, where you contract with a woman to carry your baby. There are options. And if we decide what we have is enough, that will be fine too. But none of it matters if I don’t have you. So I’ll help you to the bathroom, I’ll wipe your butt if I have to. I’ll take you to appointments, I’ll cook and I’ll clean. Because I really don’t want to face the rest of my life without you. I don’t have a life without you. You’re my Angel.”

Eva reached behind her for my hand and I held it. “Do you really mean all that, Bear? All of it?”

“Every single letter of every word. I need you. Connor and Cammy need you. Your parents and your brothers. You’ve given so much of yourself to all of us. When my mom got sick and after she died, then all the shit with my father…..You held us all together. So please, let me take care of you. Please, honey. Let me wipe your ass.” We both laughed, a laugh that made us both feel so much better.

“You’re a very silly Papa Bear. Sweet and wonderful, too. Where would I be without you?”

“Binghamton,”

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My wife and son came home the next day. I rented a wheelchair to help her get around and Eva’s parents hired a nurse for her during the day, for as long as she needed. It was very sweet of them to do it. Not at all surprising. But very kind and generous.

Her family and Cammy were the only ones there that day, and even her family had to back off a bit for a few days to let Eva rest. The nurse, a friendly middle aged woman named Consuela, took charge like a Master Sargent of both Eva and Connor while she was there during the day, and I, with help from Cammy, took over at night. Eva was feeling a little better every day but still, she could only get out of bed to go to the bathroom or sit in the wheelchair for short periods. We pushed the Bris back one more day, to Saturday, to give her a little more time. But Saturday morning it was, 12 days after his birth.

Tuesday evening, the phone rang and I answered it. After saying hello twice, waiting to see if someone would answer, I was just about to hang up when I heard a female voice say “Jon, hi, it’s Adrienne. How are you doing?”

I was stunned for a moment; it had been years since we talked, since before Eva and I got married. “Hey Adrienne. It’s great to hear your voice. How are you?”

“I’m fine, a lot better than when we last spoke. I wanted to congratulate you and Eva on the birth of your son…Connor, right?”

“Connor Reed. A beautiful boy. I’m in love with him.” Eva called out to me, wanting to know who was calling and I indicated through silent hand and mouth signals that it was Adrienne. She looked surprised but then indicated I should keep talking to her.

“Jon, I never got in touch when your mother died. I can’t tell you how sorry I am for that and for her loss. I loved your mom a lot.”

Bringing up my mom, even after over three years, was painful, but not nearly to the degree it used to be, It was more of an ache than a deep pain. “Thanks, Ade, I appreciate that. And if you’re about to apologize for anything else, don’t. We’re cool. The past is the past.”

“Thanks, Jon. I understand Camilla is living with you? How’s it working out? How are things with your father?”

I explained that we didn’t know how my father was doing, telling her about when we saw him last, but things with Cammy were great. Then a few other things about her life, therapy and school. She was a year behind us but doing very well, majoring in math. And she met a man, Justin, who was majoring in the history of Catholicism. She said she liked him a lot but they were taking things slow.

We had a pause and I decided to ask. “Ade, would you like to come to the Bris on Friday with your parents? You could bring Justin; we’d love to meet him.”

“Are you sure? Will that be alright with Eva?”

“If you want to hold on I can ask. But I’m pretty sure she’d like to see you, to see how well you’re doing. Please come. It would mean a lot to me.”

She thought it over and then she said she’d love to come. I looked forward to it and Eva was fine when I told her. She has an amazingly warm and loving and forgiving heart.

Saturday morning platters were delivered, deli and smoked fish, Jewish Soul Food, with breads and bagels and cream cheeses and pastries. A coffee and soft drink station. Enough for over 100 people at least and all paid for by my aunt and uncle and various cousins. It was a good thing they ordered so much, because the house was filled with friends and relatives. Friends of ours, friends of both our parents. Cousins on both sides. At least 75 showed up. Thankfully the weather was lovely that day, so people could stand and sit out in the backyard. We needed the room.

When Eva was dressed with the help of Consuela, I sat on the bed next to her in the chair. “So? Are you ready for your fan club? Everyone’s here to see you.”

“No, they’re here to see this one” she said as she cradled Conner in her arms. “I’m just glad to see them all. I’m glad to be alive to see everyone.” She smiled, a big, warm loving smile. It did my heart a lot of good to see her so happy and feeling stronger every day.

Cammy knocked…no, pounded…on our door. We told her to come in and she said “Hey you two, or three! Everyone is ready! The Mohel is ready ( A Mohel, pronounced MOY-el, is the person who performs the circumcision in accordance with Jewish law and custom). “And there’s a surprise outside!”

“A surprise? For us?” I looked questioning at Eva.

She was just as curious. “A surprise. Let’s see our surprise.”

I wheeled her out into the living room and everyone cheered and made a huge fuss over our boy. He was calm because he just ate but there were lot’s of people to love him. And as we got through the throng of friends and relatives, I saw my dad, still looking rough around the edges, but he was there for his grandson. I hugged him tight along with Cammy, all three of us crying. And he didn’t smell of alcohol.

“Dad, I’m so glad you’re here. So glad. Come over here and meet your grandson, Connor Reed.” His hands shook a little; there was no question of letting him hold his grandson, unfortunately. But he could touch him and kiss him while I held him.

“Hey, little one” dad said with wonder as he lightly touched Connor’s head. “You’re so beautiful! He looks just like you did, Jon. Just like you. Again, the three of us cried, along with Eva. “Hi Eva. How are you feeling?”

“Pretty good, Abe. Better every day.”

“You did a great job, giving us all this wonderful gift.” Dad held her hand and I could barely keep from falling to pieces.

“Thank you. Come sit with us over there, Abe.” We all sat together with Eva’s family and everyone else circled around. The Mohel introduced himself and He spoke about the covenant between God and Abraham, the reason for the Bris, as well as giving Connor his Hebrew names. The Mohel said some prayers as Harold held his grandson and then the hard part, watching as he snipped off the foreskin. Connor cried, he was given a couple of drops of wine, and then he was given his Jewish names….Chaim Reuven. As I’ve said, Eva and I are not believers, but there was something so touching about that moment. We weren’t religious, but we did keep something of a Jewish home. It just was the right thing to do.

Cammy then held her nephew, so natural with him already. I think she loved him as much as Eva and I did. Phyllis of course had to have her turn. Will and Walt had time a little later. It was a real family affair.

I sat with dad and Cammy. We had to talk; we had to know what dad planned to do. Cammy let him hug her as she asked him that. What were his plans?

“Jon, Camilla, it took all my will to not drink the last two days after Harold came and told me. I don’t think I can keep doing this.”

“So that’s it? You come back to us for a few hours and then you’re going to go back to drinking your life away? Dad, think about this. Forget all the bitter words we fired at each other. You’re sober two days. Try to make it three. One day at a time. That’s what the program says. Don’t you want to be part of your family again? You have a grandson to live for, as well as Cammy and me. And Eva. She’s as much a part of us as if she had our blood.”

“Jon. I love you all, I really do. But I just can’t do it. I can’t.”

His mind was made up. He wanted to be gone. Cammy pulled away from him and said “Dad, why did you come? Why did you do this, give us hope and then leave again? If you can’t try, if you can’t even give it a shot, why don’t you just leave now?” She wasn’t crying, she wasn’t shouting. She was more like a disapproving parent letting her child know he let her down. “This could have been a great day. It was. One of the best. And you’re ruining it. Just leave us, dad. If you don’t have the guts to try.” She got up and walked away, to mingle with guests, get something to eat, to never see her father again.

“What she said, dad. Cammy is sharp. And she’s right. If you haven’t got the guts to try, you should leave. If you need a ride…”

“No, I have my car.” He got up. He was like a stranger to me. I felt almost no love for him. I couldn’t. Some people just disappoint you. “I’m sorry Jon.”

“Not as sorry as I am. Please, this is a happy occasion. Just leave us.”

He left, didn’t say goodbye to anyone else, not even Eva or aunt Annette. He just left. We never saw him again, not alive.

I pushed it away. This was a celebration and I wanted to enjoy the day, the people. My wife and son. I picked Connor up from Eva’s lap. I kissed his head and whispered “I promise I’ll never, ever abandon you. I’ll always be your father, I’ll always be here for you. For as long as I live.” One more kiss, then a big kiss for Eva. “I love you, Mommy.” We smiled at each other in our house filled with loving people. It was a great day.

As I was talking to some of Eva’s cousins, Adrienne caught my attention. Her hair was different, shorter and cute, and she had put on about 15 pounds, but it was her and she still was an attractive woman. I excused myself from the cousins and before we said a word, Ade and I hugged for at least 30 seconds.

“Ade, I’m so glad you’re here! It’s great to see you. it’s been way too long.”

“Same here, Jon. Thank you for inviting us.” She turned and a man next to her stuck his hand out. “Jon, this is Justin.” He was a little shorter than she was, stocky but not fat, with thick blond hair and very pale skin, with a very friendly face. We talked a couple of minutes, I got good vibes from Justin, and then I said hello to Sandy and Marvin. Then I brought them all over to see Eva and meet Connor.

Ade bent down to kiss Eva’s cheek and then after Eva met Justin, the four of them met my little man. They, like everyone else, made a huge deal over him, and then Sandy turned and moved away, crying. Marvin held her and I went to see what was wrong, if she wanted to tell me.

“Jon, we’re so happy for you and Eva. It’s just a wonderful thing, really. But when we were coming in, your father was leaving. We tried to talk to him, but he said he had to go get a drink. Marvin tried to talk to him, but your father told him he couldn’t talk, he had to leave and he didn’t think he’d see any of us again. Your mother was my best friend, Jon. This would break her heart, to see what’s become of Abe. I’m so sorry.” Marvin kept his arm around her should as he took her aside. She wanted to leave too. She said she was too upset and didn’t want to ruin a beautiful occasion for us.

I took her hand and said “Sandy, my dad made his choice. Cammy and I are just pushing him out of our lives unless he decides he want’s help. We refused to let him ruin this day. Please don’t let him ruin today for you. We’re all here as friends, Adrienne and I are together for the first time in a long time. It’s a beautiful day. Please stay and enjoy it with us.”

Sandy kissed my cheek. “You always were a special young man. Not such a young man now. Your mother would be so happy, so proud of you and Camilla.” I was tearing up all over again. Aside from the time with my father, this turned out to be a pretty great day.

After everyone left and everything cleaned up (we’d be eating deli and smoked fish for a week) Eva was exhausted. I got her back in bed and let her take a nap while I looked after Conner. Cammy went with a few friends to hang out so I had time alone with my son. He was sleeping, wrapped in a blanket and cradled in my arms as some Simon and Garfunkle played. “Hey little man. Thank you for bringing one of my oldest friends back into my life. I couldn’t have done it without you.” I gave him a tiny kiss on his nose and he stirred, opened his eyes and smiled at his daddy before closing his eyes and he went back to sleep. He had a pretty long day as well.

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Over the next few weeks, Eva got stronger. The doctor gave her permission to walk around the house or in the backyard for short periods of time. She gave us exercises to help make her stronger. In the meantime, Cammy and I did almost all the housework, the nurse helped out taking care of Connor during the day, and I did the 2AM feedings, then the 4AM changings. I wanted Eva to get her rest.

The problem was, even with Cammy’s help when she could, I was starting to get exhausted. I just wasn’t getting much sleep or downtime. So after six weeks, at the beginning of July, Phyllis and Harold agreed to take Connor and Eva for two days so I could get some sleep. Cammy stayed at a friends house and for two glorious days I did almost nothing but sleep and eat. It was what I needed and when my family came home, I was clear of eye and straight of back.

