Hurricane Season

"Sharon, can I swing by again for a few minutes after I drop Siouxsie off? I need to talk to you."

Sharon looked at me suspiciously. "Should I be worried?" she asked.

"No, no. Nothing like that. It's nothing bad. I want to talk about a surprise I want to plan for Siouxsie."

"Okay. I have a couple bills to pay and then roust the boys for breakfast before I collapse. Don't be long."

"I'll be back as soon as humanly possible."

As soon as we were in the car, Siouxsie suggested we fool around when we got to the park since it was so early.

"I can't. I'm meeting Mark. We're playing golf together this morning at a course a bit of a drive away. I still have to dig my clubs out of the garage, shower, and get changed," I told her as I backed out of the driveway. All true except my clubs were readily accessible in the garage. I'd only played a few times that summer. But my clubs were always easy to reach.

Her bottom lip came out for a moment in a childish pout. "Okay. But definitely later."

"Absolutely," I grinned.

We were only a few hundred yards from her house when she said, "Well, here's something to hold you over." Siouxsie leaned toward me, pulled the waist of my basketball shorts and underwear down, freeing my cock and taking me between her lips for a little road head. She had me erect in no time. Somehow getting me to erupt twice during the drive to the park. Fortunately, Siouxsie was no longer squeamish about getting or swallowing a mouthful of cum. It would have been difficult to hide, or explain, a big wet spot to Sharon.

When I got back to Siouxsie's, Sharon met me at the door. "I take it you got my little girl to work safely."

"I did." I felt a little guilty, considering how much I'd enjoyed driving Siouxsie to work. "She gets off at six. I'd offer to pick her up, but my brother and I are playing golf at Winderlock Country Club. I don't think I'll be able to get back in time."

"That's alright. I'm off tonight. So, what's the surprise for Siouxsie you want to talk to me about?"

"Siouxsie leaves for school right after Labor Day? How is she getting there?"

Sharon looked at me curiously. "Her father was supposed to drive her to Ithaca this semester. He can't though. He's flying out on Labor Day to his company's corporate offices for training on their new sales management system. I'm trying to arrange a vacation day. Normally when I take her to school, we drive up one day, I spend the night and drive back the next day. But I'm scheduled to work Labor Day, Tuesday, and Wednesday. If I can get a vacation day, I'll have to make the trip in one day. It's manageable but we won't be able to have our usual mother-daughter night. Why?"

I wanted to take a deep breath but fought the urge. "Siouxsie knows I'm going to law school next month, but we haven't talked about where." I hesitated. "I'm going to Cornell," I said. "I can take her to school. In fact, I was hoping to surprise her by driving her to school."

Sharon smiled and shook her head. "So, I do have something to worry about. You're going to be on campus with your summer romance."

"I don't think of Siouxsie as a summer romance, Sharon."

"I'm glad to hear that, Paul. Siouxsie is quite taken with you. I've been worried about her. Siouxsie's had boyfriends before. She doesn't act like she thinks of you as a boyfriend, Paul." Sharon was looking into the distance while we talked. Avoiding eye contact for some reason. "I've never seen her behave like I have this summer," she said, looking at me suddenly. "I've been a little surprised at some of the things I've seen. Siouxsie's always been level-headed when it's come to the boys she dated. Not so with you."

I got an uneasy feeling in the pit of my stomach. But I couldn't stop myself from asking, though I was hoping Sharon's answer would reference Siouxsie's strong feelings for me. It did. Just not in the way I hoped. "What do you mean, Sharon?"

Sharon was still making eye contact. "Paul, I'm the mother of a grown woman. I'm also a nurse, which means a trained observer. I'm not naive. I've seen the way she looks at you. And how you look at her. Did you think I didn't notice when the two of you disappeared for over an hour at the water park?" Sharon hesitated. "I sometimes grab Siouxsie's laundry. I wasn't happy to see what I found in all of my daughter's dirty panties when I put them in the washer this morning."

I felt myself flush. My whole body felt like it was on fire. Dirty laundry had betrayed us twice now. "I don't know what to say, Sharon," I said.

"Don't say anything, Paul. Don't try to explain it away. You can't. I was twenty and single once upon a time. I haven't forgotten what it was like. But I'm concerned you two aren't being careful. From what I can see, you're not taking appropriate precautions. I'm going to be very upset if Siouxsie has to drop out of school because she's pregnant."

