Dad and I joined the rest of the family for my first meal home since Friday morning. Except for when I went moose hunting, this was the longest I'd been away since Diane and I were married. Supper time was always a time of fun and fellowship in our home since my earliest days, and tonight was no exception. The kids kept up a lively chatter, Rhiannon going on about school and Jenny just being a lively kid. Dad kept us laughing telling of the antics of his new black Lab pup, which he named Clyde after our venerable old dog. The adults all studiously ignored talking about my weekend except for Diane asking if I got Carol on her plane all right. When she mentioned Carol, she went all moon-eyed. How could it be that she had fallen for, and from her expression, pretty hard, someone she'd only written, and spoken to on the phone two or three times? But then, I remembered Carol's reaction to Diane was similar. There was definitely something special happening.
Supper over, the women folk did the cleanup while Dad and I puttered around in my shop. I showed him the old tool bag my ring had been in. Dad was sharing an off-colour joke with me when Diane called down they were finished if I wanted to come up and start explaining myself. The phrasing left me dry-mouthed and nervous. Dad saw my nervousness. He put his hand on my shoulder and reassured me. "She has to know the whole story sooner or later, David. If you didn't tell her, either your mother or I would eventually. We've all kept it bottled inside for 'way too long."
I gave my dad a quick hug. Dad and I, always fairly close, had become even closer ever since I started dating Carol when I was fifteen. He truly was my very best Best Friend. "You're right, Dad. I'm not afraid of the truth. It's just that I've kept it from Diane Marie so long I don't know how she'll react. Well, let's go face the music. I just hope the fiddler's price isn't too high."
Dad and I joined the family in the living room. I was going to sit by Diane on the couch, but Mom was there already, her arm protectively around Diane with Rhiannon curled up on her other side. I sat in my chair to start. Dad sat in his, and Jenny promptly climbed into his lap and snuggled up. I glanced at my watch and wondered where the time had gone — it was almost seven thirty. Carol would be calling at eight, if not before, and I hadn't even started yet. She was going to be more of a participant than we thought. <Good, I need the extra moral support.>
We all sat an awkward silence for a few seconds. Finally Diane asked softly. "David? What's going on? Why did Mom say Carol Anne had shared you with me for as long as we've been married? It sounds almost like you were married to her first."
Somehow I knew she'd ask this question right at the start, and had steeled myself to it. How she reacted to my answer would determine the course of everything else. "Diane Marie, I am married to Carol Anne. We've been separated for nineteen years."
"Separated? Not divorced? <I nodded.> But... but that makes you a bigamist, and then I'm not your legal wife." Diane started to cry, and Mom held her close.
"No, Diane Marie, you are my legal wife. Carol Anne and I were married under the Old Ways with the blessing of the Goddess, but we never married under the Law of the Land as you and I did."
"But you still think of her as your wife? After all these years?"
"Yes, My Love, I do, and so does she. You better hear the rest. There's another, too."
"Another? Another what? Wife? Who?" Diane was getting just a little angry, and had shaken off Mom's comforting arm. She sat bolt upright on the couch.
"Yes, another wife that I'm still married to -- Carol Anne's sister, Riekie."
"I thought she was just a special friend."
"Oh, she's that, alright. That's how I chose to remember her, even to myself, to ease the pain of separation."
"Why didn't you ever tell me any of this? I thought we didn't have any secrets! And Mom and Dad, you knew about this too?"
Mom spoke for both. "Yes. Dear, we knew. We were a part of it. But listen to David, and maybe you'll begin to understand. Please try..."
Diane moved away from Mom, shaken and obviously hurt. When Mom moved back toward her, she held up her hand, holding Mom off. Rhiannon, though, came to her other side and cuddled up to her. With a wisdom 'way beyond her years, she told her mother. "Listen to Daddy, Mommy. I think he's going to tell us a real sad story. He needs us to hear it."