“Thank you, Angel” I said, kissing my wife that night she came home. Then I

kissed and gently held my son, whom I could swear grew in the two days he was away from me. Eva no longer needed the wheelchair as long as she took things easy. She hugged me and kissed my ear, sending a tingle through my body.

“Don’t do that, honey. We can’t do that yet.”

“Wrong. I can’t do that yet. But I can do something for my amazing husband.”

“Honey, I can wait for you to recover your strength. Really. I appreciate it but it’s not necessary.”

“Yes it is. You’ve been so good to me the last six weeks. You needed the rest and now, you need something else. And I want to take care of it for you. If you say no, you’ll hurt my feelings.” She pouted and she knew damn well that always got to me.

“Well I wouldn’t want to hurt your feelings. What do you have in mind?”

“Lean back on the pillows. Prop them up on the headboard. That’s it, Bear. Now take your pajamas off.” I pulled them down my hips and then down my legs.

“Ok. all ready.” I sure was; my cock was more than semi hard. It had been a long time out of necessity. I hadn’t even jerked off.

“MMM you are ready, aren’t you. My poor husband. Been working so hard.” Eva leaned over and kissed the head of my cock. “You’re been such a great husband and father. Now I’m going to be a good wife.” She leaned a little more and took the head between her lips. Her tongue slipped out, slithering like a snake, as it massaged and caressed the glans and the thick vein along the underside, making me throb. Before Eva could even move her mouth lower down, she felt my body tense up and she applied more suction.

“Eva! I’m going to cummmmm” as she adjusted her angle and accepted my steaming copious seed into her mouth and then right down her throat. I was so hot it took a little more than a minute. And it was amazing. My incredible wife. I helped her up along the bed until she was in my arms and I was in hers. “I can’t believe you did that for me. I could have waited, you know.” I kissed her sweet and sticky lips.

“Hmmm based on how quick that happened, I’d say you couldn’t have waited another day” Eva laughed, and I had to laugh with her. It wasn’t my finest sexual moment, but under the circumstances, it wasn’t bad either. We spent a little while more talking, I sang to both Eva and Connor, and we put him back in his crib before all three of us fell asleep. And miraculously, that night, Connor slept through. It didn’t happen again for quite a while. It was as if he knew his parents needed a peaceful night.

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One night the following week, Eva and I were holding Connor on the couch while we watcha tv drama. Cammy was out for the evening with her boyfriend (still hard to accept for me) and she got home unexpectedly early. From the way she almost slammed the door, it was apparent she was upset.

Eva turned to her and asked “Cammy? What’s wrong? Something with Trevor?”

“I don’t want to talk about it!” she said with anger in her voice, then she went to her room and closed herself in there without even saying hello to Connor. That was unusual, to say the least. Then we heard her crying. It must have been bad.

Eva was about to get up and check on her but I held her arm and had her stay with Connor. “Let me go see what’s wrong. Brother to sister.” She acceded and I got up.

I knocked on her door. “Cammy? Are you decent? Can I come in and talk to you?”

“All right” like she was resigned to it. I went in and she was lying on her bed with just her lamp on. She had pictures of the two of them spread out on the bed and her eyes were red from crying.

“Hey sis, are you ok? Feel like talking about it to your brother?”

“If you can tell me why men are such assholes!” She rarely cursed in front of me. Then she cried hard. I sat on the edge of her bed and rubbed her back gently.

“Want to tell me about it, sweetie? Maybe I can help. Hey, he didn’t hurt you, did he?” I asked with concern.

“No, nothing like that. We just had a fight. I don’t really want to discuss it with you. But that feels nice. Keep doing that.” I kept rubbing her back, a gentle touch for my wonderful sister, who was now almost like a daughter to me. “Jon? Would you sing to me? You sing to Eva and Connor, and I understand that. But you’ve never sung to me. Would you, please?”

“Sure sweetie. Let me think a minute. I can’t exactly sing the love songs I sing to Eva.”

She giggled through her tears. “No, that would be gross! How about You’ve Got a Friend?”

I thought it over, made sure I knew the lyrics and nodded my head with a smile. “When you’re down and troubled, and you need some lovin’ care, And nothing, nothing is going right…..” I kept singing the great Carole King song and my sister, not so little anymore, gradually stopped crying and just felt at ease. “You just call out my name, and you know wherever I am, I’ll come running, to see you again” When I got to the end she sat up and hugged me and kissed my cheek. :Winter Spring Summer or Fall, all you got to do is call, and I’ll be there, yes I will. You’ve got a friend.”

“You’re the best brother in the world, Jon. And my best friend and my father figure. You and Eva have given up so much for me and I’ll love you both forever for it.”

“Nonsense, sweetie. We did what needed to be done. You’re OUR sister and we adore you. If it had been Walt and Will, we would have done the same. We’re family and we love you with all our hearts. It was no sacrifice at all.” I hugged her tighter, kissing her cheek.

“You do realize this was the first time you sang to me, right? In a long time anyway.”

“Well, I’ll have to do something about that, honey. We should have family singalongs. Eva’s not bad. I can’t speak for Connor yet.” Cammy laughed at that silly joke. “And I know you’re pretty good as well. You know, I’ve been thinking about taking guitar lessons, at least enough so that I can play in a basic way. What do you think? You want to take lessons with me?”

“Could we? I thought a little about it. I don’t expect to be Eric Clapton, but I wouldn’t mind if I could play when I’m with friends. And my family.” I hugged her and we decided we’d go shopping over the weekend for a couple of inexpensive guitars and find a teacher. Something brother and sister could do together.

I went back out and nodded my head to Eva, letting her know that things were fine. Whatever the problem was, Cammy would work it out, but she was fine in the meantime. “So, Cammy and I decided, we’re going to take guitar lessons together. Do you want to make it all three of us?”

“I think that’s sweet. No, I’m not really interested, but I think it’s a great idea. I guess we’re buying a couple of guitars?”

“Yeah, cheap ones. Maybe used. You sure you don’t want to join us?”

“Yes, I’m sure. I don’t like the ideas of calluses on my fingers. I love being able to use them to touch my sexy Bear.” She kissed me and handed Connor over to me. I gently bounced him on my lap and he gave me a big smile, saliva bubble and all.

Cammy came out to join us dressed in her t-shirt and shorts. “Eva, did Jon tell you the good news?”

“He sure did. We’re going to have musicians in the house. As long as you’re not taking up the drums…..or the tuba.” We shared a laugh, and I thought how we really were a close and happy family. We were lucky.

But sometimes in every life some rain must fall. Sometimes it’s a deluge.

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First some good news. Cammy and I bought a couple of ‘inexpensive’ guitars and we found a teacher who worked with adults. Mr. Arcaro. A really nice guy whom I’m sure was pleased to get two fees for one visit, twice a week. To be fair, he did give us a double lesson. Over time, I got pretty good, good enough to carry a tune once I learned it, but Cammy was a natural. She picked up plucking techniques and key changes much quicker than I did. By December she started bringing her guitar along when she went to parties or even just hung out with friends. It was well worth the expense.

Sunday June 27th Eva finally had her baby shower. Her mother hosted it at an Irish pub after Dr. Thomas gave Eva permission to go out, provided she went in a wheelchair. Twenty five women, including Cammy and my aunt and even Eva’s cousin Alyssa came in from Chicago. When I was over, me, Harold and the twins went to pick Eva up and collect the gifts. Connor did all right, and of course, he was the center of attention.

On August 12, just about three months after Connor was born, Dr. Thomas gave Eva the good news that we could resume “marital relations”. That’s how she put it. To us it meant we resume making love and fucking again.

Eva called her mom and asked her to watch Connor for a few hours that night. Phyllis and Harold were thrilled to spend time with their grandson, and Phyllis gave us a knowing wink when we dropped him off. Cammy was away for a few days with her friend Joanna and her family at the Jersey shore. Lucky us!

We barely made it home before our desires kicked in. “Race you to the bedroom, Bear!” Eva called to me, moving rapidly to our bed. She was laughing with glee.

“Right behind you!” I called, and I was, no more than two steps. I even grabbed her ass and she yelped out as she fell onto the bed with me jumping her bones. We were giggling and moaning at once, shucking our clothing with desperation. We were so hot for each other that Eva got on top of me before our underthings were fully off, and she climaxed about as fast as I had that night she sucked the head of my cock.

“Oh GOD BEAR! CUMMINGGGGG!!!” She screamed loud enough that I was grateful we left Connor with her parents. That scream could have traumatized him.

I pushed Eva onto her back and I thrust into her a little rougher than I meant to, but she enjoyed it thoroughly, every second, cumming again when I did, filling her pussy like I hadn’t done in a long while. We held each other and kissed over and over, loving and lusty. “My gorgeous Angel. I’ve missed you, my love.”

“As much as I’ve missed you?” She pushed her slender fingers through my brushy hair. We kept sharing small kisses.

“Let’s call it even. I missed you, you missed me. And I like your new boobs. Nice and full.” Eva slapped my butt.

“And if you keep squeezing them, you’ll end up with a face full of milk, Yuck!”

“I don’t know about that. I think I’d like to try your mother’s milk.”

“No way, Bear! That’s for our son alone! In fact, I’d better pump a little so he’s got a snack when he gets home. But don’t wander off, I want you again. Slower this time.”

“Just what I was thinking. And honey? I love you.”

“MMM I love hearing that from you. Love you too.” She got her pumping gear and while she did that, I got washed up and then got us a snack of cheese and crackers with some iced tea. When she was done, we had our snack and talked, as spouses do, about everything and nothing in particular. We were just being comfortable together.

When we finished our snack, I pressed my body on top of hers and held her arms down. “I think I need to take my wife.” We kissed over and over.

“I think I love the sound of that. My sexy Papa Bear. Take me, make me yours again, my love” she moaned, heat all over her face.

I was very hot myself. “It does sound great doesn’t it. But there’s something I want to do first.” I threw the blanket over her face and Eva laughed out loud.

“What are you going to do? As if I didn’t know!”

“Shhh, you’ll see. Or you won’t, actually.” I moved down her tummy, fuller now than it had been, and just as sexy to me. Then lower to where her pubic hair was matted from our earlier fast fuck. I hadn’t been down there in months and I missed it. I missed giving my wife the pleasure she deserved.

I started slow, savoring the flavor I’d been deprived of. All along her lips, a long slow sweep around in an oval. Eva breathed deep, expanding her stomach, then relaxed as I probed her various folds. She was wet and also oozing my own semen from earlier, a mixed texture and taste I’d come to love over the years. She put her feet on the bed and thrust into my face. I could hear her gasping even under the blanket. “Bear, can I please take this off my face? I’m suffocating under here!”

“Of course, Angel. The last thing I want to do is suffocate my wife.” She threw it off and breathed deep of the air conditioned air. Then I went back to my second snack of the afternoon and licked faster, lots of tongue, until Eva’s breathing got quicker and shallow and soon she was cumming again, on my face and my chin, dripping down my neck.

I slowed things down as I kissed up her body, even pausing to kiss and suck gently at her breasts, and I got the slight taste of her milk. It tasted a little sour, but I didn’t mind. It was from Eva. That made it wonderful as far as I was concerned.

We spent the rest of that afternoon making love together, a nice, slow, gentle screw we could share as we shared our touches and kisses. It was romantic, loving, everything we had been missing over the three months. And it was spectacular.

An hour later, we were getting ready to have dinner at Eva’s parents and pick up Connor of course. Not that my in-laws would have minded if we left him with them for a few weeks. I knelt beside Eva as she fixed her hair in her vanity mirror. “That was almost worth waiting for” I said with a kiss and a chuckle. “Seriously, it was wonderful. Everything we share is wonderful.”

“MMM Papa Bear. You haven’t forgotten a thing. Still a great lover.”

“You’re not so bad yourself. I’ve told you, you’re the best piece of ass ever.” I kissed her and lightly spanked her butt.