"Haven't you talked to her?" I asked.

"Not yet. That's on the agenda when I pick her up from work tonight. You were just unfortunate enough to come back to talk to me right after I put her laundry in the washer."

"You should talk to Siouxsie. She should be the one to tell you, not me. But I want to reassure you, Siouxsie won't come home from school pregnant."

"She went to see Cathy." It was a statement, not a question. "I'm glad of that. Come here, Paul."

I was leaning against the counter, halfway across the kitchen from Sharon. I approached cautiously. Siouxsie told me her mother had a temper but had never struck anyone. I wasn't sure I wasn't going to the first person she took a swing at. I braced myself, but instead of clobbering me, she hugged me. Like my mother might have. "Thank you for watching out for my daughter."

"What do you mean?" I asked, confused.

"Cathy is too far away for her to ride her bike. Someone had to drive her to Cathy's office. I didn't. There's no way her father would have driven her to an OB/GYN appointment."

"I'll leave it to Siouxsie to fill you in."

"Alright, Paul. I appreciate the offer to drive Siouxsie to school. I'll miss our mother-daughter dinner, but those days are numbered anyway. I can always make a trip up there for a weekend. I hope I'll be able to pry her away from you for an evening or two." Even I had to smile at that little dig. "What do you have in mind?"

Siouxsie never said anything about her conversation with her mother, though I could tell she'd shed some burden. We carried on like we had all summer. We only missed a few days when she had a very light period, something Doctor Aunt Cathy had warned her might happen.

We had dinner with my parents, Mark, and Joanie the Sunday before Labor Day. I'd already warned them not to mention me and Cornell in the same sentence. And why. My mother had let me know she was a little concerned about the prospect of Siouxsie and I being on the same campus until I pointed out it was entirely likely I'd find some other woman to spend time with if I didn't already have Siouxsie. One she might not like. Mom grew more accepting after I pointed out the obvious. Mark picked up the tab for dinner though Dad insisted on leaving the tip. I tried to contribute but was firmly told, "No way. We're celebrating your impending matriculation in law school."

As we were leaving the restaurant, Mark pulled me aside while Mom, Dad, Siouxsie, and Joanie talked. "Joanie wants you to stop by for a few minutes after you drop Siouxsie off. She said, and I quote, no matter how long it takes for the two of you to scratch your itch tonight," he told me, looking a little sheepish.

I laughed. "That could be a while, Mark. You wouldn't believe how much she's changed in the last couple months."

"Can't be as much as Joanie changed after we got married."

"Hard to say. Joanie changed her public persona. She got brash and extroverted. Siouxsie is still outwardly an introvert. But there have been some otherwise unbelievable changes."

"Don't let this one get away, little brother. You won't find another like her."

My brother and I hugged before we returned to the rest of our little group. We all said goodbye and went our separate ways. Siouxsie and I ended up at the park for a walk, a talk, and our predictable passions. I dropped Siouxsie at home just before midnight and texted my brother before backing out of the driveway. He responded that Joanie threatened to go to the house and drag me out of bed if I didn't stop by.

Mark came around the little house they rented when he heard me pull in. "We're on the back porch," he said before disappearing again.

I went around back to find them sitting on their little porch swing in the dark, Mark's arm around Joanie. I sat in one of the other chairs on the porch. "Joanie, it wouldn't be a good idea to drag me out of bed at home. I don't wear any clothes when I go to sleep," I teased. My brother choked back a laugh. He knew Joanie and I would needle each other as soon as I arrived. He just wasn't sure who'd fire the first shot.

"So? I'd just get a show. Not that you've got anything to see," she needled, holding her hand up with her thumb and index finger about an inch apart.

I thought Mark was going to lose it, he choked hard trying not to laugh loudly. He didn't want to wake up his next-door neighbor. Mrs. Barkley didn't like Joanie and had called the cops a couple times. Once to complain about the "noise" from a sedate backyard gathering. Nothing came of it. The people who lived upstairs from Mrs. Barkley made a point of coming down to see what was going on when they saw the police lights. They told the police we were laughing and enjoying ourselves, but we weren't loud or rowdy and hadn't been blasting music. None of us were drunk. Mark had a beer going and Joanie a glass of wine. But everyone else had soft drinks because we all had to drive home.