"Rhiannon says I should listen, Dave. < Uh-oh! No more 'David'!> I will for a little but I'm not sure about you any more. Before you go on — once again -- why didn't any of you ever tell me?"
'Diane Marie, the pain was just too deep. How and why I broke up with My Girls (My Girls! The feeling is coming back!) ate my insides until I met you. It was all I could do to acknowledge their existence to you, let alone tell you all there was to know. I asked Mom and Dad not to tell because the pain was so deep. I didn't want to think of it. The pain was still so bad, I wouldn't have gone this weekend if Bob hadn't asked as a friend, and it was also my chance to confront his father, who, as it turns out, was the author of all my pain for the last twenty years. Now, do you want to hear the story, or will I pack and leave now?"
Diane must have seen the pain in my eyes as I remembered, because her tone softened. "You're not going anywhere just yet, David! <Whew! Back to 'David'!> I'm hurt and angry at secrets being kept from me, but I don't hate you, and I still love Carol Anne. If you leave, I'll lose any chance of ever seeing her, I think. 'Sides, Rhiannon thinks we should hear you out. She's wise; I trust her, and more importantly, she trusts you. So let's hear your story."
We were interrupted by the phone. I answered it, and sure enough, it was Carol. She sounded tired and worried. "Hi, Lover. What'd I miss?"
"Nothing, we're just getting started. I just told Diane Marie that you and I and Riekie were married twenty years ago, but not how that all came to be. It's gonna be a little rough, I think. I was just starting to tell our story when you called. I think it'll be a lot easier with you to help. Is Ben listening?"
"Ben's not well tonight, so he's lying down. He won't tell me anything except he just had a bad day. Those 'bad days' are getting to be too frequent for my liking. You're my true husband, but he's still my best friend and confidant, and I don't want anything to happen to him. He said if he felt up to it, he might join in later. I almost didn't call because I was so worried about him, but he insists he's OK, and that this is too important. So, here I am."
"Ok, I'm switching over to the speaker phone now... Can you hear me fine?"
"You sound a little hollow, but I can hear you Ok."
"I'll have everyone else say hello to you, so you can tell if I have to make adjustments for you to hear them."
I had everyone say hello to Carol, and she reported that she could hear them fine except Dad. He turned his chair a bit, and then she could hear him well. Diane waited until the last to do her 'sound check'. "Hi, Car... I mean Mrs. Lloyd. I'm glad to hear your voice, but not so sure of the circumstances."
"Hi, yourself, Mrs. Lloyd. This time has been too long coming. Please don't be angry with David and me — our pain was too deep to tell anyone much of anything. I still love you, you know. Getting on that plane today was one of the hardest things I've ever had to do. I wanted to come home with David so bad!"
"Home?"
"Yes, that's my home, and I miss it. We can talk about that later. Let's hear David, shall we?"
"Ok... David?"
"Before I start, Carol Anne, do you want to make another announcement before I start?"
Everyone looked at me strangely, Diane expecting some nuclear bombshell, I thought.
"I'll wait until we're done. We might need some good news to cheer people up before we're done."
Dad kind of knew, now, so he smiled and suggested I get on with it, that he had an idea what we were talking about, and agreed with Carol. The women at my end looked totally mystified, but not so concerned, especially Diane, after Dad interceded. How they'd take Carol's 'good news', I wasn't sure.
"Ok, then here's my story. Carol Anne, Mom and Dad, feel free to jump in wherever you think I left out something important."
My story was directed mainly at Diane and Rhiannon. I told them everything, right up until this evening --everything — the whole twenty year saga.