“Gee, what woman doesn’t want to hear that? My naughty Bear. You didn’t even let me give you a blowjob.”

“What can I tell you? I had my mind, and my cock, thinking about other things.”

“Lucky me! Seriously. I like to play with you too. Remember what we talked about when I was pregnant, about men not doing certain things with their wives once they become mothers? Please don’t treat me like that. I love everything about our sex lives.”

“I promise, that’s not what was going on. I just was very excited to be with you. I promise, you can blow me any time you want.” It was funny to us, and we laughed together as we often did. We had such an easy and comfortable way with each other.

Over the next couple of weeks, as August wound down, we got together with friends for some late summer parties, I got ready to start my teaching career and to start towards my master’s degree two nights a week, and Eva and I resumed a very regular and exciting sex life. In other words, we resumed our lives in general. Cammy was getting ready to be a senior in high school and was sending out college applications. And, since she was with custodial non-parents, she was eligible for a lot of financial aid scholarship assistance besides what she qualified for as a top student. Wherever she went would cost us a minimal amount. Her first choice was Cornell and second was Columbia, with third being Albany. She had the grades and scores to get into any of them. I’ve mentioned, she’s at least as smart as Eva.

In the wee small hours of August 30th, at a little after 2:30, there was a knock on our front door. A fairly loud one. Such knocks are either a drunk at the wrong house or very bad news. As I sat up, trying to clear the fog from my brain, I was praying for a drunk.

“Jon, who could that be?” Eva asked, sitting up on her side and going to Connor, who was crying from being woken up. She put on a long satin robe.

“Honey, I have no idea. I’ll find out. You stay here.” I got my robe on as the knocking continued. Cammy met me in the hall in her own robe.

“Jon?” She looked worried. I understood why.

“Cammy, go back to your room. Close the door.” Just in case. There was a small chance of trouble.

I looked out the peephole and I saw two police. Uh-oh. Bad news of some sort. I opened the door and said “Good morning, officers. Can I help with something?”

“Jonathan Grossman? Jonathan Robert Grossman?”

“Yes….” The alarms were ringing in my brain.

“May we come in for a minute?” I ushered them inside and by then, both Eva and Cammy came out to see what was going on. Cammy took Eva’s hand and they both had frightened looks. I’m sure I did too.

“There’s no easy way to say this” the first officer, a big guy with a kind face said. “Earlier this evening, at about 9:15, Abe Grossman was in a car accident on the Grand Central Parkway by LaGuardia Airport. I’m sorry to say he died at the scene.” I didn’t hear much else as Cammy screamed in terrible pain, like her soul was shorn from her body. Eva hugged her tight as they both cried and sat down hard on the couch. I dealt with the police, who gave me a card from the Medical Examiners office, who I would call to find out when I could have a funeral home get his remains. I thanked the police, and after they left I sat down on Cammy’s other side and put my arm around her as she kept crying, broken hearted. Eva was crying with her, not as hard, but clearly devastated. But I couldn’t cry. It barely struck me. I felt almost nothing.

Cammy turned to me and sobbed on my chest. “I’m an orphan! I don’t have parents anymore!” Things like that. I couldn’t respond. But Eva took over.

“Cammy, you’re not an orphan. You have Jon and you have me. My parents, your aunt and uncle. Trevor. Your friends. And you have Connor. You have so many people who love you, but no one more that Jon and me. You mean as much to us as Connor does, sweetie. Right Jon?” she tried to draw me into the conversation.

I broke through the haze of the shock. I held her tight and I kissed her head. “Eva’s right, sweetie. We’ve told you before, you always have us and everyone else. Don’t say you’re an orphan. Orphan’s have no one to care for them. You have a lot of people.”

We all sat there just holding each other for hours. Eva didn’t want to call her parents in the middle of the night. It could wait until the early morning. In the meantime, there was really no chance of getting back to sleep. Cammy and Eva both nodded out and I took care of Connor when he woke up hungry (there was always pumped milk in the refrigerator). While I fed him I thought about how the police didn’t offer any real details. Was he drunk? Did anyone else get hurt, or god forbid, worse? Was he responsible? If he was and he hurt someone else because he was driving drunk…..

At 7 I quietly woke Eva, and she went in our bedroom to call her mom. They came over within the hour and I got Cammy up so she could put on some clothes. Then I called the medical examiner and they told me he could be picked up after 5PM, after an autopsy was performed. It was mandatory under the circumstances. I called my aunt and sure enough, they came over as well.

At noon, I went with uncle Phil to the funeral home to make the arrangements. I asked Cammy if she wanted to come along, but she vehemently shook her head no, without question. I needed to talk with her but I needed to take care of things first.

At least his funeral, like my mom’s, was pre-paid. I just had to set the time at the funeral home and the burial time after. Thursday, Sept. 1, 10 AM at the home, burial after. Then Shiva. It seemed like we just did it for mom.

On the way back home my uncle pulled over and put the car in park, but left it running so we could keep cool with the air conditioner. He took a moment to collect his thoughts. “Jon, I want to tell you something. I know you’re feeling a whole mix of emotions. Sadness, sure, but I can tell this isn’t hurting you like when your mom died. And I can tell your sister is much the same. Abe really burned his bridges with you two. I’ll never understand how my brother in law, one of my best friends, fell apart so badly.

But you….you’ve stepped up like I couldn’t believe was even possible. Not because you didn’t have it in you; I’ve known what a strong man you are inside for a long time, and I hope Jerrold and Nick grow up to emulate you. The way you and Eva have taken care of Camilla…. I want you to know how proud your aunt Annette and I are of you both. And we’re proud of your sister too. She could have gone off the deep end, gotten into all kinds of trouble. But she didn’t. And it’s a testament to your mother and your father, to the way they raised you, at least until Carol died. You’re a fine man. And I know I’ve told you this, but if you ever need anything at all, you come to me. I don’t care what it is, you come to me.”

I thought I would just listen to him in a numb way and at first I did. But as he talked, the memories of much better times seeped through and I cried when he was done. I cried for a long time over all that was lost. I lost my mom once, but I lost my dad a few times. At least I couldn’t lose him again.

Phil put an arm around me. “Let it out, Jon. I know you feel like you have to be strong in front of your wife and sister, but in front of me, you can be yourself. I love you, Jon. You’re a lucky man. You have an amazing family.”

I never said anything on that ride home, but Uncle Phil knew how I was feeling and what I was thinking. I was incredibly grateful for him that day. He made things much easier on me. If you haven’t noticed, I’m incredibly blessed with my wonderful family.

Two days later we buried my father. We couldn’t even look at him in the casket because his remains were so badly damaged in the accident. It turned out he was alone and he hit a steel overpass. He died instantly. In fact, we later learned he had a heart attack behind the wheel causing him to lose control. He wasn’t even drunk, thankfully. I don’t know why that made a difference to me, but it did.

Trevor was proving to be a good boyfriend. He stayed with us all afternoon the day we found out, and the next day too. His family came to the funeral; it was the first time Eva and I met is parents and they were very nice people. I could see he was raised to be a good young man by his parents. The important thing to me was he treated Cammy with respect, and he obviously loved her like she loved him. He was over every day during the week-long Shiva. He scored major brownie points with me.

One night during Shiva, long after everyone left and Eva went to sleep (she still wasn’t 100%, but she was close) Cammy and I were sitting in the living room watching TV, something you’re not supposed to do during mourning, but hey, no one knew. I thought we should have a talk. She wasn’t showing any sense of grief. Neither was I, and I thought we should talk about it.

I asked her to sit next to me on the couch and she plopped herself down inches apart. I put my arm around her and kissed her head. “Cammy, how are you feeling? I mean really, deep inside? Could you tell me?”

“I don’t know, Jon. What about you? How are you feeling?”

“Honestly? Kind of shut down inside. I should be feeling sad and hurt but I don’t. And I guess I feel guilty about that. Like I’m a shitty son.”

She smiled at me; I didn’t often curse in front of her. “I know. I feel the same way. I’m a lousy daughter. But he was out of our lives so long, I don’t miss him. He abandoned us, Jon. Even with a grandson, he couldn’t get his act together. No, that’s not right. He didn’t want to. Not for us, not for Connor. Maybe one day it will hit us, what we’ve lost. But right now? It’s like I’m going through the motions.”

I nodded. My sharp as a knife sister really understood what was happening. I hugged her tighter. “You want to do something to remember dad?” I asked as I shut the tv off.

“Sure. I think we should do something.”

“Lets sing some Sinatra. His favorite singer.” We knew a bunch of Ol’ Blue Eyes songs because our parents played his songs often. We started with Strangers in the Night, Three Coins in the Fountain, When Somebody Loves You. When we got to One More For My Baby, we were both crying. Not bawling, not with broken hearts. Sad, in a healthy way. We held each other as we sang that classic song together. It was our way of saying goodbye to our dad together. After that we just sat together and fell asleep holding each other.

About 4:20, Eva woke us up. “What are you doing out here? Did you just fall asleep?”

I looked around half asleep as Cammy rubbed her eyes and sat up straight. “Yeah I guess we did. We talked a while then we sang a few Frank Sinatra songs for dad. Then we kind of fell asleep. Sorry honey.”

“Don’t be sorry. I understand. But I didn’t like waking up after 4 without you in bed with me. You both should get to sleep in bed. It’s another busy day tomorrow.”

So it was. But Cammy and I got on our way to being able to grieve for our father. It would take time. But we’d heal from the pain he put us through.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

A few weeks later I started teaching American History and Social Studies at Bayside High School, Eva’s and my alma mater. It was weird returning to those halls four years after graduating but I was happy to be there. And it was only about twenty minutes from home, so I had time the days I had night classes back at Queens College for my Masters of Education degree.

Eva started working at a psychology practice, overseen by one of the doctors with the expectation that within three years she’d start towards her own Masters degree, then a doctorate. But things don’t always go the way you plan. Sometimes something better comes along.

First Cammy. She applied to Cornell, Columbia and Albany as I mentioned earlier, but she also applied to her ‘reach’ school, the school she didn’t expect to get into, Yale. I understood her lack of confidence; Yale rejected four out of every five applications. We drove her up there for her interview and she fell in love with the campus. Who wouldn’t? A beautiful college, and one of the finest universities anywhere in the world. And with her grades, SATs (1550) and history of working after school and summers plus being a part of the school drama department, she had a better chance than she gave herself.

In November she and Trevor broke up. It was her idea, and while she wasn’t devastated, she was hurt, but she put it behind her. Besides, he was an average student and had no chance of going to a top college. That split was going to happen sooner or later.

In January letters and envelopes started coming from colleges. And damn if my sister didn’t get a thick envelope from Yale, inviting her to be a member of the class of 1989! She even got almost a full ride, and since school back then wasn’t quite the financial nightmare it was later, her college money would more than cover the remaining costs.

When Eva and I got home that night we through a mini celebration with her favorite, yes, Chinese take out. Connor wasn’t quite ready for that. He was having strained peas and some apple sauce. He was enjoying it too, at least what stayed in his mouth. He was a good eater.

After dinner, while I was burping my son, we talked about the pros and cons of Yale. There weren’t many cons. The biggest one was Cammy’s self confidence. “What if I’m not really up to their standards? What if I can’t cut it there?”

Eva spoke to her. “Do you think they would have accepted you, no matter your circumstances, if you weren’t Yale material? You’re a brilliant person, Cammy. You can do anything you want. I’m not going to say it will be easy. It’s going to mean working harder than you’ve ever had to work before. But you can do it. We know you. We wouldn’t have taken you there if we didn’t have faith in you.”

“Jon?” My sister looked at me. “What do you think?”

“I think what Eva said. You’re as smart as anyone we know. You’ve always been tough when you need to be, kind when you want to be, and smart all the time. Do you want this? Ask yourself, Camilla.” She knew I was serious; I rarely used her full name. “Is this what you want?”

