tummies in olden times.
Finally the group reached town, Walden Flats proper, and as they passed his father's office, Denny was tempted to stop in and say hello. But he decided not to. Seeing their father tonight would be soon enough. At the opposite end of town-the whole town was less than a quarter mile long-the five of them pulled their bikes to a stop at a fork in the road.
Rex, Ray and Sue all lived the other way, so they would have to part here. They started to separate and then Sue said, 'Oh, yeah, I almost forgot to tell ya. There's gonna be a big party at Jimmy Bridges place next week. His folks are gonna be on vacation so we're plannin' this big party-beer, fuckin', everything. It's on Saturday… a week from tomorrow. Kin you come?'
'You remember Jimmy Bridges, doncha?' Ray asked Denny.
'Sure,' Denny said. Jimmy had gone swimming with them a few times last summer. He was kind of a wise- ass, but pretty funny, bearable.
'Sure, we'll be there,' he said. 'But what you gonna do tomorrow?'
Rex said they planned to go to the matinee at the Walden Flats theater tomorrow afternoon. There was a Steve McQueen flick showing, he said. They all agreed to meet at 1:15 tomorrow at the theater. Then, as Denny and Joyce started for home, Sue called to Joyce.
'Listen, girl,' she said, knowledgeably, 'be sure to wear a lock on your pants-either that or a chastity belt.' She giggled. ''Cause guys come and sit down next to ya. They start playin' with your jugs and pussy just like they was shakin' hands. No shit. Just warnin' ya so ya kin come prepared.'
Joyce, secretly, found the prospect exciting. Today had been quite an eye-opener, sexually. She could hardly wait until tomorrow. They said goodbye again to Sue, Rex and Ray, then pumped on toward home.
CHAPTER 5
By the time Denny and Joyce reached their father's house, they were totally exhausted and very hungry. They wheeled their bikes in the garage, then headed for the house. And then, for the first time, they saw Frederick, the dog their father had told them about. He appeared to be a blend of spaniel and some kind of hound. From nowhere, he came snarling, then skidded to a ferocious stop just inches from them. Teeth bared, drooling, he barked viciously and appeared on the verge of attacking.
'Stop him, Denny!' Joyce shrieked, hiding behind her brother. 'He's going to-to kill us! Quick! Shoot him or something!'
'Frederick,' Denny purred softly. 'You're a nice bow-bow, boy. Nice boy. Relax, Frederick. Lie down, boy.'
At the mention of his name, Frederick grew suddenly affectionate. It was almost as if the animal understood that anybody knowing his name could not possibly be an enemy. Still drooling, he sat back on his haunches, tilting his shaggy head to one side. Then he approached apologetically and began licking Denny's outstretched hand.
'That's a nice Frederick,' Denny sing-songed.
His sister had fled to the porch of the house. She stood there, crouched and cowering.
'You may return now,' Denny said, his voice arrogant and superior sounding.
'Daniel in the lion's den,' she said, complimenting him. 'How did you do it?'
'I simply stared him down,' Denny said. 'You know, I bet he'd make a terrific pussy licker with that long tongue of his. If you're good, sis, I may command him to lick your snatch some day. How'd you like that, huh? Hmm, sis, huh? Huh?'
'Shut up, pervert!' Joyce replied. 'Why do you have to turn everything into-into something to do with fucking and sucking?'
' 'Cause it's fun,' he said, kneeling now. 'Good boy, Frederick.' He patted the cringing head without any unfavorable reaction from the now docile beast. 'Look at his prick, sis,' Denny said. 'He's got a big one, eh?'
Joyce slapped her brother's shoulder, and then they entered the back porch. 'Even when it-it's just an animal, Denny, all you ever think about is sex, sex, sex. You're crazy, Denny. You're gonna grow up to be a sex fiend!'
Suddenly Norma Reardon appeared. 'Did Frederick scare you kids?' she asked as they entered the kitchen. She had been reading a sexy paperback at the kitchen table. She stood up and kissed them both on the cheek. Then they all went into the living room.
