'Whatever you want, Jan. Supper only, it is, and maybe a little TV before bed?'
She agreed, and started looking for something to watch as I went into the kitchen to microwave some of the food we had left over from the other evening. When I went back into the family room, I took along a couple of sodas, since the wine wasn't cool enough any longer. When we'd finished, Jan got up without a word, and cleaned things up; all I had to do was re-cork the wine, and put it back in the fridge.
Once back in front of the TV, I laid down on the couch on my side, with Jan in front of me. I rested my hand on her hip, but she readily moved it down to cover her breast, holding it in place with her own hand. We lay there for the next couple of hours, watching TV. When it came time for bed, we easily moved into the bedroom, undressed, and got in bed, holding each other as we drifted off to sleep, simply content to be in each others arms.
The next morning, Sunday, we got off to a bit of a late start, after electing to sleep in for as long as possible. We spent nearly the entire day and evening just lazing around, nude. Curiously, it was as though she'd gotten her initial lust out of her system, and was finally content to enjoy intimacy without activity. We snuggled, of course, and both of us (okay, mostly me, but I plead extenuating circumstances) exhibited varying degrees of arousal at different times, but it was more like a compliment to the other person, than a request for lovemaking. There was a fair amount of fanny patting and protrusion squeezing, but it was the kind of touching that was sensual, rather than sexual. We were even content to take long, hot baths – separately, as a mutual 'time out' for the kind of privacy that all humans need, now and then. We didn't speak a lot; we didn't seem to need to. When something needed to be done, one of us would start doing it; if help was needed, it was given, without any hesitation. That night, we slept nicely snuggled, without too much groping and fondling before we fell asleep.
Monday, Jan and I shared a somewhat late breakfast – I'd left a message for my secretary that I'd be a little late, but I'd be in. After I left, Jan got together with Kelly to set things up for their meeting with Mary Alice and Kathy. Shortly after lunch, I got a call from Jan, letting me know what time I needed to get home, so as to put the finishing touches on the two ringleaders of the pry-and-spy cabal.
At the appointed time, I was ready to make my appearance in the family room at home; as I entered, I spotted Kathy and Mary Alice sitting on the couch, looking concerned. Kelly and Jan both jumped out of the chairs they were in and rushed over to me, putting their hands on my arms and chest, in a 'holding me back' gesture.
'This is them?', I asked in by best Darth Vader simulation (deep voice, rumbling undertones).
Jan quickly said 'Yes, Uncle Dan, but we've already talked to them.'
I looked at the two on the couch, with the kind of look a starving Rottweiler has for a juicy steak, and took a step toward them. Both paled, and shrunk back.
Kelly jumped in with'No, Dan, really, it's okay. They're sorry, and they're not going to do it again!'
My response was to hunch down a bit, and growl. When I did, Kelly's eyes got big, as did Jan's – both were wondering if I was really pretending to be upset, as we'd planned.
Kathy and Mary Alice, however, didn't have any doubt: both looked absolutely convinced that I'd slow roast them and have them for lunch steak sauce optional – if it suited me.
Jan said 'No, Uncle Dan! Don't hurt them!' at the same time Kelly almost shouted 'Dan! Don't do it! It's okay!'
I made a disgusted, dragon-with-a-knight-and-no-can-opener kind of noise, and stood up again – a little.
When I did, Jan and Kelly took their hands off me, but kept an apparently wary eye on me. I told them 'I'll be all right; I'm not going to hurt them. Yet.'
Kelly took a step back, as did Jan a moment later. Both watched me carefully as I slowly walked over in front of the two on the couch.
My voice all but dripping disgust and anger and loathing, I told them 'You two have flat pissed… me… off.'
Both paled, and blinked at the choice of words.
In the same tone of voice, I continued 'You two have stuck your noses into something that was none of your business. And by doing so, you have hurt two people that I care for VERY much. And when you hurt them, you hurt ME.'
Mary Alice was trying to put on a brave front by this time, but Kathy had given up any pretense of courage, and sat there, shivering slightly.
I went on. 'Those two' – gesturing to Jan and Kelly – 'are very dear to me. Very dear. And when someone does something to upset them, *I* get upset. And when I get upset, I want to do something to make it stop.
Permanently.' while standing there, while slowly making fists with my hands.
In a softer, but still deep and 'rumbly' voice, I continued 'But because I care for them so much, they were able to convince me to let
Susan. Jan and Kelly mean a whole lot more to me than Susan, and I'm willing to do a whole lot more to protect them, if I have to. You two I*don't like*, because of what you've done. If it happens again; if you give them any trouble; if you cause them any pain of any kind, I am going to be very, very upset with you. And if that happens, I can promise you, you'll wish you had poked a bear in the ass with a stick, instead, because the bear would be a helluva lot nicer than what I'll be.'
By this time, Mary Alice had lost any semblance of bravery, and was shaking nearly as much as Kathy.
I gave them a few moments to think about it, and said 'Do you understand me?'
Both nodded, not trusting themselves to speak.
I waited a few heartbeats, and said 'Whether you tell anyone about the stuff you learn doesn't matter; the fact that you stick your faces into things that are none of your business sickens me. That you hurt other people to do it aggravates the hell out of me. I can only hope that you either grow up and grow out of that kind of bullshit, or that someone else does it to you, so that you get a taste of the pain you've caused other people.'
Both flinched at the opinion I had of them, as well as my choice of terminology. I let them stew in it for a few moments, looking at them as though they were something squishy I'd found under a rock, before telling them 'You disgust me. Get the FUCK out of my house.' followed a heartbeat later with 'Now! Before I change my mind!', and then stepping back from the couch they were on. After they stood, they hesitated a moment, and I shouted 'NOW, dammit! Get!'.
Kathy jumped at the sudden noise, and I could see a wet spot appear at the crotch of the jean cutoffs she was wearing; May Alice all but had heart failure before the two of them bolted for the door.
When the door slammed, I turned to look at Jan and Kelly, a smile on my face. When I saw their expressions, I burst out laughing. It took them a few moments to realize that I really had been putting on a show, and the relief in their faces caused me to go into another bout of near-hysterics. Both came over to me, looking at me as though I was someone they'd never met; after realizing that I was laughing at how they'd looked, they got a bit sheepish before considering how funny they'd looked, and joined in. I moved over to sit on the couch, and both of them came with me, Kelly sitting next to me, and Jan on my lap, facing Kelly.
When I finally stopped chuckling, Kelly said 'Damn, you're good. When you made that noise, that kind of growling, I wasn't sure if you were playing, or not!'
Jan joined in, saying 'Jesus, Uncle Dan! You had me afraid to move or say anything, cause I thought if I did, you really would lose it!'
I snickered a bit, and said 'Good. Then those two will believe it, too.'
Jan said 'Yeah, they'll believe it. I've never seen Mary Alice look scared of anybody, but you absolutely terrified her. And Kathy wet her pants, she was so scared! How the hell did you do that? I mean, pretend to be so mean and everything?'
I laughed, and said 'Simple. When you believe in yourself, other people believe in you, too!'
Kelly looked surprised, and a little doubtful, as she said 'You mean you really would do something to them?'
Now it was MY turn to be surprised. 'Heavens, no! Hell, I was even careful not to do anything that looked like it even Might be some kind of threatening gesture. It was all attitude, and voice.'
Looking a bit chastised, Kelly said 'I guess it was attitude and voice!
I could almost feel how upset you seemed, and when you didn't shout or anything, that just made it worse.'
'I'll say. But you're still a stinker for scaring US like that!', Jan said.
The two of them looked at each other for a moment, and then joined forces in an attack – trying to tickle me,