“Yes. I want this. I’m just nervous. About being around all those smart people. But most of all about being away from all three of you. Especially my little sweetheart.” She leaned across and kissed Connor on his head and he laughed for his Aunt Cammy.

“That would be the situation wherever you end up going. Baby sister, it’s time for you to go out on your own. Well, not yet but in eight months. We’ll always be here for you. You can call us, visit on weekends….sometimes….and always come home for vacations. This will always be your home, Cammy. That bedroom will be here for you until you permanently move out. This is a huge opportunity for you. Take it.”

Cammy looked determined and her decision was made. “OK, Yale class of ’89, here I come!” Eva and I gave her some of the biggest hugs we ever gave her, and Connor got all fussy, as if he could sense his aunt was moving away sometime in the near future. He started crying and Cammy picked him up and gently bounced him in her arms.

“Don’t worry, little fella. You’ll always be the first man in my life.” She gave him tiny kisses all over his face and he smiled again. He was very connected to his aunt Cammy.

I asked her “So, before you go in eight months” I joked, “do you want to babysit Friday night? Give Eva and me our first full night out?”

“Absolutely! Connor’s my favorite date! We’re going to have so much fun, just you and your aunt!” she said as she rubbed noses with him. They both giggled.

“So where are we going, Bear? Anyplace in mind?” Eva looked at me with a big smile.

“I think one of our greatest hits to start, dinner at Marco’s. Chicken cacciatore. We can see from there.” I raised my eyebrow suggestively.

“I like the idea of chicken at Marco’s. I love the idea of going where it all started.” Then she lowered her voice so Cammy couldn’t hear.

“How about we go to the Holiday Inn, the one we went to after our prom, and relive a few dirty memories? Just for a few hours. I couldn’t bear to leave Connor overnight, even with Cammy. It’s going to be hard just leaving for those few hours.”

“It sounds like a great idea, my naughty Angel. Or my naughty Devil, actually. It’s been a long time since we were there. Even longer since we were so playful together.”

Then we heard Cammy call to us from the other room where she was playing with her nephew. “Hey, what are you two plotting? Something dirty?” She laughed out loud, then we heard Connor laughing. She was going to miss him more than she would miss Eva and I. He adored his aunt Cammy without understanding who she was to him.

Friday night, we packed a few things in a travel bag. Cammy invited a couple of her friends over, Gina and Heidi, who both were enamored with Connor. They made a huge fuss over him when they got there and Connor,, future ladies man that he was, charmed them to no end.

I left money for the girls to call for a pizza or Chinese food or whatever they wanted. I told them we’d be home by 1 or so and Cammy practically shooed us out the door. “Enjoy your date night!” she called after we said our tearful goodnights to our son, like we’d never see him again. Silly, unless you’ve ever been a parent. That first date night is always hard.

We got to Marco’s and it hadn’t changed at all since we were last there about two years before. Still the same plastic coated checkered tablecloths, the same minimalist atmosphere…..even one of the waiters was still there from our first date. I held out Eva’s chair, like I always did (and still do) and we sat down to a nice dinner.

“It’s been a while since we had a night like this, Bear.” I took her hand after I ordered our chicken and a half carafe of red wine. “It feels great to be here with you, though I miss Connor like crazy.”

“Same here, Angel. It’s nice, I love having some time alone with you, but being away from him is a killer. Though I did have those two nights when you stayed at your parents. This is different. I’m only half exhausted tonight” I joked.

“I’ll be so good to you tonight, Bear. Between work and school and us you must be worn out.”

“Not as much as you think. Thankfully, he sleeps pretty well, all things considered. Once a night I can deal with.” We talked and sipped our wine until dinner came out, forty five minutes later as usual. And it was delicious as it always had been.

After dinner, we took that ride to the motel. That place had been renovated, nicely, and the room was almost fancy. Much nicer than when we stayed there years before.

When we got in the room, before we did anything, we called home like nervous parents, which we were. Cammy assured us everything was fine, Connor was having a great time being the center of attention and she was going to put him to bed in a little while. While we had her on the phone, we had to say goodnight to our little boy. Again, parents know what I’m talking about.

When we hung up we sat on the edge of the bed and cried a little, both of us, and we held each other for comfort. “We’re just a couple of wimps, Angel. Big softies.”

“Yep. And I love that about you, Papa Bear. You’re gentle and kind and so sweet. I wouldn’t want you any other way.” We kissed a few times, sweet loving kisses, then a few more that kept growing more and more passionate. We fell back on the bed together and kept going, our tongues swirling and our hands touching each other in all the best ways we knew. We knew exactly what felt good and what felt great and what felt fantastic.

As we got more into it our bodies were moving together but our clothes were still on. I whispered between kisses “Angel, do you want to get changed before we get to the point where we can’t stop? I know you’ve got something fun in your bag.”

“I do. And I planned on putting it on for you, Bear, But I don’t need it, and it certainly feels like you don’t need it either” Eva said as she fondled my already throbbing cock in my slacks.”

“No I don’t. All I want tonight is the most beautiful, most sensual woman in the world.”

“Don’t say that, Bear. I’m fat now. I don’t even know how you find me beautiful.”

“Now listen a minute to me. Yes, you still have some weight from your pregnancy. That has nothing to do with how sexy and lovely I think you are. You’ve still got the same gorgeous face.” I wasn’t getting through to her, even though just minutes ago we were both hot for each other. “Get up from the bed for a minute. Come on” I said, taking Eva by the hand.

I led her into the bathroom where there was a full length mirror behind the door. I had her face the mirror as I stood right behind her. “Look at yourself. Really look.”

“No, Bear. Please.”

“Sorry. You’re going to look at yourself and you’ll see what I see.” I lifted her chin so she was staring at herself in her black dress and hose. I could see the frustration on her face. “I see the most lovely face, the same face I fell so hard for almost five years ago. And you’re curvier now than you were. I loved you when you were more petite and I love the way you are now.” I kissed the back of her neck, down to her shoulders and Eva let out a soft sound. I pulled down the zipper on her dress and we let it fall to the tiled floor. I kept kissing her shoulders and her back, the side of her neck and the line down her spine until I got to the clasp of her bra. Then I undid the clasp and even though she tried to cover up, I pulled it down her arms. “So lovely. How can you not know that I think you’re the most lovely woman in the world? And you already did dress up for me, you fibber.” She was wearing black lace panties, my favorite, along with thigh high smooth stockings. “You were feeling very sexy earlier, weren’t you?”

“Yes. I wanted to be attractive for my handsome, loving husband.” She turned to me and I took her in my arms and kissed her with a lusty, hungry kiss. She had a small belly hanging that mattered not a bit to me.

“Angel, you are attractive to me. Whatever you wear….or don’t wear.” I started singing softly You Are So Beautiful To Me as I escorted her back to the bedroom and we went back on the bed. I kept singing as Eva helped me off with my clothes, kissing my neck and my chest all over, making it very difficult to concentrate on the words to the song. Eventually I gave up; what she was doing to me was so much more fun.

My pants went next, tossed on the floor like they were in the way….which they were. Then my boxers were gone. Eva looked like a woman not to be denied. I definitely lit a fire in her that had to be extinguished before we left.

We kissed again, raw kisses of deep passion. Without saying a word Eva turned around so we were in 69, her thighs spread wide on either side of my face so her ass was filling most of my field of vision, black panties and all. I felt her tongue teasing at the head of my cock without using either hand.

“Angel….er, Devil, that feels heavenly. I guess you’re an Angel after all.”

“And what kind of Bear ignores a delicious meal that’s right in front of him? Eat!” Giggles filled the air until Eva started licking at my dick again. She was right. Bear’s eat. So I pulled the cotton crotch aside and let my tongue flutter all over and around her swollen, aroused pussy. We hadn’t done this in a while, a 69 with a little lingerie. It was just as much fun then as it had been before. I thought again those guys who put their wives on a pedestal when it comes to sex because they’re now the mothers of their children are fucking fools.

Eva kept licking at my dick, hands free, as I pulled her lips wider and I used the tip of my tongue up and down inside the crease between her lips. Her hips moved in a grinding circle, then she pushed her back hard so her pussy smothered my face. I was in almost as glorious a place as my loving wife was.

She kept licking my cock hands free until we both were pretty frustrated from the lack of real contact. Eva grabbed the base so my dick stopped bouncing around and she could get it into her mouth. As I felt her tongue and lips caress my cock, I also felt her fingers get playful with my balls. My hips were moving around as were hers as we both shared something wonderful we hadn’t shared in a long time.

I dug my fingers into the flesh of Eva’s ass and of her thighs. I could feel her breathing through her nose, warm air tickling my shaft and testes as her mouth moved up and down along my dick. Then she took me out of her mouth, held the shaft still as her tongue lashed my cock, especially around the head. I was in heaven.

While she licked away, I was snacking on Eva’s tasty pussy. Circling her lips, teasing her pulsing clit, even dipping my tongue into the ring of her anus. She was humping my face and the nylon of her stockings was scraping my face in an exciting way. “You’re as good as ever, my little Devil. We need to do this more often.” I kissed her thighs to emphasize how much I was enjoying us.

Eva stroked me in her warm, slender hand. “Bear, would you do something naughty for me, something we haven’t done in a very long time?” Her voice was shaking and her breath was ragged. She was incredibly turned on.

“What’s that, my little Devil?”

“Spank me. You haven’t done that to me in a long time, my nasty Bear. Spank my ass, nice and hard. I need it. Right now I need to feel it. I’ll do something special for you too” her voice sounded out with the promise of something fun.

Could I do it? Could I spank the mother of my son? I was being put to the test.

Fuck, I wanted everything Eva did, everything that always felt great to us. “You’ve got a deal, Devil!” I spanked her firmly to emphasize my assent. Her body shook and I heard a long, low moan escape from her throat.

“Again!” she cried out. Again I spanked her lovely ass, not significantly bigger than it was when we met. Maybe a little. I loved it. I loved her. Another spank while I tongued her clit, and Eva shook in a long climax. I kept licking her and she was drooling on my dick and balls. Then I felt something I hadn’t felt in a long time as her finger probed my anus, playfully at first. Then I felt a great pressure as her finger, slender as it was, eased slowly past that snug ring. It was my turn to howl from my throat as I pulled away from her pussy as much as I could.

“You’re such a wicked girl! Wicked girls get punished!” SPANK! A harder slap and Eva giggled as her legs shook on either side of my face.

“Your wicked Devil!” Eva moaned, lustily, joyfully. “My wicked Bear! You give me just what I need! OH GOD!” She came again, but I was trying with all my might to hold off. I needed to fuck my wife.

“Pull your finger out, Angel” I moaned, shivering all over from holding back. “It’s time.”

“Time for what?” she teased. “Tell me!”

“Time to fuck each other. Or for me to fuck you.”

“MMMM I can’t wait! Come get me, lover!” She crawled off of me but stayed on her hands and knees. “Come on! Nice and hard!”

I was behind her as fast as I could move. Her panties were still aside, that sexy way that turned me on so much, and I eased into her pussy like sinking into warm butter. As soon as I was as deep as I could go, I made my cock twitch inside Eva, the way we both love so much. She kept grunting “Oh, oh. oh!” each time. It was a wet, hot and naughty fuck, and yet it was loving in its way, because we were loving each other without having to keep our voices down or worry if the bed was making too much noise.

I started moving in and out, making very wet sounds with every stroke. Then I pulled Eva so we were lying on our sides, with my cock staying inside her pussy the entire time. I was able to get closer to her, to wrap an arm around her body and kiss her neck and ear. She closed her eyes and smiled as we went slower, sharing a more intimate sexual experience.

“I love getting all dirty with you, Angel” I grunted with sweat dripping from my body. “But I love being sexy with you like this as well.”

