Chapter Ten

"Arthur, she lost the baby. How does that make you feel?" Katherine asked after a few minutes of silence. Arthur shrugged, looking away. "It's okay to feel sad, but it's okay to be glad too. You both weren't ready for this, and her body just—"

"She's dying, isn't she?" Arthur interrupted. Katherine sighed, looking to the floor.

"Well, not anymore, but when she was bleeding at home she was. Did she tell you she was bleeding?"

"No. She didn't tell anyone. Besides, we broke up," Arthur replied, looking to her again. "And I'm glad we did."

"Arthur, she'll need you right now. She is so alone. I can't imagine what she's going through, and without Mom or Dad to help her," Katherine said sadly. She sighed quietly under her breath. "They won't come to her no matter what I say, and Francine knows this. She might be sedated and inside a room right now, but she knows what's going on. And I assume she knows you care for her, since you always have."

"I don't anymore, Katherine. I wish I never would've met her, that she never seduced me," Arthur spat, turning away from Katherine.

"Nate is the one who caused that, Arthur. He's ruined my family, myself included," Katherine said. Arthur looked up with a perplexed expression. "We both took lessons, remember? He got to me first, and I let him. He…used an object to penetrate me, scaring my vaginal walls and causing an infection. The doctors said there's a few holes there now, as well as a lot of scar tissue. Not only can I not have sex with my husband, those holes and that tissue keeps me from conceiving. I want children, but I won't be able to have them without fertility treatment and a lot of special care."

"I'm sorry, but I don't see how this pertains to me."

"I was going to adopt the baby, Arthur. I was angry before, but I was coming to my senses. That's why I stopped by: I wanted to talk to your parents about it, and I wanted your take on the matter too. Francine would've approved, if she wasn't too angry at me for the letter, and the baby would've been in the family where it belonged.

"Now that it won't happen, I'll start looking at other options. We have a rare disease too, making things even worse. She was lucky to get pregnant at all, Arthur. That child was a miracle."

"Katherine, I appreciate you telling me all this, but…I'm tired of everything. I'm done with all of these problems and people giving me dirty glances because of my whore of a girlfriend. She still wanted sex while she was pregnant. She came onto me the other day, and we fought…. And I left her, and I was glad I did."

"You're not thinking of running away, are you?"

"So what if I am, Katherine," Arthur spat. "If I have one more day like this one, I'll end up locked away like Fern or…like George."

"You won't Arthur Read! None of us will let you!" Katherine hissed sternly. "You need to talk to someone and get your thoughts together, and then you need to stand up and be a man. She may've come onto you, but you still could've told her no. You did the other day, and you can stand tall and proud now. Don't do this to her, and don't do this to your family!"

Arthur sighed, standing.

"I'm going for breakfast. I don't need this," he murmured, walking away.

Katherine watched him with a stern glance. She couldn't understand what he was going through, but she knew he was handling it the wrong way.

"This is her room, Muffy. I can't do it in someone else's bed. That's rude!" Binky said sternly. Muffy sighed, peeking her head out the doorway.

"Let's go back to the game room," she winked, leading the way by tugging on his hand.

"The game room? On the pool table?!"

"Yes, Binky, on the pool table," she grinned, leading him into the room and closing the door behind them. "I'll dim the lights while you undress. And I will too," she smirked, turning the dimmer switch and letting the lights get as close to dark as possible.

Binky watched her begin to undress, and he began himself. He was very nervous, but he wanted things to work with Muffy. Besides, he felt himself growing hard, and he knew it'd be a good experience.

"Get on the pool table," Muffy growled, approaching him. Her bra and panties were still on, but her panties had a noticeable hole in them.

"Are those sex panties?!" Binky gaped. Muffy groaned, pulling down his pants. She smiled brightly as his large cock flopped out.

"Yes, and my, my, my, you're huge!" she smiled, pushing him onto the table.

"How would you know?" Binky asked, watching her pull a condom out of her bra.

"I read, Binky," she said, opening the condom with her teeth. "And I read about this too," she said, putting it on with her mouth. She gasped when she raised up. "It won't fit, Binky! I didn't know you were so big!"

"Is it okay like that?"

"The tip is covered, but you should tell me when you're about to cum so I can get off," she smiled, kissing him. She leaned down as Binky fell back: Her lips felt amazing, and the feel of her tongue caressing his mouth made him feel like he was in heaven.

