Gary and Sandy chatting in the kitchen

Sandy Wise sat curled up in one of the Menards' swiveling kitchen chairs, her knees under the cotton nightshirt that was her only garment. The airbrushed picture on the front was an Amazon warrior woman trampling an exhausted gladiator, with the phrase "Love Conquers All."

Gary Menard stood at the counter. He added a few ice cubes to his depleted glass and filled it up from a pitcher of his dad's favorite lemonade-iced tea mixture. Gary was nude, the thick head of his drooping penis glistening wet with a pearly drop at the tip. His balls hung low with the heat as the air conditioning struggled with the hot day and the sunny windows.

"No really, Gary," Sandy said. "That was how it started. I mean, I mean Peter and I, well, we'd already been to his mom and dad's parties, and well, you know, your mom and dad go too. We kinda knew the cruise was going to be a party for them. But really things started when your mom met Kate and Bryan -- well, actually when she met Kate up on the funnel deck, before it was really open for business. And when Kate and Bryan joined us, well, it kind of turned from a me-and-Peter cruise plus a moms-and-dads cruise into a party cruise for everyone."

"Damn," Gary said. "Well, okay. And I thought I was hiding something." He swallowed. He hadn't quite come clean on everything.

Sandy laughed. "No way," she said. "Your mom and dad knew you were fucking Peter. They just didn't want to make you uncomfortable. Peter told his mom and dad that you were using condoms and stuff, you know, so they figured it was your business."

Gary shook his head. He took a deep breath. "Well, I guess everything's out and swinging in the breeze now," he said. He laughed. "Fill you up again?"

"Sure," Sandy said. "Hit me, Arnold Palmer." She held out her glass and Gary topped her up with the namesake drink.

Gary took a long drink from his glass. "Wow, I needed that."

Sandy laughed. "You were working hard enough," she said. "You and Bernie are really cute together. Just as cute as when I watched you boinking Peter."

"Um, yeah," Gary said. He looked up over Sandy's shoulder. "Hey, hi!" he said.

Peter Walker and his dad Jim came in wearing terrycloth bathrobes from the Menards' guest supply, their blond hair damp from the shower.

"Hi!" Peter said. From Peter's smirk, he must have heard Sandy's remark.

"Hi Gary," Jim Walker said. "Hi Sandy. Taking a break?"

"Yeah," Gary said.

"I'll help myself if you don't mind," Jim said. He fetched a glass for himself and Peter and filled them from the chilled water outlet.

Gary took a breath. "Peter, were you really...? I mean, did you do it with my dad?"

Peter looked at Gary. "Yeah," he said.

"Wow," Gary said. There was a moment of quiet. Gary raised his glass to Peter. "Cheers," Gary said. Peter raised his. They clinked glasses. "Welcome to the new fucking world," Gary said.

"Yeah," Peter said.

"Welcome," Jim said. "I take it you've joined the party today," he said, nodding to Gary's nudity.

"Um, actually last night," Gary said. "Mom and Dad walked in on..."

Sandy smiled as Gary retold the story of last night.

"Wow, I guess you did start the party last night," Peter said. "You didn't check your phones?"

"Mom and Dad called the house phone earlier," Gary said. "And they said it was too late when they got in last night."

"Right," Jim said. "We caught an earlier plane with Kate and Bryan, and they stayed over with us."

"Yeah, what are Kate and Bryan up to?" Peter said. "I, um, I kinda got busy."

Gary shook his head. "Busy sticking it to my dad," he said. "What a world."

Peter couldn't hold back a snort of laughter.

Sandy rolled her eyes. "You're one to talk, Gary," she said. "Hey Pete, Kate and Bryan are in the living room."

"The living room?" Peter asked. "Just them?"

Sandy laughed. "I guess you really did have tunnel vision earlier," she said. "Nope, not just them. It's the party room. Your mom, Gary's mom, Bernie's mom Joyce were all there, um, helping out. Maybe Bernie too."

"Lil?" Peter asked.

"In her room," Gary said. "Nothing beats a new Billy Royce disk."

"Have a good 'test drive'?" Sandy asked.

Peter and Jim looked at each other.

When Peter seemed at a loss for words, Jim told Sandy, "Yes, I'd say so." He looked to Peter again. "Shall we go say hi?"

Peter's erection parted the folds of his robe and popped up. Sandy laughed. Gary chuckled. Peter retucked the tails of the robe.

"Hang on, Dad," Peter said. He stepped up to stand by Sandy. "Sandy, you want to come? I wanted to check in, you know. Since today is, um, kind of a party day, like the cruise? No mess-ups, now that we're home."

Sandy looked at her boyfriend. "How you feeling?" she asked.

Peter smiled. "Good," he said.

"Good," Sandy said. She stretched her hand out, and Peter helped her up. She whispered in his ear, "Today you can do anything. Anyone. As long as I'm there."

Sandy led Peter toward the living room. Jim was about to follow, but hesitated when he saw a look in Gary's eye.

"Jim," Gary said.

"Uh-huh, Gary," Jim said. "What's up?"

"I wanted to ask you," Gary began.