Eva was groaning in time with my stroking of her clit with my fingers. Then she came one more time from my touch, my fucking and my kisses. “Bear, you can do whatever you like as long as you make me feel like this!” Then she pushed back hard and tried to squeeze me, but she couldn’t get me as tight as she used to, not yet anyway. “Dammit, I want to bring you off inside me! I need to keep working my Kegel’s. But in the meantime…” Eva slipped off from my wet, hard dick and immediately pumped me with her hand as her mouth covered my head and her tongue slathered it with coaxing motions.

I could only take so much of that treatment, especially in my excited state. I thrust my hips a few times and then a torrent of my cum filled her mouth and slid down her throat. She kept sucking until each drop was drawn from my body and I laid there like a limp rag.

Eva made her way to my side and I found the strength to put one arm around her. It still took me a couple of minutes to speak. “Do we really have to go home tonight, Angel? Couldn’t we just spend the whole night here together?”

“Your sister won’t mind, but are you certain you could keep away from Connor all night, until tomorrow? I don’t know if I could.”

“No, I don’t think I’m ready for that either. But I want to lie here with you for a while.”

“I’m not in an immediate rush. I love when you hold me after sex. And I love your sweaty body. You smell so masculine. If we had the time, that scent could really turn me on big time.”

We settled for kissing and holding each other for about an hour. Then it was about 12:30 and we didn’t want to be too late getting home. We changed into more casual clothes and washed up, then we checked out and went home, getting there a little after 1. Cammy was still up playing music while she played along very well on the guitar to Bob Dylan’s Blood on the Tracks album. She really was a natural.

“Hey! Did you guys have a good time?”

I had my arm around Eva and we both smiled. “Yes we did. Nice dinner and a nice time alone after.” I wasn’t going to be descriptive, but she pretty much knew what we were doing. Pretty much.

“Good I’m glad. Your son is going to be a babe magnet. My friends couldn’t get enough of him.”

Eva answered. “So he’s real popular with the girls. I’m not surprised. He comes from such handsome stock” she said looking at me. I blushed in front of my sister.

“Yeah I could have told you from the beginning my brother is a handsome man. I inherited mom’s beauty.” She brushed her hair back in an exaggerated manner and we all giggled together.

“Speaking of our son, how was he tonight?” Eva asked.

“He was perfect. Didn’t cry, lot’s of smiles and laughs. And he loved all three of us paying attention to him. He ate it up. And I think he’s almost ready to crawl! He was trying on the carpet, but couldn’t quite manage it. So keep an eye on him!”

Eva and I, tired as we were by then, hugged and kissed. We were glad Connor didn’t crawl without us there. We wanted to be there for as many milestones as possible. We thanked Cammy and I went to give her money like any other babysitter. She looked at me like I was out of my mind.

“Don’t insult me like that, Jon. I love my nephew and I love you both. I had a great time and I’ll watch him whenever I can, and I’ll never take a dollar. I’ll watch him because I love him, mostly, but also because the two of you have done so much for me. This is my way of giving back to you. My favorite people in the world. After Connor, that is.”

She kissed us both goodnight and Eva and I sat down on the couch for a few minutes. “How about that kid?” I marveled.

“That’s no kid, Bear. She’s a woman all the way. A smart, strong and loving woman.”

“Sounds like someone else I know very well” I smiled at my wife. “Someone else I adore, though in a different way. Mom and dad did a great job with her when it counted.”

“And someone else. A wonderful Bear I know.”

“You too, Angel. You’re a great role model for her. She’s going to take the world by storm.”

We snuggled there, almost too tired to get up, but we did and we got into bed after cleaning up. We settled into a light embrace and after a brief shared I love you, we drifted off to an easy sleep.

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Winter moved into Spring and Summer. Connor started crawling a few days later (I was at my night class and missed it), then in April, before his first birthday, he started walking, right into daddy’s arms. Eva and I cried joyfully when that happened. His first birthday party had about 15 kids from his day care at Eva’s office. She was lucky to have a job with the on site daycare. Parents were there too, of course, and I had become friendly with some of the fathers. Relatives, some other friends of ours….almost 50 people for a one year old birthday party! And Connor loved it. He really enjoyed being the center of attention.

The next big deal was Cammy’s graduation. And wouldn’t you know, like her sister in law, she graduated second in her class! Aside from the weird coincidence, we were incredibly proud of her. She was a little disappointed to be second (sound familiar?) but she got over it and got to work on her speech, with Eva and I as her sounding board.

Eva and I were talking in bed a few weeks before graduation about what to get Cammy as a gift. She had an electric typewriter, and we were thinking about a piece of jewelry, but she had a nice collection already with the things my mother left, some of which was still in the safety deposit. So it was a question of the obvious. “Honey,” I said, leaning on my side and looking at Eva’s lovely blue eyes, “I think it’s a car. She’ll need one really. To get back and forth from New Haven to here. She shouldn’t have to rely on getting rides or taking the trains. She should have her independence.”

“A new car?” Eva asked as she played with my chest hairs. I loved it when she did that. “I agree she should have her independence, but a new car…”

“No, I was thinking a good used car, like a two year old model. Low mileage and in excellent shape. We can take a car we find and bring it to Ahmed, the guy who owns the shop we use in the Shell station. He’ll make sure its a good safe car. Besides, she could buy her own once she turns eighteen and collects the money my mother left for her. I’d like to do this for her. If you agree.”

“A good used car is fine. Oh, and we have to do a party for the family and her freinds. We could just barbeque burgers, dogs, chicken and sausage. Ask my mom to bring her bean salad, others soft drinks. Your aunt could bring her baked ziti. She makes it like a real Italian!”

The morning of Cammy’s graduation Eva and I dressed in our best suits; we were as proud of her as any parents who’d be there and we wanted to look it. We even dressed Connor in his best outfit. “Your aunt Cammy is graduating today” I said as I smiled at him and he smiled back. He knew the name for a long time by now and he always lit up when he heard her name or saw her. “Let’s go give her her present!” I carried him on my shoulder and we went outside with Eva and called Cammy to follow us.

“What?” She whined. “I’m trying to get ready…” She froze in her steps, dressed, most of her makeup on, as she saw the ’84 black Mustang in the driveway. “For me?” she said, not really believing it.

“No, for Connor” Eva said wryly. “Of course it’s for you. Congratulations on a job well done! We’re all so proud of you, all three of us!”

After squealing and checking out her new ride, Cammy rushed to us and hugged us like we were her parents. And a gentler hug for Connor. “I love you all so much. And that has nothing to do with the car!”

We agreed to let Cammy drive us over to graduation at Queens College, where the auditorium was big enough to hold everyone and she showed off her car to everyone who saw her. She was beaming. And when she gave her speech, Eva and I were the ones beaming with incredible pride. My parents started the job very well, but Eva and I finished it. For my mom and dad.

That summer I went to summer classes to try to do my Masters degree in two years instead of three. I did it with Eva’s agreement, because a lot of the parenting work would fall on her. So in my free time, I helped Cammy get together what she’d need for college. She was working at the ‘Y’ camp again, something Eva and I missed. It would have been a great way to spend our summer. But we didn’t have summers off anymore, plus we had a toddler to take care of. We were getting older.

Eva and I kept doing well with our investments and we still had those bonds in the safe deposit box. So we decided to finally cash them out through our accountant. We found out these bonds, government bonds, had no tax liability and now they were worth almost half a million dollars. Half of that was for Cammy. That added to the money my mother left her meant she was going to be worth almost $300,000 in a few months when she turned 18. We had to have a long talk with her about money and how she needed to be careful around men, and women, who might want to take advantage of her.

That night in mid-August, a few weeks before Cammy started school, Eva and I told her how much money she’d be coming into in October. She knew there was money, but the amount shocked her.

“That’s all from mom and her parents?”

“Yes, left accumulating interest over seventy years. So that’s your share, half and half with me. You’ll be a comfortable young woman. But you need to be careful. You shouldn’t tell anyone, not your roommate or a boyfriend. Because if people find out, some will be hitting you up for ‘loans’ that will never be repaid. Or they’ll expect you to treat for expensive nights out. The money is yours to do as you wish. But we suggest you be careful so that most of it is still there when you graduate college. You could start a business, or buy a small home or apartment. If you want, we could have my broker open an account for you and let most of it just sit there and build value.

Eva then added “You know, your brother and I don’t live ostentatiously. We do like a nice night out once in a while, we did a lot of concerts before Connor came along, and we are talking about taking a real vacation which we haven’t done in a few years. But we don’t buy new cars every year, we plan to keep this house for now. We could afford to live a lot fancier, but we don’t. We save most of what we earn. It’s what we advise for you, to be careful and think to your future.”

“Guys, I’m not the crazy type. You know that. I like to go out with my friends, but not to those fancy clubs that cost a fortune.”

“Not yet” I responded. You’re too young to get in those places.”

“Oh, you’d be amazed how they react to a beautiful young woman. They don’t check ID, just wave you in.”

Eva and I looked at each other nervously. She asked “Cammy, have you been to those places? Please tell us the truth. We won’t be angry.”

“No, it’s not my thing. But I know girls who do go every weekend. They flash a smile, show a little skin, put on some makeup that makes them look older and they get in. It’s not for me. They have all these old men pawing at them.” She made a face that she would have had to have been a hell of an actress to fake. “I mean guys in their 40s going after young girls. It creeps me out.”

I sighed deeply. “Cammy, you know if you’re having any issues, any problems, of any sort, you can talk to us, right? Even now, going on eighteen, going to college in a few weeks. You know we’re always here for you?”

“Of course, Jon. Where would I be without the two of you? You guys saved my life.”

“Honey, we hardly did that. You were a well adjusted kid when we took custody of you. We helped but we hardly saved your life.”

“You’re wrong, Jon. You and Eva did save me. When I was living with dad, and Jessie was staying all the time, and they were carrying on like children and drinking….I thought about ending my life.”

Eva and I looked at her, shocked. “Cammy, honey” Eva asked, some fear in her voice, “why didn’t you tell us? When you told us what was going on in that house? You should have told us how upset you were. Thinking about suicide is a serious warning sign. We would have got you into therapy right away!” I moved next to my sister and put my arm around her.

“Because I knew…well, I was pretty sure….that you would take me out of there and protect me. But if you hadn’t, if you had said you couldn’t…. I was thinking about it.” She had tears in her eyes, so wet that her eyes looked twice as big.

“Sis, you should have told us. What if you didn’t get over it and you took your life, or even just tried? I can’t imagine our lives without you as part of us.” Connor was walking around, almost stumbling, and as if by instinct he ran to his aunt Cammy, who was crying now. He looked sad and teary as well, and he was about to cry. Cammy picked him up and hugged him.

“I’m ok, little man. I love you so much.” She kissed his cheek and his nose and he stopped his own tears.

“Cammy, you have to let us know if you’re ever feeling even close to that at any time! We love you like our daughter. We couldn’t bear to even risk losing you.” Eva was upset and a little angry. I was pretty upset myself.

“Guys, I didn’t do anything. I was ok once you got me away from there. And then you did the most unselfish thing. You gave me a stable home and you gave me love. I trust you with everything. So keep my money in a brokerage account. I know you’ll do the right thing.”

“We’re not talking about money here, Cammy” I said, still deeply concerned.

“Jon, I know, and I promise you, it’s long past. I haven’t felt that way since you took me in. My point, the only reason I told you about that, was to let you know how much I love and trust you both. How much you mean to me. Maybe I shouldn’t have told you after all.” She leaned forward and took a hand from both Eva and I in hers. “Jon, Eva, I promise, I’m never going to hurt myself. It was a bad time years ago. It’s long past, I promise. Please don’t worry about me, not about that. I’m fine, I promise. I’m looking forward to going to school. Except for one thing.”

