A family phone call and a catch-up with Brian

"Bye Sarah! Bye Mom and Dad! God bless!"

There's a click on the line when Shasta disconnects.

Sarah hangs on the line a little longer. "I can't believe you still just have a regular telephone line," she says.

Brian laughs. The sound is a little flat, calling in from the road. "You find something better that we can afford, busy bee, we'll put it in. Now you run along, your ma and I have to catch up on grown-up things."

"The co-op just got fiber put in to the top of your road," Sarah says. "You could get some pulled down to the house. Donnie told me."

"Are you still leading that boy on?" Brian asks. "All that way from your fancy college?"

"I am NOT leading him ON, Dad," Sarah insists. "We hook up when I'm back visiting, but he's long distance with a gal in Boulder, they're back and forth about whether he's gonna move or she is. But it's gonna be a year or two, he's doing a solar electrician program, she has a theater project she's gotta finish, so."

"Donny's gal know about you?" Brian asks.

"Yeah," Sarah says. "She thanked me 'cause I finally pushed him to open up to her. Not just about me, but a lot of stuff. That he's been on and off with Nate for years."

"Donny's AC/DC?" Brian says. "Heh, figures for an electrician."

"Dad, I can't even," Sarah says. "Anyway, Mom, when Dad gets with the dad jokes, that's my cue to get going. I love you Dad. I love you Mom. See you at term break."

"Love you, busy bee," Brian says. "Have fun with Donny while you're home. If he ain't busy with Nate."

Sarah makes a "phblblblbt!" sound over the line.

"Sarah, my sweet angel," you tell her. "You take care of yourself. You praying every night?"

"I am, Mom," Sarah says. "I've got the picture of all four of us over my bed, I think of our family, you back home, Dad on the road, Shasta off at Lumberjack U, and I pray."

"God send you love," you tell your elder daughter. When you think of Sarah, often it's just her eyes and hair peeking out over the spine of an open book. "And send you safe to me in a little while."

"God bless," Sarah says. "Bye."

With you and Brian alone on the line, the talk goes from Shasta and Sarah to Brian's route and then to comparing love notes.

"Sorry to hear it, sweetie-pie," Brian says. "If it wasn't one thing with the busy day for the Quickie-Lube boys, then it was another with the thunderstorm clearing out the pool and the lifeguard boys. At least that Darla gal got some lovin' from you. That's some timing from her man calling in."

You laugh. "I'm doing fine, fine, honeybear," you tell your husband. "But I'll have another chance, soon, I'm sure. Maybe Mandy or Taylor, maybe I'll see that flag gal at the diner." You look at your fingernails, bright and shiny from Darla's manicure and gloss job. "Or I could have my nails done in a glitter coat. Now you, honeybear, you had two firsts with Laura Rae? Naughty boy, how long were you after her for that?"

Brian loved to report his successes evangelizing butthole love to the ladies he's charmed into opening their doors for sleepovers while he's on the road with his truck. As long as he gets it on the road and doesn't need you for it, you're fine. You don't subscribe to that testament. You're already bashful enough that your favorite position, the one that you and Brian used to make your sweet angels Sarah and Shasta, the position that rings your bell hardest, on your hands and knees with Brian behind you, that position puts your honeybear looking straight up your poop chute.

"What's the sigh, hon?" Brian asks.

"No matter, honeybear, just missing you."

"Well, try try again," he says. "Go get some."

"Hmmm," you sigh. "Who d'you think?"

You giggle at Brian's suggestion. "I might just try," you say. "I might just."

You just will.

You have Hard -1, Hot +3, Cool 0, Control -1.

You have Mistress (earn XP with +COOL for making someone go down or get fucked), and Mind Control (Dominate Her/Him with Hot).

You have 1 XP.