I started my story from where I walked up the Scotts' front step and had my epiphany with the 'vision in white'. I told everything except the stroke by stroke details of the lovemaking. I told them how Carol and I learned the effect of our meeting was mutual. I told them about the phone sex incident and the effect it had on everyone, especially my friendship speech that so impacted Riekie, and about our growing friendship and love for her
I told them about the afternoon on the couch where Carol made me promise to make a baby with her someday and her promise to hold me to it, which is the promise Diane allowed us to keep, and Riekie's help in letting us have that afternoon alone. I told them about the rest of that Civic Holiday weekend where Bob Sr. had threatened me and I challenged him. Carol asked why I didn't say anything to her then. I told her I thought she was close enough with her father at that time that she would take it the wrong way and reject me. She allowed as how it might indeed have put a strain on her of divided loyalties we didn't need then.
I told them about my birthday party and Carol's ring. I showed them my ring and the inscription inside. Diane asked why she'd never seen it before. I told her about losing it, thinking it was stolen, only to find it Friday just before I left.
I got into some detail, with Carol's input, about the special birthday present and how we became married, including Riekie tying the knot for us and being our witness, and about the sheet going to Carol's family. Carol told about her family's involvement, and the effect her screaming had on Bob and Riekie. I even told about out trip to town to get our 365's and the effect Carol had on the men in the room that day.
To this point, Mom and Dad knew most of the story. They picked up on a few details, but otherwise kept silent. As I watched her, Diane, from being skeptical, hurt, and angry, gradually became engrossed. Her expression of amazement and wonder as the story unfolded grew with the telling and was worth the price of admission. Her only comment was.
"Mom told me to expect a story of monumental love shared many ways, but I never expected anything like this. And you guys felt like this when you were only sixteen? Wow! I'm hurt now that you didn't tell me before because it's such a beautiful love story. Please continue, David."
Carol interjected at this point. "Riekie called it 'a love story that should be made into a song for the ages'. But you'll hear later why David wasn't able to tell you about us. Go on, David, you're doing fine."
I picked up where I left off. I told them how on the day after we tied the knot, Riekie declared her love for us, complicating matters, and how, two nights later, once we realized those feelings were mutual, we married her. Then I told about the meeting with their family and how happy they were that the three of us had wed. I didn't get into too much detail about Riekie's special wedding day, except to explain how we were encouraged to have it and why. I described how I felt there was a Power guiding us and about my 'Cosmic Moment'. I told them how profound it was, and that we all came away from that day even deeper in love. I told Diane to remember that 'Cosmic Moment', because it had an effect on what happened this past weekend. I told them about Riekie's blanket and that we gave it to Tante Pie to keep as well.
Carol did interrupt me. She said I was too sketchy on the details, and got a little graphic, especially when she described how they were dressed, what they looked like that day, and how very pretty Riekie's 'Sweet Pussy' was. Dad blushed at her description. <Grin> I think she was trying to create a mental picture for Diane of Riekie as a real beauty, but gave Dad a fantasy... It was working, too. Every time Carol or I described Riekie, Diane looked a little dreamy and Dad smiled.
I took a small break and asked for questions. There were none. Rhiannon was transfixed. For a six year-old, she seemed to be absorbing the whole thing. She only interrupted if I used a word she didn't understand.
Diane sat there, frozen in amazement, and even awe, whispering over and over quietly to herself, "So much love! So beautiful!"
Mom and Dad, as I said, knew most of the story, having heard parts from time to time, not just from our meeting that Labour Day, but from reminiscences My Girls <My Girls! Happy memories!) and I had shared with them, but they still learned some things they didn't know.
This brought us up to the meeting at the farm with Mom and Dad. I told them about this meeting and how my parents not only supported us, but encouraged us in our three-way marriage. I told them about Mom's revelation of the Goddess. I went into some detail of how Mom and Dad had opened their home to us and made it My Girls' home too.
Mom and Dad added a few comments of their own and Dad repeated his joke about the girls having to tough it out and bunk with me because we were short of beds.
Carol took this opportunity to explain to Diane that this was when she first considered the farm to be truly her Home, as did Riekie, and why it was so hard for her to return to Calgary today. I could see that Diane was deeply moved, as were Mom and Dad.