“What’s that?” Eva asked warily.

“Can I take Connor with me? I’m going to miss him too much!” She held her nephew and blew a ‘fart’ on his tummy and he laughed like it was the funniest thing in the world, which for him it probably was.

That night Eva and I laid in bed, finding it difficult to fall asleep. We ended up talking about how frightening that conversation with my sister was. “Just the thought that she even thought about taking her life has me rattled, honey” I said softly. “I can’t even imagine if she had done that, even just tried. The thought of my life without my sister….” I couldn’t finish the thought. I couldn’t go there.

Eva rested her head on my chest and teased the thick hairline below my belly button. Normally it would have been arousing, but that wasn’t happening that night and I don’t think it was her intent. “Sweetheart, there was no chance we would have left her there. Don’t you remember how we reacted when she told us? Our first concern was getting her out of there. I’m glad she told us but at the same time I wish she hadn’t. Maybe it’s one of those things that would have been better left unsaid.” We were quiet after that. Eva eventually moved back to her side of the bed and kissed me goodnight. She drifted off to sleep but I was awake most of the night. I couldn’t shake that terrible thought.

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Three weeks later, early September, it was time to take Cammy up to New Haven. She watched Connor for us a few nights before, then she went out with her friends the next night, and her last night she spent with us. We ordered in Chinese food (as I’ve said, her favorite) and she spent most of the time playing with her nephew. He didn’t know it yet, but he was going to miss her like crazy. In fact, that night he said his first word. Not daddy, not mommy. An approximation of Cammy. It made me and Eva cry a little, but Cammy was a mess. She had to run to her room to keep from upsetting Connor. He scrambled over to me and said “Cammy?” That was it for me. I started crying as hard as she was and Eva was only slightly better. We sat him on the couch with us. He was mystified to the chaos around him, but it was upsetting him. We calmed down and calmed him down. Then Cammy came back out, dry eyed, and hugged him like she’d never let him go.

The next morning we all got up at 6, which was hard because I don’t think any of us besides Connor got to sleep before 3. We had a miserable breakfast together before I loaded up the cars with the last of Cammy’s things.

My sister looked around like she was never coming home again. “Hey, sis, you’ll be back in a few months for Thanksgiving. This isn’t goodbye. This is a great start for you, the next phase of your life.”

She had her arm around my waist and mine was around her shoulder. “I know, and I’m really happy about it, Jon. I’m sure tonight I’ll be getting to know my suitemates and then the people on my floor. But I’m going to miss you and Connor and Eva. And I know I pretend like it’s Connor most of all. But really it’s you I’m going to miss most. You always treated me like you loved me. We broke each others balls sometimes” she said with a sweet and sad smile. “But you were always the best big brother. Some of my friends, their brothers or sisters made them miserable. You never did. That’s special. I’m going to miss you terribly.” We hugged each other and I didn’t want to let go any more than she did. But we had to, we had to get on the road.

Eva road with Cammy and Connor and I drove my car by myself. Queens to New Haven is a short ride really, about an hour and a half. We were there before we knew it. We found her dorm and I was very impressed. Old buildings that dated from the 1800s. These were the residences of future Presidents, CEOs, famous writers and educators. And my sister.

We got her things into her room and Eva helped Cammy set up her part of the room the way she wanted while I kept Connor busy. We met her roommate, a nice girl named Leah. Then we spent an hour walking around the quad, taking in the atmosphere. Even the short time Eva and I spent at Binghamton was nothing like this.

Then Cammy had to go to orientation, so we made our way to the student center and said our goodbyes. Eva went first, a long tearful hug and kiss. Then Cammy hugged her Little Man, kissed him many times while trying not to cry and not completely succeeding.

Eva went ahead with Connor to give my and my sister a few minutes alone. I didn’t know whether to talk to her like a father or brother. I’d done pretty well as her older brother with a touch of a father, so I stuck to that. “You have everything you need, right? Money? We talked about alcohol and drugs. Aw, fuck it, Cammy, I just want to tell you I love you with all my heart. You mean the world to me.” She held me tight, her long dark hair flapping in the breeze. My beautiful brilliant sister.

“Miss you too, Jon. So much. You’d better go before we both make idiots of ourselves in front of the whole freshman class.” We kissed cheeks and I walk away, too upset to look back at her.

I caught up to my wife and son and we walked with him between us, each holding one of his hands. He was walking pretty well by then. It was a quiet walk, both of us lost with our own thoughts. I took Connor to the bathroom and changed him before we got strapped in for the ride home. That was mostly quiet as well.

When we got home, it seemed so much quieter than usual, even though Cammy wasn’t usually home during the day. It was a missing presence. We fed Connor and then put him down for a nap. While he slept, his mother and I had a good cry again.

“Dammit, Bear, we’re too young to feel empty nest syndrome. And besides, we still have a child at home. We’re hardly empty nesters. So why does it feel that way?”

“I don’t know, Angel. But I feel a little empty without my sister around. It’s not like she’s our daughter.” I actually said that.

“Jon, you don’t really believe that. I mean, she’s not our biological daughter. But we’ve been her de facto parents for years. The responsibility we took on made her our daughter in terms of responsibility and in love. You can’t try to tell me you don’t feel parental towards her.”

“No, I can’t. It’s a weird position to be in. I love her like she’s a part of me. A part of us. The four of us.”

“She is, sweetheart. She always will be.” Eva kissed my neck. “You know, Connor will sleep another hour at least. You want to use the time productively?” She was kissing my chest as she lifted my shirt.

“Without a doubt. And Angel? Thank you. You made it possible for my sister to have a normal home life. You’re amazing. I’m so in love with you.”

“You know just what to say to a woman to get in her panties. So get into my panties!” We giggled and fell back on the bed and made love, nice and slow and beautiful. My amazing wife.

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The next few years went fast. Cammy loved Yale. She made friends easily, and was mentally able to hold her own against almost anyone else there except for a few freakishly brilliant people. She decided she wanted to be a lawyer, a litigator and signed up for debate and law clubs as well as played intramural basketball and she sang and played guitar with a couple of groups. Her senior year she got ‘tapped’ for one of the Secret Societies (I can’t say which) which was a very prestigious honor. She fell in and out of love twice. And she came home to Eva, Conner and me every chance she got, every holiday and break. And the occasional long weekend. She and Connor were best buds.

Connor in the meantime grew up advanced for his age. By the time Cammy was ready to graduate, he was 5 going on 10, mentally. He was reading at a 10 year old level, was a whiz at math, and had a cheerful, happy go lucky personality. He was ready to start First Grade a year early and even that was kind of boring for him. Every day he was with us was a joy.

During the Winter before Cammy graduated, Eva got a call at work. When she came home I had dinner going and Connor was reading a Young Adult novel, over his level but not by much. “Hey, Angel, how was your day?”

Instead of coming to me with her normal kiss and our usual back and forth, she sat down as if she was in a fog. “Earth to Eva” I said. Nothing.

“Mom? Dad’s trying to talk to you!” Connor got her attention finally.

“Hey, Little Man. How are you doing? How was school?” He filled her in on the latest on goings in PS21, First Grade Class 103. “Connor, could you go in the other room and watch tv or something until dinner’s ready? Your dad and I have something we need to talk about.” He got up and kissed his mom, then went into the living room to watch something. Then she turned to me.

“Bear, I got a call today. Remember Lenny Moskowitz, the assistant director at Surprise Lake when you met me?”

“Sure. How’s he doing?”

“Not so great. He took a job a few years back as the director/principal at a private school in the suburbs of Philadelphia. Grades 7-12, about 500 kids and 25 teachers and 50 other staff. He’s sick and this year will be his last. He wanted to know if we’d be interested in taking over as principal and director. We’d run it together. We’d live on the grounds in a nice old four bedroom house there. During the Summer they have a day camp program on the premises with some day trips off site though we won’t be working the camp program. There’s a big pool for the camp program. Connor could go. It’s fully accredited and licensed by Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. We’d have to go to take some classes next year in administration and I’d need a few classes in teaching for us to be licensed. The money is good and it comes with a five year contract, as well as the free housing. The Board of Directors would want to meet us in two weeks. That way if we say no or they reject us they have time to find someone else.”

I turned away from what I was cooking and looked at her closely. “You’re serious? This is a real thing?”

“It’s very real. Lenny has AIDS and he has some time, but he’s done this June.

I asked Lenny why us. He kept up on me through the camp alumni group and knew we both worked with children and he always had a soft spot for me. Not sexual; he’s openly gay. But he recommended us, the board did some background checks and we came up clean, of course. They have an interim plan for next year while we get our credentials together. Of course, we need to be interviewed first. The thing is….do we want to do this? And commit five years of our lives to it?”

“I’d say we have a lot to talk about, and we can’t decide it in just one night. Did Lenny give you an idea when he needed to hear back from us?”

“He said they needed to know in a week. We should be able to decide by then. If we can’t decide in a week, I doubt we really want it.”

Starting that night in bed, we talked about the pros and cons of taking over the running of a private school and camp. I had my Master’s in Education and Eva would have hers in child psychology in May, the same month Cammy was graduating from Yale. We’d both have to do our studies full time to get it done in a year, which meant we wouldn’t be working for almost a year but they would pay for our classes. We could afford to forego our paychecks for a year and besides, if we got the job, we’d be selling our house and pocket the money, and have almost no housing expenses for five years. If the money was as good as promised, we’d be way ahead of the game.

The downside included uprooting our lives to live where we didn’t know anyone, away from Eva’s family, away from friends we’d made over the years, and it would be hard on Connor. He’d lose the friends he made and miss seeing his grandparents and his uncles regularly. And maybe Cammy, whom he was closest to. He’d see even less of her than he already did. Two nights before we had to let Lenny know, we sat down with our precocious son after dinner.

We started by telling him about the opportunity Eva and I had. We told him that it was in a suburban area West of Philadelphia, that he’d be going to the grade school attached to the Middle/High school we’d be running. And he’d be going to camp there every summer. We would need to go see the place as a family, but everything we knew about the school sounded excellent.

Connor asked some questions, including some very sharp ones about his school that we couldn’t answer yet, questions about friends that he realized he probably wouldn’t see any more (that was hard to talk about) and about his Grandma and Grandpa and his uncles. We told him honestly that he wouldn’t see them as often, but it wasn’t so far that he would rarely see them. They could come see us or we could come back to New York on weekends and for holidays. Then the tough one. “Mom, dad….what about aunt Cammy? Will I still see her?” He sounded most worried about that.

Eva put her arm around him. “We might see her a little less, but to tell you the truth, that was probably going to happen anyway.” She slid closer to him and held him closer and he looked so sad it ate at me. “Your aunt is graduating in May and she’s applied to go to law school in a number of places all over the country. She might be nearby or she might be far away. We’ll still see her wherever she goes, but no matter where she ends up, law school takes a lot of time from a students life. Even if she goes someplace near, we’re going to have to get used to seeing her less than we do now.”

That got to him and cried hard against his mothers breast. It was something we hadn’t talked much about, but it was the truth: Cammy applied to Yale, Harvard, Stanford, and University of Pennsylvania. All Ivy League or equivalent law schools. And she had the grades and scores to get in at least a couple of them. She could end up in California or thirty miles from us and still not see all that much of each other. At least at Penn she could see us whenever she had some time. If Eva and I got the job, we would hope Cammy chose Penn, assuming she got in.

After Connor got control of himself again, we dried his eyes and I held him from the other side. Then he asked “What if I said I don’t want to go? Would you stay here then?” He looked at me, so this ball was in my court. He was basically asking me if his vote counted as much as Eva and mine. No, actually he was asking, in his way, if he had veto power over what his mother and father decided was best for the family.

