Read Story: SEASON 1 EPISODE 5

I thought at the time that Mom took my loss of virginity to Paul pretty smoothly, but I guess she just wasn’t enough interested in my welfare to give a good Goddamn. She could only concentrate on one thing at a time, and now it was centered on getting Larry into bed and her into his bankroll, I could see that pretty plainly. And so could Larry.

“You must have misunderstood me. I want to marry Sheri. I’m not just hunting for a shackup or a piece of ass, to be very blunt about it. She and I really love each other, and I’m certain that you could use ten grand very nicely, now couldn’t you?” He sure had the right ace in the hole, I could tell.

“Gash?” Mom raised her eyebrows and voice.

“Cash.” He opened his briefcase. “Here. All in twenties and fifties, so you won’t have any questions asked as you spend it, and no record of anything. Fair enough?”

“Well, hell, she’d probably just get herself knocked up any day now by some damn fool punk kid, and then I’d have to — hmmmm, it would be better if she was mated to a real nice gentleman like you, and then I wouldn’t be always worryin’ over her.” As if she ever did, I thought. “But I don’t know,” Mom continued, “You might hurt her. If I knew more about you — how you make love, and if you’re nice — well, you know, all the things that go to make up a good husband, sure you don’t want to tie up with me for a bit, Larry? Guarantee you I’d really take care of all your needs, boy.” She got up and went around the table and unzipped her dress. “Here. Look at that. Not bad for a gal twenty-nine, is it?” and as Larry gazed at the big jiggling tit she shoved two inches from his face, I thought, she’s thirty-one and already fudging a couple years on her age.

Larry reached out and gently cupped her tit and bounced it a bit. “Hmmmmm, very very beautiful. But no thanks. Oh, I’ll give you a good fuck if that’s what you want, but just in order to get your O.K. for the marriage. And then you’ll only get nine thousand bucks. So what do you say — you want to pay a thousand dollars for one stud fee?”

He laughed. “Take it or leave it.”

“Why, you sonuvabitch.” She zipped up quickly and sat down again. “Ten thousand… half now and half when you say ‘I do’? Fair enough?”

“No way, baby,” Larry smiled. “I’ll give you a hundred now, right now,” and he flipped her two 50’s, “so you can get a dress and your hair done, and the rest when we say ‘I do’. No way you’re gonna get five grand, get drunk, blab it all over, draw the heat and then back out. No way. So… deal?”

“Hell, why not?” she grinned as she grabbed the money and stuffed it into her dress pocket. “Best offer I’ve had in I don’t know how long. Where you two gonna live? Got a place?”

Larry shook his head and smiled. “Hunh-uh. But we’ll find a place. And we may not even tell anyone till after the honeymoon is over. Or maybe never. I don’t care a lot for relatives and in-laws hanging around. Nothing personal, you understand.”

“Hell, you kids can live on the moon for all I give a good Goddam. Be kinda nice not to have the brat underfoot.”

I left my hiding place and went back downstairs, making a warning clomping on the steps as I did. Mom greeted me in the kitchen.

“Sheri, baby, I think this Larry is a real fine gent, and even though you are pretty, I think he’ll take real good care of you. You really love him, baby?” she asked.

“Yes, Mom, very, very much. Everything’s O.K., then?” I asked Larry.

“Sure is, Princess,” he smiled and put his arm around my waist as I stood beside him. “We’ll get married Monday over in Clarksville,” he said, naming the adjacent county seat. “Then we’ll go away for a short honeymoon.” He squeezed my side and I saw a silencing look of caution cross his face, so I didn’t say anything about Florida — we’d agreed no one was to know.

“Well, hell, kids, let’s drink to a happy marriage.” Mom was getting maudlin and friendly. “And you kids can stay here over the weekend if ya want to,” she added generously. “You’re as good as husband and wife now, so what the hell.” She leered across at Larry. “I’d sure like to see what you’ve got, lover, that’s so damn good. Sure you don’t want a little sample of the rest of the family?”

“No way, dear,” he said. “I’m Sheri’s only. Forever.”

It thrilled me through and through to hear him state it so emphatically, and I was happy and proud in my love for him.