I continued with the story of how I got My Girls their rings. Dad was the only one who knew that part completely. Mom knew a bit of it, but Carol knew nothing of the lengths I went to, to acquire two identical rings or the cost involved.
Diane looked at me in wonder and love, her eyes wet. "You loved them so much!"
"I did and do, and that love was and is returned many times over."
I continued on about that Christmas, and how I started noticing Bob Sr. seemed to look at his daughters in an unfatherly way. Carol asked why I never said anything, and I told her I put it down as jealousy on my part, especially given the chill between us since the summer. When I told them about the Christmas Eve party where I gave the girls their rings and Mom performed the rite with the blessing of the Goddess, Diane was actually in tears, and kept saying over and over, "So beautiful... so beautiful." She moved back to Mom and cuddled with her, loving Mom.
When I got to New Years 1966 and how we got to use the front rooms as out apartment and about the girls' private times, Carol picked the story from there. She did a marvelous job of bringing us right up to the prom, and sharing with them how our love continued to grow and mature. We told the story of the prom together, as it was our last truly happy time. I called a break at this point and told Carol we were going to show Diane the pictures. Strangely enough, they were the only photos from that whole period. Nobody thought to take pictures at Christmas, especially our wedding that night, New Years or My Girls birthdays.
Before we showed Diane the pictures, she commented on the capitalized My Girls <My Girls! Music, not pain, to my ears again!> whenever I spoke of Carol and Riekie, and how much love she heard when I said it. I told her My Girls now included her, and she almost swooned.
Diane's first look at My Girls <My Girls! That night, they truly were!> in the prom photos was a wonder to behold; her reaction was more profound than I expected. Every picture of the girls was scrutinized closely, and on each one an exclaimed, "So beautiful! David! They're gorgeous! They are probably the most beautiful women I've ever seen!" She knew which was which from my descriptions. Riekie was easy to tell because of the blonde hair, and although she didn't say anything, Diane seemed to pay closer attention to Riekie's picture, as if seeing someone she already knew. She exclaimed to Carol. "Carol Anne! You're stunning! David tells me you look much the same today! Now I see who I fell in love with sight unseen!"
Carol demurred with genuine modesty. "Those pictures are of us all dressed up and made up; they make us look better than we really were. You should have seen us dressed for school."
Diane looked at the rest of us. My parents and I shook our heads, smiling, indicating that they were every bit as beautiful as their pictures.
I took the opportunity to reach under my chair and pull out Carol's self portrait. "Carol Anne, remember what you gave me for Christmas that year?"
"Yes, David, I do. Do you still have it? I thought you'd have thrown it out long ago with the bad memories."
"No, My Love, I kept it; I just hid it away, but I brought it out today. I want to give it to Diane. Is that OK?"
"That is so sweet, David! Of course you can give it to My Best Girl. It's yours to do with as you want, but I want to say this: Diane Marie, accept this gift from both of us, please."
I rose and walked over to Diane, and handed her the drawing face down and told her not to look until I was sitting again. I wanted to observe her reaction. When I was back in my chair, Diane turned the picture over. She sucked in her breath and held it so long, I thought she'd faint. There was a very long silence as she simply stared at Carol's nude self portrait. Then she put the picture to her bosom, wrapping her arms around it as if she was embracing the real person. With a catch in her voice and her eyes welling tears, she spoke to Carol. "Carol Anne, if I didn't love you before, I do now. You are too beautiful for words."
"Oh, I bet you say that to all the girls."
"No, just you, and... and maybe one other..."
I just knew she meant Riekie. Her close scrutiny of all the pictures of Riekie had not been lost on me.
Rhiannon had also been looking through the photos and listening to what we said. She said she'd seen both of them in her dreams, but she especially recognized 'Mommy Carol' 'because she made my new brother with Daddy'.
Rhiannon's childish honesty and obvious love for Carol had an uplifting effect on us all.