“Connor, what you want will count in whatever your mom and I decide to do. But it’s going to be our decision based on what we think is best for you and for us as a family. It may not be what you want in the short run, but it will be best for all of us. Knowing that, what do you want to do?”

He looked a little glum, but he appreciated us being honest with him. “I guess whatever you and mom think is best. I want to stay but I know you’ll choose what’s good for us.”

I leaned over and kissed his head and Eva did the same, easing her hug. Connor asked to be excused and we told him to read his book. We’d be in at bedtime to say goodnight.

Eva and I sat there, cuddling, feeling a little guilty but better at the same time. Connor showed us his maturity and his ability to understand the family dynamic. We were very proud of him.

Later that night we went to his room before lights out. I brought my guitar and the three of us sang a couple of songs together: first a kids song (I don’t remember), then we sang Ripple and At the Zoo. We were trying to raise him with our idea of ‘good’ music as much as possible.

When Eva and I went to bed, we made love, sexy, loving, tender. We didn’t get kinky as much by then, but we were hardly suffering. We still enjoyed an active and VERY pleasing sex life. There was nothing perfunctory about our loving. We used different positions, we enjoyed oral frequently, even a hot session in the shower when we could manage. And when Cammy was around to babysit or when one of Eva’s parents or one of her brothers was available, we sometimes checked into a motel and let ourselves go, letting our wild sides take over.

Afterwards we talked. And we talked and talked some more. After deciding the final pros and cons, mostly how they affected Connor, we decided to meet with the Board of Directors and, if both sides agreed, we’d take the jobs. It was just too good an opportunity to pass up.

The next day, our deadline, we called Lenny and told him we wanted to job if everything worked out. He sounded happy and relieved and made an appointment for us to come with Connor and look at the property, get the full tour, then to sit down with the board. We would go the next week on Thursday, February 7th. I remember that day so well, because it was the day our lives changed again, in one of the best ways possible.

We took the next two days, Thursday and Friday, from our jobs and kept Connor out of school for the days. We got an early start, stopping for breakfast, before driving about 2 1/2 hours to Wayne, PA, about 20 minutes west of Philly and 10 minutes south of King of Prussia. It was a nice area, upscale, with plenty of shopping nearby and just a short drive from anything we could want to do in Philadelphia. When we pulled into the driveway of The Wayne School, even Connor was impressed. Two buildings about one hundred yards apart, colonial style, with full athletic fields (football, soccer, baseball and an open field), and we could see a little of the outdoor pool behind the buildings. I parked in the staff lot and we walked into the main administration area in the grade school building. We gave our names and were sent to meet Lenny and the grade school principal.

“Eva! Jon! It’s so good to see you! And you must be Connor!” Lenny was all smiles, but to be honest, he looked like hell. I could believe he was critically ill. He was drawn at the cheeks and looked about thirty pounds under weight. But we hugged him, especially Eva, and Connor was polite and shook his hand. He introduced un to Belinda Andrews, the grade school principal, and she had coffee and hot chocolate brought in, along with a few cookies for Connor.

We talked for half an hour about the school in general and Eva and my education philosophies and a few other things. Then they offered to have Connor join a first grade class during lunch, which was provided daily, and afternoon class while we were given a full tour of the buildings and grounds.

It was a very impressive campus. Classes had no more than 22 children, and many had less. The teachers we observed were all involved and creative and the children all wore tan or grey pants with white shirts and ties for boys and red cardigans for boys and girls. Despite the dress code, there was a casual atmosphere we thought was refreshing and encouraging for children’s natural abilities and interests to come through. We were very impressed.

The outer grounds were equally impressive. I mentioned the athletic fields, all very well maintained, considering it was winter. They sodded fresh every as soon as they could, with a staff of 10 groundskeepers. The remaining staff were janitorial, office, secretarial, and financial assistants. It looked great.

Eva and I had a moment alone. “This is very impressive” she whispered. “Is this something we’re really qualified to do? I mean look at this place.”

“I know. I’m more than a little intimidated by this place too. I’m really wondering why Lenny recommended us. But if they’re willing to hire us, I’m willing to give it our best shot.”

We picked up Connor and Lenny showed us his home, which would be our home if we were hired. It was beautiful, an old colonial in good shape. A dream house for us. Eva and I fell in love with it. Connor found it fascinating as well, running through the halls and up and down the stairs.

Lenny took us to dinner before the meeting, though he barely ate. AIDS will do that to a person. I was wondering how much time he really had left. After we ordered, I had to ask him the question that was eating away at us. “Lenny, not that we’re not flattered to be recruited for this position, but Eva and I have been wondering: why us? There has to be more qualified people or even couples, people with administrative experience as well as top educators or psychologists. So why?”

He stirred his soup, mostly uneaten. “The Board of Directors are looking to go a different way than they’ve gone in the past. I’m the second principal to have to resign early from his contract. For me it’s AIDS. The one before got caught up in an embezzlement scandal. So the thinking is they want a couple they can groom, young, dedicated, teachable. I thought of Eva and when I found out you two got married and have a child, that made you very sellable. A solid marriage and a child implies stability. They want to hire a couple that they can hope will last ten or twenty years here. Or longer. So next year will be an interim principal, an old timer close to retirement from the staff. That person, Joseph DeMilo, a math teacher, will mentor you your first year. It’s a little unstable until you take over, then it’s long term stability. There’s a lot of faith in you. They know you adopted your sister when you had family problems. You haven’t even met them yet and they’re already very impressed with you both.” He pushed his soup away and said “They’re thinking of the future and they think you two are it.”

We held hands and Connor, bright kid that he was, understood enough of what was going on that he smiled wide, now fully on board with the idea. He liked the school and he liked the house we would be living in. Most of all, he could sense his parents were excited for the opportunity.

Then at 8 we met with the board.12 alumni, all older than Eva and I (30s-60s) There were questions back and forth, and mostly satisfactory answers. We were a little weirded out by how much they investigated us without us even knowing what was going on, but we let it go. They weren’t trying to dig up dirt to hurt us; they wanted to make sure they were hiring honest, respectable people.

Ultimately there were two major issues we needed to settle. Eva asked “We have two questions. One, how will the staff react to working for two people younger than almost all of them and two, how will the parents react to having co-principals with such minimal experience in running a school?”

The vice-chairwoman handled our questions. The staff had been informed of the plan to hire a young couple regardless of overall experience. They were asked to give us at least a year to grow into the job, to give us a fair chance. As to the parents, there had been a meeting at the school with over 80% of the parents attending and they also agreed to give us a chance when we took over in a year and a half. It was a lot to ask them but almost all came along. They were also looking for stability after six years of changing leadership. Most of the parents had their kids going to school there for twelve years. And if they had more than one child, it could be an even longer association. Parents crave stability for their children. It put a huge amount of pressure on the both of us to succeed.

We were asked to stop by for lunch the next day before we headed back to New York, when we’d find out if we would be offered a contract or not. That was fine; Eva and I had to talk alone about whether we wanted this or not. When we got to our hotel (paid for by the school), Connor was asleep as soon as he got into bed. Eva and I talked quietly from our own bed.

“So, Bear, what do you think? Are you interested?”

“Honestly, I am. I know this is a huge challenge for us. The way I see it, the money is very good, plus the house while we’re here. We can save our mortgage payments, or maybe even buy a little place on the Jersey Shore for our weekends and vacation. And if they don’t like us, if they dismiss us, we head back home to New York. They’re even going to pay for our schooling next year. It’s a risk, and it will be a lot of work, but I think it’s worth it. What about you, Angel? Tell me what you really think.”

She held my hand in the middle of the bed. “I guess I’m a little more nervous about this than you are. I want to do this; you know I’m not afraid of a challenge. And if it was just the two of us, I’d say lets do it. I just don’t want to uproot Connor in a year and then again a few years later if it doesn’t work out. What if we don’t like the job? It’s a lot to ask of our son. He’s five now. He’ll be six when we move. Then he’d be eleven if we move back. It’s a lot for him.”

“I think he’s a lot more adaptable than you’re giving him credit for. He’s a strong kid. And so smart. Even more, he’s so empathetic. I worry about him, of course, but I think he’s one of those kids that’s already destined to be a great adult. I think this is the best time in our lives to take a big risk, while we’re young. It gets harder the older we get.”

She gripped my fingers and we turned on our sides to face each other. “So if they want us, we should do this, right?” Eva asked me. I could see the smile on her face. She wanted this as much as I did. She was just a little more cautious, her maternal instinct holding her back just a tiny bit. She knew this was our time, our shot. We kissed and hugged and it was agreed. If a contract was offered, we’d take it to New York to let our lawyer look it over. If she gave her ok, we were going to sign it and change our family’s lives.

The next day we went for lunch with the chair of the hiring committee and he congratulated us and handed over an envelope with the contracts. We shook hands all around (Eva and I kissed, and Connor kissed his mom). We told him, Victor Thurman, that we needed a week for our lawyer to look it over and he understood. When we left, we shook hands again, even Connor shook Victor’s hand, and we headed back home in an excited mood. We sang together most of the way home, Beatles and Rolling Stones songs mostly. We laughed and just felt this euphoria in the car. But as we got close to New York, as the Washington Bridge came into view, Eva got a little quiet and sad.

“What’s on your mind, Angel? Did you think of something?”

She turned to look at me, a big tear in each eye. “I have to tell my parents we’ll be moving away. Even thought it’s a year and a half, they’re going to be crushed.”

“Honey, parents have to face the eventuality that their kids will some day move away. Besides, it Philadelphia, not like California. We’ll be a lot closer than when we went to Binghamton. Just a little more than two hours away. We can go to them some weekends, or they can come to us. There will be an extra bedroom.”

“I know. I know, Bear. It just feels so permanent. They’ve been so good to us.”

“I know, Angel. When my family had trouble” I said, looking back at Connor in the backseat, playing a puzzle game, “they helped so much. And they’ll be welcome in our new home whenever they want.”

Eva smiled a little sadly and took my right hand. “My sweet Bear. What would I have done without you?” She pulled my hand to her lips and kissed it.

“Mom, dad? How did you meet each other? And why do you call each other Bear and Angel?”

Eva turned around in her seat and smiled her loving smile at our son. “Well, we started calling each other Angel and Bear a few months after we graduated high school, before I went away for the summer. We didn’t see each other much because I was working at sleepaway camp. We just kind of found those names for each other before I went away one day.” It was actually one night when we were in a hotel room, but he was way too young to hear anything about that. “As to how we met, I’ll let your father tell that story.”

“Tell me dad! I want to know!”

“Ok. I’ll tell you. Well, your mother and I actually knew each other for years, almost ten before we started dating. It was our senior year in high school and one day I was walking down the hall and I saw your mother sitting down, looking very upset……” I proceeded to tell him our story with some corrections at various points from Eva when I got the story wrong. Or that’s how she saw it. We had our disagreements, pleasant ones. Connor loved hearing the story and we stretched it out until we pulled up in our driveway.

After dinner, Connor was wiped out. He stayed up with us until 8, but he was finished for the night after that. So we tucked him and I sang Beautiful Boy to him, the John Lennon song. It was his favorite and it was also Eva’s for me to sing to him. She sat on one side stroking his hair as I sang from the other as he drifted to sleep. We kissed his head and walked out of his room silently, closing his door.

“We are so lucky, Bear. And I’m lucky. You sing so beautifully to him. I just love when you sing that to him.”

“I love singing to him. And I love singing to you too, Angel. Want me to sing to you?” I picked up my guitar, a better model than the cheap one I learned with.

“Do you really think you have to ask me? Give me something sweet, Bear, and I’ll do the same for you afterwards” she said with a loving, sexy smile. I started playing Crazy Love by Van Morrison, a soft, mellow and beautiful song. Eva stretched out on the couch, smiling at me, a warm smile that gave me such peace. Then I sang Willie Nelson’s Always on My Mind. By then I was in the mood to do something besides sing.