After a few minutes of making out, Muffy stopped and looked to his rigid cock. She winked as she had him sit up. She then lined it up to her and smiled as she lowered her hips.

It was a tight fit, and Muffy made a pained face. But Binky barely noticed: It felt so good that he released immediately, and he was filled with such a blissful feeling that he couldn't speak.

"I'll start pumping when I get wetter. Play with my boobs," Muffy said. Binky opened his eyes and Muffy gave him a strange look. "You already came? The magazines said something about that too. Let me change out the condoms."

"But it'll get everywhere," Binky whispered as she got off and took off the condom. Muffy had put her head down towards his penis. She was licking up any that fell out. "Hey, what are you doing?" he asked as Muffy began licking his cock.

"It's called a blow job," she grinned, wedging him into her mouth. He gasped loudly as she began sucking gently and caressing it with her tongue. He put his hand over his mouth to keep from moaning as he became hard again.

Muffy began moving her head back and forth, and Binky realized the new sensation was his penis hitting the walls of her throat. It was a pleasuring feeling, and he moaned loudly as he released again.

Muffy rose up, wiping the excess from her lips. She then pulled another condom out of her bra and put it on.

"I'm wet enough now," she grinned, thrusting him into her. She still cried out, but she liked the feeling, and she thrusted hard and fast.

After their moaning intensified, Muffy flushed red and collapsed on his chest. Binky hadn't cum yet, so he pumped his hips. Muffy bit his nipple from pleasure, making him cum immediately.

Both lay there panting for a few minutes before Muffy kissed his neck.

"There's something else I want to try," she panted, getting off. The used condom came off with her, dripping sperm across the room as she went to a rack containing various pool sticks. She grabbed a child's size one down and sat on a nearby table. She passed it to him with a devious grin. "Stick it in, and do your worst," she growled, laying back. She spread her legs, giving him a full view of her everything.

"Where?" he asked, leaning forward. His now limp cock slapped at his thighs as he shifted, letting his legs dangle from the table as he got into position.

"I'll guide it in," she said. He pushed it towards her, and when it was near enough, she put the stick in the right spot and told him to gently push it inside.

The wet, sucking noise made Binky grow hard again, and as he pushed it in and out, he grabbed his cock and began to stroke it. Muffy was playing with her breasts, causing one to pop out of her bra and flop onto her arm. She caressed it as Binky grew hard again.

The harder he grew, the more he thrusted, and soon both were moaning loudly as they played with themselves.

They came at the same time, moaning loudly. Muffy bucked her hips, and with one final buck, it fell out of Binky's hand and out of her vagina. She sighed loudly as she massaged herself for a few moments. She then sat up and looked around the room.

"We'll say it was the help, because this certainly helped my mood," Muffy growled. They both stood and shared a kiss before redressing. They left the room like nothing ever happened, and soon Binky walked home.

'Mission accomplished,' she wrote into her diary that evening. She had pasted in the used condom wrappers, and a microchip of the scene was put into a pocket. She grinned as she thought about the camera, and she couldn't help but wonder if she should try posting the video online just to show her friends how much fun she was having in Elwood City. She decided to sleep on the idea, turning off her light and settling in for a wonderful night.

Jenna went with Sue Ellen's family to the airport. She and Ryan hadn't spoken in days, not since he said he was moving out of his room. It would be time for him to move out permanently when he returned, he told her. Jenna forgot how much older he seemed, despite being only seventeen. She then realized that she was barely fourteen, and that Ryan's age could pose problems if anything came up.

But it wouldn't today. She spent the night writing out what she wanted to say, but she knew the Armstrong family might get in the way. Besides, he would be there the entire year. She had plenty of time to learn more about him, and to be with him.

"Here we are!" Mr. Armstrong said. They'd been walking a long way (the Armstrong's didn't believe in laziness), and Jenna was beat. She was almost too tired to look up and see the entrance to the international gates, where Ryan would be.

Her heart pounded wildly. Even though they'd met in person once before, it'd been quite a while since they saw each other without a grainy picture from a bad connection or interference. And she hadn't heard his undistorted voice in so long that she thought she would cry when she heard it.

