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Chapter 10

Michelle sat on the back deck with Colleen as they lounged with their feet up on the patio table. They weren't talking about anything in particular, Colleen testing the waters before she dove right in to get all the sordid details of Michelle and Scott's morning/afternoon rendezvous. They were both looking across the expanse of their backyard to the two houses on the other side of the creek: Colleen at Marks house, Michelle at Scott's.

"Okay, since you're not just gonna come out and say it…lemme in on all the dirt." Colleen said, finally throwing her hands up. Michelle smiled.

"Well, you saw what he was packin'…he reached depths I didn't even think existed…" Michelle said, a playful smile on her face as she remembered how much he'd filled her up, " Much bigger and we would have been stuck that way…"

"That would have been a nice sight to come home to." Colleen said laughing.

"So, anyway, what was Cassidy doing here this afternoon…how'd she know Scott was here?" Michelle said, stretching her shoulders. Colleen sighed, how could someone so right for Michelle as Scott was, have such a potentially problematic time bomb.

"She was camping with some friends, they got back early…Scott wasn't there and she saw me outside…came over to introduce herself. I didn't think I should be the one to spring it on her that her dad was doin' the dirty deed so I offered to take her to the mall…thought it'd buy us some time…I figured you two would be out of bodily fluids before we got back." Colleen said, accusingly toward Michelle, smiling.

"That man's got reserves…" Michelle said, a mischievous smile on her face, but soon her face turned serious again.

"I take it she'd not fond of women Scott brings home…seemed a little standoffish to me," Michelle said, frowning in the direction of Scott's house.

"Well, I seem to remember some girl I grew up with that went berserk when her mother brought some strange man home." Colleen said, cocking an eyebrow at Michelle.

"Well…my mom was a whore…she had it coming." Michelle said, reasoning her past actions.

"Maybe she thinks Scott's a whore…" Colleen said, looking back towards their neighbors.

"I wouldn't blame him with a pole like that." Michelle said, laughing as Colleen did. But in the back of her mind, she'd been wondering something similar. She knew they'd only been together that afternoon, but she wasn't real crazy about the idea of sharing anyone, let alone Scott. She'd have to find out without being too obvious.

"I hope Scott had a talk with her. She was completely out of line. I just can't believe with how upstanding Cody is and then she goes around acting like that. My parents let me get away with a lot of stuff, but shit…you didn't see me acting like that, did you?" Colleen said, confused about Cassidy. All afternoon, she'd been a great shopping companion, such a carefree girl. Then it was like she had a dark split personality, the way her attitude had changed when she's seen her dad with a strange woman on his arm.

"I'll say…my mom may not have been the most upstanding mom out there, but if I ever would have acted like that I would have gotten my ass tanned." Michelle said.

"Dad, this is so not fair!" Cassidy yelled at the top of her lungs as she stomped up the stairs.

"Cassidy, you can not talk to people like that! There is no reason for you to be so hateful." Scott roared from the foot of the stairs. Grounding her was not going smoothly.

"Why, Dad? Why do you have to have some whore to make you happy? Cody and I aren't enough?" Cassidy screamed, wiping away the tears forming in her eyes.

"Cassidy, you know that is not true." Scott bellowed, she was trying to do it again…she was trying to use his weakness against him…he was going to have to stand strong, "And you have got to stop talking like that, you know I don't condone this kind of behavior. You are going to go apologize to Michelle and Col…" Scott began.

"I am NOT apologizing to that slut, Dad!" She screamed back.

"You will! And to Colleen, TONIGHT…this ends tonight, Cassidy…so help me, you are going over there to apologize to both those women and you are going to mean it. And you know what? If one of them feels like you should get your ass whooped, then so be it." Scott warned. He saw the defensiveness wane in his daughter's eyes. He hated being like this towards her. He knew not having a mother around was taking its toll on her, but god dammit; she wasn't the only one with out a mother in this world. Maybe Michelle could be a good influence on her…she was hard as nails…she was going to have to be to handle Cassidy.

Cassidy did not respond right away. She huffed to herself. It'd been a long time since her dad had stopped bringing women home all the time. She'd finally held out hope he was going to change.

The truth was she did really like Colleen so far. She'd paid attention to Cassidy just to be kind, not to get in her dad's pants. It'd been a long time since she'd had another woman to hang out with, to talk with.

"Fine, whatever…" She finally spat at him, walking back down the stairs storming past him.

Scott heaved a sigh. This was step in the right direction, even if it was a small one. He really was interested in a future with Michelle…although everything right now was sort of uncertain. They had made no plans, and had not discussed in any way, shape, or form about a relationship. He hoped she did want to be involved. He was going to find it hard living so close to her and not experiencing a repeat of the ecstasy he'd felt earlier today. With that thought, he retreated to his room, just as he heard Cassidy slam the back door.

"So, still obsessing about freak boy?" Michelle teased Colleen who was looking longingly at the darkened house Mark lived in.

"He's not a freak…will you stop it with that, give the man a chance…" Colleen said, glad the darkness hid her flushed cheeks.

"What, a chance to cast a spell on me? Or run me over with his Harley? No thanks." Michelle said, trying to keep a straight face.

"Stop it. You were down on Scott from the beginning and see what good things have come from giving him a chance?" Colleen said, trying to make Michelle speechless.

"But wait, I don't wanna sleep with him, I thought you did?" Michelle shot back.

"There is no winning with you in an argument is there?" Colleen said, shaking her head, blushing deeply again.

"Nope. When'd he say he was coming back? Then you can accidentally run by there again." Michelle teased as she saw a light emerge from one of the upstairs windows of Scott's house. She wondered if it was Scott's room. She wondered what Scott's room looked like…how his bed felt. She shook the thought from her head. She couldn't get all gushy about some guy…although if she was going to, Scott would be a perfect candidate.