Once Diane and Rhiannon had seen all the pictures and Diane got over the gift of the sketch, I continued with the story, and warned them this was the sad part. Carol helped me with the telling, especially the parts about what her father did. Diane learned now the true significance of Patty and Roy, because their relationship was the only truly positive thing to come out of the breakup. Carol and I were both in tears as we told of the next two years until I left Ryerson.
As I started into the breakup part of the story, Rhiannon left her mother's side, and sat on my lap. She hugged me tightly as I told everything, pouring out her young love to help ease the pain I relived. I laid it all out for them, the pain, the despair, the almost re-union, the whole thing.
Carol told her side of how her father tricked her into believing I was cheating, and then tried to rape her the very night we were to reconcile. Leaving her believing he did so, she spent the next twenty years living a nightmare of shame and guilt. Both Mom and Diane broke down and held each other sobbing as Carol told her story. Dad had tears in his eyes, and pounded his fist into the palm of his other hand, repeating "That son-of-a-bitch, that son-of-a-bitch. That's my Daughter he did that to." Until then, I knew Dad loved My Girls <My Girls! I'm getting used to this!>, but never realized how much he considered them to be his own daughters.
I gave them a brief recap of the years between then and finding Diane, marrying her, and having the kids, bringing them completely up to the near present. I picked up the story in July of this year and told them of Roy's stunning revelation from the old Ipperwash records and my resolve to finally confront that man. Then Bob's amazing request to be him at his mother's funeral, providing me the opportunity I needed.
I stunned my whole family when I told them of my first meeting with Carol and how the bolt of lightning struck again. Carol told her side of that meeting too. There wasn't a dry eye in the house after that. When I told of that man's final humiliation literally at the hands of Carol, and how she seemed to be healed, Dad actually cheered. When he heard that Scott had tried to rape Riekie as well, and my reaction to that news, he reached across and punched me in the shoulder with a grin. "Well done, Son. I'm not a violent person, but he deserved that and much more."
We told them about the funeral and what we thought we saw as we said goodbye to Dolly. Then I remembered something, and while Carol gave them the details of the funeral itself and my eulogy, I dashed upstairs and got an item from my suit coat pocket.
When I came back into the room, I called Rhiannon to me, and placed Dolly's pendent around her neck. "I gave Carol Anne's mother this pendent the same year I gave Nanny hers. Dolly specifically requested you have it now. Carol Anne and I don't know how she knew your name, though."
Mom spoke up. "I have a confession to make. Dolly and I never stopped corresponding. We didn't write often, but we did exchange Christmas and birthday cards. She kept me fairly up-to-date on her family, and I did the same for ours. That was how I knew about Riekie's more advanced medical training, and why I kept asking you about Carol Anne. Dolly was worried about you Dear, but she wouldn't tell me much. It seemed I heard more about Riekie."
Carol picked up a good part of the story here, telling about Ben and her hatching the plan to have a baby by me, and her side of how she was healed by my confrontation with that man. We filled in the details of our weekend together that we hadn't already told them over the phone, and that we now planned to be back together as a family someday, and that Riekie apparently was planning on returning to us soon as well.
Diane started to get a little panicky at this news, but both Carol and I told her she was as much a part of it as we were, and it wouldn't work without her. Mom and Dad helped by heartily agreeing, and said they wanted their two daughters home, for the girls were surely their daughters now, with Dolly gone and Scott totally estranged. Carol was overwhelmed at the love my parents still had for Riekie and her.
Rhiannon piped up then. "My baby brother WILL live here, and our new sister, too — SOON!"
Mom and Diane both said "New sister?"
Dad and I grinned, and we heard Carols' happy giggle over the phone. "You tell 'em, Munchkin! That was the announcement I saved until the end to cheer everyone up, or at least I hope it does.
"David and I made another baby today, or I'm pretty sure we did. It felt the same as for Our Son, so now we're having twins. We'll have to take Rhiannon's word for it that it's a girl. Our family is growing quickly, Mommy Diane."
Carol couldn't have said anything better to cheer Diane up than that simple phrase, 'Mommy Diane.' It so obviously included her as to leave no doubt.