Joanie and I traded barbs for a few minutes before I finally asked, "So what's up?"

Joanie reached behind her and pulled out an envelope that looked like it probably had a card in it and handed it to me. "An early birthday present," Joanie said. I started to tear the envelope open. "Not now. Open it after you get home. Not a second before."

I looked at Mark. "Her idea. I told her the new clubs and bag I'm getting for you would have you turning handsprings." Mark was getting all kinds of goodies from golf equipment and clothing manufacturers now that he was qualified for next year's tour. His high six-figure prize net, splitting the second and third place payouts with Forrest was more than enough to cover his tour expenses for at least half the next season. And the club he worked for was keeping on between tournaments. The lessons he gave would pay much better now, too. I was happy for him. He'd worked hard to attain the success he had.

We talked for a few minutes. Joanie needled me a little about Siouxsie. Mostly about how Siouxsie and I had been caught out by my parents and her mother. Joanie maintained she had kept her virtue until the wedding night. I knew better but let it slide.

When I got up to go home, Joanie weighed in again. "I mean it, Paul. Don't open the envelope until you get home," she said. Joanie got up and gave me a hug. Mark just grinned.

Dad was still up when I got home. "What's that?" he asked when he saw the envelope I held.

"Joanie said it's an early birthday present. Mark said it was all her idea. Said I'd turn handsprings when I saw the new clubs and bag he's getting for me." My father smiled. "You know what's in the envelope."

"I do. Mark and Joanie talked to me about it. I know you well, Paul. You're not gonna like it. But I say accept it as a token of your brother and Joanie's love. They'll be hurt if you don't."

My curiosity got the better of me. I carefully tore the envelope open. I took out a corny, but suggestive birthday card. I opened the card to find another two smaller envelopes. One about the size that would hold U.S. currency; the second much smaller. I read the inside of the card and had a little chuckle. No question in my mind that Joanie chose the card.

The larger envelope wasn't sealed. I took out the contents. There were two checks. I dropped one. My jaw dropped when I saw each was made out to Cornell for a semester of law school tuition. There was a note on the back of the envelope holding the checks. "Lawyer said we had to do it this way for tax purposes. One is good immediately. The other is dated early next year. If Mark has a good year on the tour, we'll do the same next year. If not, you'll still be able to borrow the money like you planned." It was signed, "Joanie. P.S. Mark had a little to do with this, too. But only a little."

I took out my phone. "Don't do it, Paul," my father said. "Mark and Joanie really want to do this for you. Sleep on it before you call them and try to turn it down."

I was still curious about the little second envelope. It was small but fat. I wasn't worried there'd be any move excessive generosity. I was right. And wrong. I opened it. There were two pieces of paper folded up to fit inside. I pulled them out. One said, "Read first." In Joanie's handwriting. The note was from Mark, though. And in his hand.

"I know your instinct is to say no and tear the checks up. I propose instead that after you graduate, you represent me pro bono to show your gratitude."

I laughed and handed the note to my father, who also laughed. "That's your brother. What's the other one say?" he asked.

"Give me a second. This one is taped shut." My father took his little pen knife out of his pocket and tossed it over to me. I cut the tape and unfolded the paper. This note was from Joanie. "I don't care what Mark thinks. When he's rich and famous, you're representingME in the divorce." There was a hand-drawn smiley face next to Joanie's signature.

I laughed and handed it to my father. He laughed, too. "That girl has turned into a real troublemaker. She really knows how to stir the pot."

I picked up Siouxsie the next morning for work. Everyone was coming in for our last day of the season. Kinsey was going to take over once I left for school. The park would stay open for a couple weeks after the holiday but only on weekends with a reduced staff made up of the students attending the nearby junior college. Kinsey was still interviewing, having turned down a couple offers for fulltime employment she felt were inadequate.