As they entered the waiting area just outside customs, Sue Ellen's mother held up the sign Jenna and Sue Ellen had made early that morning, well before sunrise. Ryan's flight would arrive at seven in La Guardé airport in Crown City, meaning they had to leave early to make it in time. Now the sun was rising, and a bright area of light covered the area Ryan would come from.

"It's arriving now. See on the boards?" Mr. Armstrong asked, pointing. Sue Ellen looked, but Jenna kept her eyes focused on customs.

Sure enough, within five minutes or so, the first group of people began arriving from the German flight. Jenna's breath caught in her throat as her heart beat loudly in her ears. She was afraid she was going to pass out, and she had to steady herself multiple times.

Suddenly, Ryan's dark hair came into view. Before Jenna could react, the Armstrong family was cheering and rushing towards him. Jenna was left standing alone while Ryan was swarmed with the family.

His head peeked out from between their arms, and he smiled to Jenna kindly. She felt herself blush as she waved gently.

"Let's go get breakfast!" Sue Ellen's mother exclaimed. Her family cheered, and away they went towards the exit.

Ryan fell back from the group and took Jenna's hand. He kissed it gently and smiled to her.

"I've been waiting for this day for a long time," he whispered.

Before Jenna could even respond, the family boarded one of the golf cart-like taxis heading for their parking lot. Jenna and Sue Ellen's mother were forced onto a second one, and Jenna was too speechless to argue.

Brain looked over his weekend work load with a keen eye. He had too much to do, far more than he could carry out within forty-eight hours, but he was going to do his best—he hoped. Multiple calls had come in for him from Fern at the hospital, and he'd refused each one.

While Brain wanted to support his friends, he was tired of doing their dirty work. He wouldn't do the summer reading for Arthur, he wouldn't cheat to help Binky pass middle school, and he wouldn't answer the cries from an obviously insane person.

The phone rang again downstairs. His father answered it dully, and within a few moments, Brain was called again.

"I'm not interested!" Brain called down.

"It's a different one this time!" his father called back. He paused, giving Brain enough time to come to the top of the stairs. "Do you know Sue Ellen?"

"Yes. What is it?" Brain asked, descending the stairs.

"Would you like to join her family and new exchange student for breakfast?"

Brain nodded, going back upstairs while his father relayed the message. He dressed quickly, eying the pile of books.

'Just one more morning of fun, and I'll be right back,' he thought, slipped on some shoes and turning off his lights. He knew he'd take longer than the morning, but he was beginning not to care. While he wanted the scientist's life, he wanted friends too, and if they were willing to include him in obviously private matters, then he would gladly go along.

"Buster, your mother is trying hard," Buster's uncle whispered. Buster was helping him and the boys move hay bales for an upcoming even, and the two were alone on the tractor that was hauling the bales to where they were needed.

Buster didn't answer, and he chose to look out towards the pastures. When he was little, he hated seeing so many trees and so much empty space, but now he'd come to enjoy it.

"Buster, I know my sister hasn't made it easy for you, but you could at least talk to us and tell us what's going on. Ma said you really upset her by refusing to come home, and we can't keep you here forever, even if you are earning your keep."

"I like it here. What's wrong with that?" Buster asked. His uncle sighed, shaking his head.

"There's nothing wrong with it. But your mother is a city gal. She can't handle this country life, and I'm surprised you're handling it so well. All of this empty space used to scare you, but now you're out every day with the boys. And I'm not saying that's wrong, but you really need to consider going home, at least for the weekends."

"I'm not going back!" Buster said sternly.

"Listen, your grandmother and I have already arranged it. If your mother wants you home, you're going home. You're too young to have much say. I know I didn't have much when I was your age."

"Times are different now. I can do what I want," Buster muttered.

"Like heck you can, young man! I respect your opinions, but your mother knows best. One day, she'll reteach that lesson to you. You have to remember, she's a victim here too, and you can't keep blaming her for all the things that man did to you. I doubt she even knew, and when you told her, she was too shocked to take it, so she didn't take your side."

"Pfft, I doubt that," Buster scoffed, looking off to the pastures again. His uncle glanced at him before sighing heavily.

"Buster, it's hard what you've been through, and your mother is having a bad time too. She just wants something normal in her life for once, since things haven't worked out with anything lately. She gave up her job, her apartment, and her family. Isn't that enough?"

"I'm not going back, not when things are going so well," Buster whispered. His uncle sighed, turning into their destination. The two hopped off the tractor and never said another word.