She shook her head. “He wouldn’t,” she said. “He just wouldn’t.”
She looked at me, almost sadly for a second. “I already asked,” she said.
I nodded, didn’t push. I missed Jessica, too and she hadn’t been my mother.
I found myself a drink and sat down to watch the crowd grow. Couples straggling in, eyes widening at the sight of so much cheerful bareness. Some of the newly-arriving girls decided to join in, some didn’t. It was a good crowd and the laughter and openly admiring glances never crossed the line. So, yes to boobs, no to pervy stares. It was just relaxed, just… friendly. OK, friendly in a sexy way. I had no doubts that there would be some seriously bouncy mattresses once people got home, but I myself felt no unease. It was all easygoing, very pleasant.
I kept looking back up at the bedroom window, but Paul didn’t appear again. My mind kept drifting back to the pensive expression on his face earlier. Such a nice guy, still alone after all these years.
When the party reached critical mass for volleyball, I for once wound up on the winning team. The only prize was first crack at the food when it was delivered, but I was still happy about it.
I won’t say much more about the party. You’ve been to parties, I’m sure. It was a bunch of friends having a good time. In this case, it was scantily-clad girls, appreciative boys, a pool and what wasn’t to like? We even survived the boys insisting on a cannonball competition.
It didn’t start fading until nearly midnight and it was an hour after that before everyone had left.
.
Devon and I waved off the last of the guests. She sighed, leaned against the wall by the door.
“Wow,” she said. “Long night.”
“A good night,” I said. “And a really good party, Devon. Thank you.”
She grinned. “Yeah, but the cleanup…”
I cut her off. “Cleanup can wait. It’s sleepy time for you and me.”
Devon nodded, yawned. “Yeah, just let me turn off the sprinklers and lights.”
Waiting for her, I started putting empties together, stacked some pizza boxes. It wasn’t long before the pool area was quiet and dark. I could see the stars outside.
I also noticed that the bedroom light was still on.
“Is your dad still up?” I asked. “It’s late.”
“No,” she said softly. “He’s probably fallen asleep in front of the fireplace. He does that sometimes.”
Sure enough, when we peeked into the living room, Paul was sound asleep in the big chair, dressed in a housecoat, his head down on one shoulder. The fire had almost died and the only sound was a soft snore.
“Should we wake him?” I whispered.
“No. He’ll wake up eventually and put himself to bed.” She took my hand and led me out of the room, turning down the overhead lights to just a dim glow as she went.
I got a happy Devon hug outside our bedroom doors.
“Thanks, Sam,” she said. “It’s so nice to have you here again.”
“It’s been fun, Devon.”
I pulled back, looked at her. “About your dad…”
“No.” She cut me off. “He does that all the time. Don’t worry about it.”
With that, she turned and went into her own room. The door closed without her looking back.
+
Half an hour later, I was still staring at the ceiling. The thought of Paul falling asleep night after night in front of Jessica’s photo gnawed at me. Such a good man…
I decided to get a drink of water. I got up, pulled on a nightie and opened the door a crack. There was no light showing under Devon’s door and the house was as still as could be.
In the kitchen, I got a glass and ran some water. I took a couple of sips, but realized I’d been more restless than thirsty. Leaving the glass in the sink, I started to return to my room, but stuck my head into the living room in passing.
The fire had long since died and Paul was still asleep in his chair. Devon had dimmed the lights, but it was hardly dark. As I entered the room I could see that Paul had shifted and that his housecoat had fallen open.
He must have been dreaming. Men, I knew, get erections during their sleep cycles. My textbooks had said that it’s normal in all healthy men – ‘nocturnal penile tumescence’. But this was the first time I’d seen one in real life.
Yes, OK, I’d certainly seen and professionally handled boyparts in nursing school. Of course I had, but believe me when I say that there’s nothing very erotic about anybody’s sexual bits in most situations requiring a nurse’s presence.
Outside school? you ask. I was how old?
Old enough, yes, but…
I don’t really know why. It wasn’t a big ‘saving myself for my one true love’ thing. I liked boys. I’d dated. I’d kissed, messed around – and l’d liked all of it. Heaven only knows my boyfriends had wanted to get my pants off, but none of them had ever struck that magic spark, pushed me from ‘This is fun,’ to ‘I need more!’ So, yes, there’d been sweet, good looking boys in my life, but still… boys.