“Angel, take me to bed. Please.”

“Just what I was thinking, Bear. We are so in sync with each other.”

She stood up and held out her hand. I rested my guitar on the couch and let her lead me to our bedroom. We quietly closed the door and took off our robes before entering into the most loving kiss imaginable. Her hands were under my t-shirt, lightly touching my back, and I held her tight, feeling her petite body caress me. We slowly made our way to the bed and while we sat on the edge kissing passionately, my wife pulled off my shirt and ran her fingers through my chest hair. I know I’ve said it before, but I love when she does that to me.

I moaned into her mouth as I untied the top of her nightgown and it fell onto our bed, giving me easy access to Eva’s breasts. Her body ended up recovering nicely from her pregnant weight gains, just a few stubborn pounds that wouldn’t go away. I thought it looked deliciously sexy on her. She didn’t always agree but she deferred to me at moments like that. Besides, I wouldn’t have cared if she never lost any of that weight. My wife’s sexiness had nothing to do with her size. She was always incredibly sexy to me.

My palms rubbed over and around her thick nipples as I kissed her throat. Eva pushed her head back as far as she could go, making it so easy for me to go after her there. “Bear, you always make me feel incredibly sexy” she growled. “Oh god, so very sexy!”

“Shhhh you’re disturbing me while I seduce you” I teased. Her hands came to the back of my head and guided my mouth down to her tits, pushing to the right one first.

“Suck it, Bear. Suck my tit. You know what that does to me.”

Indeed I did. And she knew what happened to me when she talked dirty. It also happened to her. “I love sucking your sweet little tits. My sexy piece of ass.” I suckled hard as she moaned and chuckled.

“Do you think they know they’re hiring such a hot piece of ass?” Eva teased.

“I sure as hell won’t tell them. You’re MY piece of ass, all mine. Devil woman.”

“And you’re my hot, horny Bear. Come on, let’s do this dirty thing!” She laughed as she pushed me on my back and shoved her tits in my face. I grabbed her all with both hands as I kissed and licked at her soft little mounds of heaven. Eva twisted her head side to side, and her long hair lashed around like a horse’s tail. She was grinding her pussy along my very stiff dick, coating me with her slick honey. While she moved, the ridges and veins on my cock stimulated her most sensitive places, and my hands playing with her ass made her even hotter. “I love your hands on my ass. It makes me feel so… naughty” she said with a soft, breathless giggle. “I love being naughty for you, Jon.”

I bit softly on her left nipple and Eva cried out low as her pussy gushed on my cock. “I love when you cum like that, getting us all sticky and everything. And I love touching your ass. It’s nice and round and soft. Not like my hairy ass.” I smiled up at her and she giggled.

“I like your hairy ass. My hairy Bear. It’s so sexy!” To emphasize her point she reached under me and gave my ass a big squeeze. I arched my back and flexed my hips suddenly and we both almost burst out laughing,

I flipped us over so I was between her legs, still rubbing the outside of Eva’s pussy with my dick. I kept moving like I was fucking her without penetration and as wet as she was, it felt great. She was feeling it too. Her breathing got shallow and uneven, her eyes got wide and then she came hard, wrapping her legs around my hips and pulling me tight to her body. I moved frantically, the pressure of her legs around me urging me on, and I kissed her with all my love and lust seconds before I came in a flood all over her tummy. My balls felt like they were still pumping well after my orgasm was over, keeping me from going soft for a few extra moments. Our lips stayed locked together, then those intense kisses got gentler and more tender.

“That was amazing, as always, my Angel” I whispered in her ear. Eva held me in her warm embrace and I pulled us on our sides so I could hold her as well. We kept pecking each other as we came down from our natural high. “I love you, my darling.”

“I love you too, sweet Bear. More than anyone in the world. Except Connor. It’s a close call though.” She rubbed my nose with hers and we kissed a few more times. Then I got us a damp towel to clean up and we rested in bed, talking about our future.

“So that’s it, we’re really going to leap off this ledge” I said, sounding a little scared but feeling terrified.

“We are. I know you’re scared, Jon. So am I. It’s a huge change in our lives.”

“I’m most worried about my responsibility to you and Connor. It’s my job to take care of you both. It this doesn’t work, we have to find new jobs, new place to live. We have to start over again.”

“I know, I’ve thought about that as well. It’s both our responsibility. Not just yours. We’re equal, remember? You told me that a long time ago.”

“So I did. You’re right. If this doesn’t work, it’s both our asses. You’re smooth one and my hairy one.” We laughed hard, tying to keep from being too loud so as not to wake our son. But the laugh broke the fears we were feeling. As long as we were together, we could handle anything, good or bad. We were a loving, dedicated team. That’s how they hired us and that’s what they were going to get. Plus a new student for the third grade.

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When we went to Pennsylvania, we told Eva’s parents we were taking a couple of days off but didn’t tell them why or where we were going. I know it bothered them since we were taking days from work and pulling Connor out of school but we told them it was nothing bad and we’d tell them more over the weekend. So Saturday we went to their house in the afternoon to break the news to them. We told them about the opportunity for us, professionally and financially. After an initial mild shock for them, they took it well, better than expected.

Phyllis held her grandson and shed a few tears but said she wanted only the best for her family and congratulated us. Harold I think took it harder, but ultimately, he understood as well. “Besides, it’s not that long a drive. You can come up to visit anytime, and we can drive down there for a weekend. We have plenty of room now.” Walt and Will were both living in their own apartments, Will with a girlfriend and Walt was single then. They were partners in a computer software company, a young business at that time, and they were doing very well. So we would be able to stay there any time we visited with both second bedrooms free. Besides, it was still a year and a half away. Lot’s of time to spend together before we moved.

Sunday I called Cammy at school, where she was in the midst of her final semester of college days. She was in the top 15 of her class and had applied to the law schools I mentioned before, Yale, Harvard, Stanford and Penn. The change coming in our lives made it easy for me to hope she’d end up at Penn.

“Hey Jon! How’s things with you and Eva? And how’s my favorite Little Man? You’d better put him on with his aunt Cammy before we’re done!” She had really come into her own at college, charming and beautiful, popular and very busy with her social life.

“Of course, he’s dying to talk to you too. We’re fine here. In fact I have some big news to share with you. But first tell me, any word from the law schools yet?”

‘As a matter of fact, I have. I got rejected from Stanford, I’m ‘waited’ at Harvard, and I got accepted to Yale and to Penn Law. To hell with Stanford, and Harvard feels like I’d be a traitor to good old Yale!” she said with a chuckle. “Penn I liked a lot when I visited, and they chose me fast, so I’m kind of torn. I guess I’m leaning to Yale. Great law school, plus it’s going to be my alma mater. But I haven’t made a decision yet. I have to decide within 10 days for Yale. So, tell me, what’s your news? Big goings on?”

“You could say that. And it might affect your choice of schools. Eva and I got recruited by a top notch private day school to be co-principals/administrators. Eva would actually be in charge of administrative duties and dealing with things like fundraising and I’d be in charge of staff and students. And it’s in Pennsylvania, about twenty minutes west of Philly.”

There was a deafening silence. “Jon, are you kidding? You’re going to be down in the Philadelphia suburbs?”

“Yes, very serious. It’s right next to Cabrini University, about ten minutes from Villanova and near Bryn Mawr, near Valley Forge. And it’s twenty minutes from Penn. But Cammy, I don’t want that to make your decision. We want you to go to the best school for you. If that’s Yale, then go there. We’ll still see you, just maybe a little less often than we do now. Sis, you need to do what’s best for your future.”

“My future will be great whichever school I end up at. They’re both Ivy’s with great reputations. Philly has a lot of great law firms with national reputations, and New York is just two hours away. I’m not worried about my future. I am worried about being further away from my family. Especially my nephew! Think how great it will be to be able to spend weekends together or just meet for dinner. But forget that for a minute. You have to tell me how you got those jobs!”

I proceeded to tell her the whole story, from Lenny’s phone call to when the board gave us contracts to bring home to review. “Too bad you’re not a lawyer yet. You could look them over for us.”

“Yeah, not yet. Five year contract? That’s incredible. And a home on the campus! That is a sweet deal! I hope your lawyer doesn’t find anything wrong in the contract. It sounds like something you shouldn’t pass up on. And they’re giving you a year to take the classes you need to fill out your qualifications. They really want you!”

“Yeah, it’s kind of scary. We’re a couple of nobody’s. You know what I mean. But we were recommended, they investigated the hell out of us, and they want us. They’re looking for a stable couple they can rely on for at least ten years or longer, people to grow the school through commitment. So we’re going to take the chance. We’re very excited and even Connor’s on board after seeing the place.”

“Speaking of which, I want to talk to him before I say hi to Eva. So put him on!” I handed the phone to Connor and he lit up like he always did when he talked to his aunt Cammy. They have always had a special relationship, a wonderful aunt-nephew connection. After talking to him for a while, Eva got on the phone and they talked for a while. Then back to me.

“Jon, I’m really thrilled for you. I’m going to take a couple more days, but I think this changes things for me. I would love to be near my family again. I know, the first year you’ll still be up there. But Philly is about the same distance from New York as New Haven is, so we could still see each other about as often as we do now. But I promise to think things over carefully first.”

We said our goodbye’s after Cammy said she’d call in a few days to give us her decision. I said I didn’t want our situation to affect her decision, but that wasn’t exactly true, not completely. I wanted to be near Cammy. I wanted to spend more time with my sister. She wasn’t technically our legal responsibility any more, but that was bullshit. She would always be like a daughter to us to some extent. Most of all, I wanted Connor to be near her.

Monday before she went to work, Eva dropped our contracts off with our lawyer, Kaitlyn Tierney, and she said we should come over to her office Wednesday at 6. And to bring Connor. My boy charmed all the girls.

We went to her office and Kaitlyn pointed out some things to us but nothing to be concerned about. She recommended we sign and she congratulated us on such a great opportunity. And of course, she gave Connor a big hug and kiss, which he returned gladly. He was not going to be a shy one around girls.

Later that night I got a call from Cammy. To make a long phone call short, she said she chose Penn Law. It was the best news besides the job offer itself. I made sure she was certain, she was, and we made plans to go up there the following weekend to take her to dinner and celebrate all the good news.

That night in bed, Eva and I talked as we almost always did; we did our best private talking together there. As well as other things. “Honey,” I said while I stroked her arm with the lightest touch, which made her skin tingle in a way she loved, “what’s wrong with me?”

“What are you talking about, Bear? There’s nothing wrong with you. In fact,” she answered as she turned to face me and kiss my shoulder, “I think you’re perfect. Perfect for me.”

“I mean everything is going so well. I’m expecting something terrible to happen to balance everything out. The scales of life and all.”

“Jon, don’t even think that! Good things are happening because we’re good people who try to do the right things in our lives. We studied hard, we work hard, we’re raising a great son after we helped to raise your sister. Look how amazing she turned out. Most of that is due to your parents, but we were there for her when she really needed us. And she was good for us too. Bear, we had some very tough times at the beginning with your mom getting sick and your father…well, you know. So if you’re right about the scales of life, this is the scales tipping back into balance for us. So please stop expecting something terrible to happen. We’ll have our challenges, but nothing BAD is going to happen. We’re going to have a great life.”

I turned to her and took her in my arms. I kissed Eva all over her face, but the best kisses were reserved for her lips. When we felt that familiar hardening happening, by silent consent we got out of our bed clothes and made love, the best kind of love, and when we came our fingers gripped together, our kisses were powerful, and the warmth that glowed in our bodies was incredible. We managed to whisper our I love you’s to each other before drifting into a mellow sleep.

Life still had a big surprise in store for us. I’ll tell you about that next time.

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I hope you liked this chapter. There will be more to come. As always, your votes and comments are appreciated.