'Nah,' Denny assured his step-mother, 'Animals don't scare me. He sure scared Joyce, though. He senses she's afraid. Yeah, Frederick sensed Joyce was scared so he attacked the panty-waist scaredie-cat.'
Joyce shook her head in subdued rage. 'Phooey, that's a lie,' she said. 'I–I'm really quite fond of-of the thing.'
Norma came over then and ran her fingers through Joyce's disheveled hair. 'You're hair is all snarled, dear,' she said. 'I didn't see you take your bathing suits. Did you go swimming?' She shook her head, grinning. 'I mean, I trust you didn't swim in the nude.'
'No,' Joyce lied. 'We just fooled around at the pond with Sue and Rex and Ray.' She did not want to admit they'd been skinny-dipping and Denny enjoyed watching her squirm now. That's why my hair got a little wet.' Quickly, she changed the subject. 'Uh-what are you reading, Norma?'
Denny had already seen the book's title-Bigger and Better Orgasms for the American Female. It was written by a doctor with a long, foreign-sounding name.
'Just a book,' Norma said, placing it beneath some papers in the magazine basket on the floor. She changed the subject then, too, and asked them about their day. Denny innocently told her about the pond and talking to Mrs. Sherman at the drug store. Yes, it had been a very interesting and innocent and delightful day.
'Well, I'm happy you had such a pleasant time your first day in Walden Flats, Joyce,' Norma said. 'It always thrills me to hear that anybody has had a nice day in this town.'
Realizing that she was complaining, indulging in sarcasm, she forced a smile and glanced at the big grandfather clock against the wall. 'Guess I'd best start fixing dinner,' she said. 'You're father will be home soon. Go ahead and turn on the TV,' she said, leaving for the kitchen.
After twenty minutes of television, their father came in. To Denny's disappointment, their father's face was crimson, as if he'd been drinking again. He weaved slightly, too. God, he can't be drunk this early, Denny thought. But as he hugged and kissed his son and daughter there was the overpowering smell of alcohol on his breath.
'You kids had a busy day, right?' he said, patting Joyce's ass lingeringly until Denny thought he would vomit. 'Betcha don't know how I know you've been so busy, eh?'
'All right, dad,' Denny said, disgusted. 'Tell us how you know.' He spoke indulgently, as if speaking to a naughty child-because when Martin Reardon drank he acted like a child. Or an idiot!
Joyce exchanged impatient glances with her brother. 'Yes, daddy dear,' she said. 'Do tell us.'
Martin Reardon raised his index finger pontifically. 'Because Mrs. Sherman said you stopped by her store on your way to the pond. Also, later on, I saw you kids with Rex, Ray and Sue-riding your bikes through town.' He winked at Denny. 'That Sue's got a nice li'l ass on her, huh son?' He clutched his balls, weaving so that he almost fell. 'Hey, wouldn't you like to stick your meat in that, son?'
Joyce and Denny looked at each other in horror. Their father became a gross lecher when he drank. No wonder Norma is bored with living here, he thought. Who wouldn't be-living with such a creepy and changeable man?
'So you see,' he went, on his speech slurred, 'very very little escapes the sharp eye of your old man.' Giggling, he then staggered his way to the kitchen.
Denny and Joyce heard a sharp exchange of words, and then their drunken father returned, his ice cubes tinkling in his cocktail glass. He fell into his overstuffed chair and threw his feet up on the ottoman. He poked his little finger in his ears, then examined his finger.
'Where did you see us from?' Denny asked. He wanted to say, from the bar? but he restrained himself. 'We thought of stopping at your office, but we guessed you'd be busy,' he said instead.
Blinking, Martin Reardon said, 'No, unfortunately, I was not very busy-at all.' He frowned, staring depressed into his glass. 'You see, Walden Flats is a very small town. And when there aren't many people in a town you don't