The park was busy all day as people tried to enjoy one last day of summer before school started and the autumn routine began. Fortunately, though busy, it passed without incident. After the park closed, we turned out all the lights and had a staff cookout and party. Sans alcohol which wasn't allowed in the park. Our boss, Jane Truesdale stopped in for a few minutes to thank us all for a successful and safe season. She asked me to return the next summer; I assured her I would. I badly wanted to drag Siouxsie off somewhere so she could have her way with me 'one last time' before she went to Ithaca. But she wasn't in the mood. I could tell she was feeling a little down in the dumps. I would have felt like crap. But then, I engineered the situation with assistance from Sharon.

I didn't have much to bring to school with me. My parents had brought most of my stuff to my grandfather's house on Cayuga Lake in Willow Creek. My grandfather spent summers on Cayuga Lake, where my father and his sister grew up, but spent October to April in Boynton Beach with my aunt and her family. Instead of paying someone to take care of the property, I would take care of it in return for living there. It was a major reason I opted to go to Cornell rather than Georgetown, NYU, and the University of Virginia that also accepted me.

The next morning, I put one small bag and my computer bag on the seat behind the driver's seat in my car, folded down the back seat on the passenger side and drove to Siouxsie's house. Her mother's car was already in the driveway. Nate and Ian were shuttling suitcases, boxes and whatnot out to the car. They both grinned while watching me back up to Sharon's car.

When I got out, it sounded like pandemonium inside the house. Sharon sounded like she was in rare form. "Where's Siouxsie? I asked.

Nate grinned. "She overslept this morning. She's just now taking a shower. She thinks Mom wanted to leave as soon as she got home and we loaded the car. She also thinks Mom has to get back early enough to take a nap before going to work tonight."

Ian smiled. "Siouxsie overslept because I crept into her room after she fell asleep and turned off her alarm clock."

"Okay, guys. Let's swap stuff over to my car before she gets out of the shower."

The three of us got it done in a couple minutes then closed the hatches. Nate and Ian went inside to have breakfast. I sat on the front porch out of sight.

Siouxsie came running out about twenty minutes later, her purse over a shoulder, a computer bag in one hand and a half-eaten egg sandwich in the other. She stopped short when she saw my car. She dropped the computer bag on a chair and ran to me, hugging me tightly as I stood. Almost knocking me over.

"You came to say goodbye!" she exclaimed excitedly, tears of joy flowing from her eyes. Then she whispered. "Mom's on the warpath. I overslept. You might not want to be here when she comes out. We were supposed to be gone already. You better move your car before she comes out."

Sharon came out a couple minutes later. "Good morning, Paul. Come to say goodbye to your summer girlfriend?" She was good. She sounded like she was pissed. The boys and I knew it was an act. "Siouxsie, say goodbye and get in the damn car. We're already late. You're driving so I can take a nap. I've gotta get back so I can at least get a few more hours sleep before I go to work. I could kill your father, Siouxsie." Sharon turned to me and snapped, "Paul, you need to say goodbye and move your car."

I gave Siouxsie a kiss and moved toward my car. Siouxsie ran toward Sharon's car then turned around and ran back up onto the porch to get her computer bag. Looking completely flustered as Sharon scowled at her from the driveway.

Siouxsie opened the door to get in the car and stopped short. "Where's all my stuff? Nate, Ian! Where's my stuff? You haven't loaded the car yet?" When she saw Sharon smiling from the driver's seat, Siouxsie had a confused look. Nate and Ian were also grinning. "What's going on?" she cried.

Sharon got out of her car and motioned for Siouxsie to follow. Siouxsie didn't move. Nate and Ian each took one of Siouxsie's arms and led her toward the passenger side of my car. Ian opened the door, and Nate gestured toward the opening. Siouxsie looked inside my car. I know she saw her luggage but what was happening just didn't click.

"Mom? What's going on?"

Sharon smiled. "Paul's taking you to school."

"But he's going to law school at State."

"I'm going to law school at Cornell," I said.

Siouxsie stared at everyone in turn, just getting a smile from all of us. Then she screeched and ran toward Sharon, giving her a hug. Her brother's joined in a moment later.

When she got in the car and I started to back out of the driveway, I got another broken glass glare like I did the first day I met her. When I got her name wrong. I wasn't long before she was smiling at me. She was happy our summer romance wasn't over, and she wouldn't have to wait until Thanksgiving to see me again. I just had to hope I had the stamina to keep up with my studies. And Siouxsie's libido.