"With the time difference, it was still early in the business day here when I got back, so I called my doctor and asked her about multiple pregnancies. She said for most fraternal twins, no one knows how far apart the separate conceptions can actually occur, so we're not as unusual as we thought, David. What is unusual is that I knew it the instant it happened each time. It's not unheard of, and most of the medical community still doubts it, but my doctor is open minded and believes that I am pregnant until proven otherwise. She's already setting up my prenatal care schedule. Speaking of which, with time changes and a hectic day, the twins and I need our rest, so I'm going to call it a night. David will tell you all the rest, including the story about my aunts, because he thinks their story is more mixed into ours than them simply trying to relive theirs through us."
Everyone at our end was happy now, though there were still some tears for the hurt and pain, and we started to wind up the conversation. Diane asked if she could speak to Carol privately, so after Mom and Dad and Rhiannon all said their goodbyes and made loud kissing noises, I switched off the speaker phone, and stepped out of earshot as she spoke to Carol.
Diane's conversation with Carol was short, and apparently very sweet, because Diane ended it with a lingering kiss into the phone, and a whispered, heartfelt "I love you, Carol Anne." before she said her goodbye. She then handed the phone to me and said Carol wanted to say goodbye to me.
"Yes, My Darling?"
"Oh, David! I am in love with Diane Marie, no doubt whatsoever, now!"
I looked around to see where everyone was. Diane was sitting on the couch, Rhiannon and Mom cuddled up to her on either side as she cuddled Carol's picture tenderly, a dreamy expression on her beautiful elfin face. She looked almost like a smaller version of Carol. No one was paying me any attention, lost in their own thoughts.
"Don't take this the wrong way, Carol Anne, but you better be in love with that girl! I don't want her heart broken, because she's totally head over heels for you. She's cuddling your picture like it was actually you. I've only seen her like that with one other person — me. I hope she puts that picture down long enough for me to love her tonight. The corners on the frame might prove somewhat uncomfortable." <chuckle>
"I understand your concern, David, but I'm sure of how I feel. I just wish I had a picture to focus my love on."
"We'll get you one as soon as possible, and as erotic as we can safely get through the photo lab, OK? <chuckle> In the meantime, my poor attempt at a description will have to do. First, I don't know how, but Diane looks amazingly like a smaller version of you. I'm amazed I never noticed the resemblance before.
"She's petite, just under five feet tall. Her hair is the same lovely shade of brown as yours without the red highlights, and she wears it long and wavy like yours is now. She has the liveliest brown eyes you ever saw. She wears glasses for reading only. Her lips are full and ripe. She has a pert little nose, and the overall effect of her appearance is 'elfin' or pixyish.
"Her figure is perfectly proportioned for her small frame. Even after having two babies, her boobies are pert and upturned, and her nipples are a luscious pink, very similar to yours. Her bum is really cute, high and tight like a girl much younger. She doesn't shave her pussy (You know what I think of that!), with a lovely furry patch of brown curls to match yours, but because of her abuse, she's never really let me have a good look, so I don't know of any other similarities, except I think she's bare where you and Riekie are from the feel of just my fingers. Until recently, she got quite moist when we made love, but now she's become a squirter like yourself, and she's also become very vocal. <Chuckle> I think a mattress cover is in order from now on.
"AND... get this! I finally found a woman who's legs compare favourably to your own for form, shape and proportion. Yours are still the standard, but she's a very close second! "
"I'm starting to form a really erotic mental image, David! She sounds absolutely beautiful! I'm getting wet just from your description! Thank you so much! Now, before we say goodbye, I told Diane I sent a special gift home for her from me with you. Do you remember what it was?"
I grinned hugely, because this was going to be a fun gift to deliver. "Yes, and I'll enjoy delivering it very much. This'll be the first time I will have eaten her. I kissed her muffin on Friday, but just a quick kiss, and that was the first I was ever allowed that close. Now I'll get that close look to see if she resembles you in other ways. It's wonderful that you told her it's from you. I assume you told her what the special gift was."