"Sidetracked by the ram rod again?" Colleen said, looking at Michelle knowingly. Now Michelle was the one thankful for the darkness, her face was hot with embarrassment. She changed the subject.

"So is he on the show tomorrow? Maybe he'll send you a sign, like blow you a kiss or something…or he could even, I don't know, grab his crotch."

Colleen spit out the water she had been drinking as she laughed whole-heartedly alongside Michelle.

Their laughter subsided as they heard the sound as if someone were clearing their throat.

Michelle stood, walking over to the edge of the deck steps, looking down.

Cassidy looked up, she'd hoped Colleen would have been the one she could break the ice with, she didn't know if she could control herself over this gold-digging woman. She took a deep breath, trying to find the nicest words she could muster. She was about to speak, which Michelle beat her to it.

"C'mon up." Michelle called down to her. Cassidy was a little confused, she'd acted so terrible to this woman earlier, how could she talk to friendly to her now? She started up the stairs, pausing when she reached the top. Now she felt a little self-conscious. She'd rarely ever apologized in her life and truly meant it.

"Have a seat." Michelle said, motioning to the chair across from her. Cassidy nodded her thanks, taking the seat.

"I thought I oughta come over…" Cassidy began, looking at her fingers.

"That was very big of you, Cassidy, I'm impressed." Colleen said, trying to put the young lady at ease. It was going to go a lot smoother if everyone was a little more relaxed. She was shocked that Michelle wasn't being more confrontational.

"Thanks…I just wanted to say I was sorry for the names I called you…it wasn't right." Cassidy said, looking up and Michelle.

Michelle thought for a moment. She could make the girl feel worse, start a fight, belittle her, or possibly accept the apology graciously. She decided to go with the latter when she noticed how sad Cassidy's face looked.

"And I'm sorry about the way we met…it wasn't exactly a polite way to be introduced to someone." Michelle said. Colleen and Cassidy looked at her with almost shock. Cassidy could not believe she'd got a return apology when she had never expected one. Colleen was floored that Michelle did use the opportunity to bash Cassidy like she normally would anyone else. Since she'd gotten some, Michelle sure seemed a lot different.

"I'd like to try and be friends if possible." Michelle finished watching for Cassidy's reaction.

"To be honest, I don't like to be used when it comes to my Dad." Cassidy said, the tiniest bit of animosity was detectable in her tone. Colleen sat at the ready to referee the conversation.

"What in the hell does you and me being friends have to do with your Dad? I didn't say anything about him; I mean just you and me." Michelle said, being a little bit more specific.

Cassidy was taken speechless for a moment. Was she really serious? Was she truly interested in being friends? She figured it wouldn't hurt to take a chance.

"That might be good…" Cassidy said, trying not to sound too eager, "And Colleen, I'm sorry to you too. You've been so great to me today…I guess I was out of line…I shouldn't have talked to either of you like that." Cassidy said, this time looking at Colleen.

"You're right, you were out of line," Colleen said, Cassidy hung her head slightly, "but I think it's just a clear case of circumstance. I can look past it this time, but I never want to hear you talk to us like that again, or your father for that matter, it's very disrespectful." Colleen said, in such a mothering way. Michelle smiled; Colleen would be such a great mother. Cassidy shook her head, agreeing to try and change her behavior.

"Well, good night, then." Cassidy said, standing up. She started to walk towards the steps when Michelle called out to her.

"Cass, we're getting ready to order a pizza…why don't you hang around?" Michelle said, issuing the invitation.

Now Colleen had really been thrown for a loop, Michelle was now forgiving and forgetting…maybe she was sick.

"Yeah," Colleen agreed, "We were gonna watch some girly movies, it'd be fun." She continued hopefully.

Cassidy looked confused at first. She was expecting to get berated by these two women the way her father had started in her. Maybe they weren't so bad, which made her feel worse. She really had been awful. She had come over here, completely not expecting to be invited to an evening of female bonding. It would certainly beat hanging out around a household of men all night.

"Before you even say it, call your Dad; leave a message if you have to." Colleen said, acting as if she were waving off her hesitation about asking her Dad, "If you want, I'll call," Colleen said, holding her hand out for Cassidy's cell phone. Cassidy was glad Colleen had offered. She wasn't exactly up to asking her Dad for anything right now, the way she'd talked to him earlier. Hopefully, Colleen would convince him to let her stay. She handed Colleen the phone.

"Scott? Hey it's Colleen."

Scott was surprised, he'd been expecting it to be Cassidy saying she'd run away or something as equally attention-getting.

"Hey, Colleen, how are things going over there?" Scott asked, holding his breath. Cassidy had better have gone over there to apologize.

"Oh great. Hey, we were going to order a pizza and watch chick flicks, I was thinking Cassidy might enjoy it, mind if she stays?" Colleen asked. Scott knew she was asking to be polite, but he also knew it was more of a hidden statement. They'd already decided for him. He smiled.

"Yeah, that's fine…how's she doin' over there?" Scott asked, on edge.

"Great, everything's a-o.k. Call if you need anything." Colleen said, winking at Cassidy, who couldn't help but smile. Colleen flipped the phone shut, standing.

"Well, let's go see what kind of pizza there is around here." Colleen said, heading towards the sliding doors.

"I know few places…" Cassidy said, following Michelle into Colleen's side of the duplex.

"As long as they have Pepperoni Pineapple, I'm set." Michelle said, salivating.

"No way, that's my all-time absolute favorite!" Cassidy exclaimed. Michelle and Colleen were a little shocked by the amount of her excitement.

"See, I told you I wasn't the only one…" Michelle said, teasing Colleen who made a disgusted face.