"Sort of, I just told her that whatever you did to her tonight that didn't involve actually feeding Pussy with Rascal, she was to imagine it was me with whiskers. <GIGGLE>"
"You know about Pussy? I should have known, you knew about Rascal."
"Of course, Silly. I've known about Pussy and Rascal since our second or third letter, and she knew about Miss Pussy and Sweet Prince about the same time. I told you, we were very open, and I told her a lot of the stuff you used to like."
"That explains some of her behavior Friday, and why what she did reminded me of you."
There were other things Diane did on Friday that reminded me of Carol, and of Riekie, too, that couldn't have come from their letter writing, though. Maybe it was just the Old Blood connection that Mom sensed. Dad had always said that the women of Wicca were special when it came to sex. They just needed to be stimulated properly. Diane had been abused, and it took a long time to start leaving that behind and start showing her natural sexuality.
"Could be, David. I really am exhausted, so I gotta get some sleep, and I should check on Ben. I really am worried about him. You must be tired, too, and you have to work tomorrow. I love you with all my heart, David. Don't forget Diane Marie's gift."
"I won't My Love. You're sounding like a true wife, reminding me of work; <chuckle> I like it. How could I forget to deliver that gift? <Chuckle> Yeah, I am tired, especially after the drive home today. Traffic was heavier than I expected. I love you more than life itself. Get your rest, and take care of the twins. One of us will call on the weekend, at least, if not before. I've a notion Diane Marie would call you three or four times a day if we could afford the long distance charges. This one must be costing you a fortune. By the way what is your number? And you better give me your proper address so we can send you Diane's picture. We don't need subterfuge any more."
Carol gave me her phone number and address, which I wrote on the pad by the phone. We declared our mutual love again, said goodbye and hung up.
When I got off the phone, everyone was still there. Mom wanted to hear about the aunts, especially since I'd asked for the Goddess' blessing for my Quest. I told them the story as Pie had told me, and that their lost lover was their brother Paul. I told them I had vowed to find Paul and return him to his sister-wives. I told them about Kit, too, but left out the part about her being in love with me. I didn't have enough information yet to follow that one through. I told them about Scott raping Jo, too. Dad was ready to go hunting himself when I finished, until I told them that Roy was already looking after that individual. Mom and Diane held each other and were sobbing again at the end of that story.
The evening was just about gone. Poor little Rhiannon was almost falling asleep. Diane and I took her to her room and tucked her in. She gave us both huge child hugs and sloppy kisses. As she dozed off, she whispered. "Night-night Little Brother and Little Sister."
Diane and I went back down to the living room to see my parents off. They only lived across the lane, a short two minute walk. Mom said she would talk to me more about Pie and Jo and their brother at another time, but gave me the Goddess' blessing for my Quest.
Dad was glad I finally told Diane everything about My Girls <My Girls! I almost swooned!>, and said he'd still like to find Scott and do him some grievous bodily harm for hurting his daughters. In Dad's mind, they were indeed his little girls now, and he'd protect and avenge them to the nth degree. He made a very big point of telling Diane that she was one of His Daughters as well, and that he loved her as much as the others, Val, Heather, Joan, Carol, and Riekie — ALL of them. He seemed to be taking a page from my book, because you could just hear the capitalization of those words, and feel the love in them. He earned a huge hug and a VERY nice kiss from her for that. We hugged Mom and Dad good night, and they left, saying they'd see us tomorrow. Mom reminded Diane she had some lessons in the Old Ways tomorrow, so 'don't be up all night with this young man!'
After everyone was gone, Diane went ahead upstairs to check on Jenny and get ready for bed, still carrying Carol's picture. I made sure the house was secure for the night, turned out the lights and climbed the stairs myself. I hoped I'd be able to get up for work in the morning.
.