“I was watching,” he said. “Perfect.”
“Well, if the rest of the plan is that difficult,” Gary said, tightening his smile of sarcasm, “then we have nothing to worry about. For a moment I thought your father was going to get out of the car and walk over to ask me what I was doing. I would have had to tell him I was inspecting bark.” Johnny laughed. “So what’s the next step in this ingenious plot to destroy your sister’s ivory reputation?”
“We’ll go up to my room for a while. Mary hasn’t arrived yet. Denise is in the basement, waiting. Anxiously, I might add.”
“You might. Well, lead the way. There’s nothing I look forward to more than sitting in your room,” Gary said.
Up in his room, Johnny explained things further.
“Pay a lot of attention to her,” he said. “She’s very impressionable and very conceited. All those girls in her class and section are. They all think they’re hot shit or well on the way to being it. Compliment her about something, but don’t make it look too obvious. She’s not stupid, just…what’s the word Mr. Lucy used…vulnerable.”
“Vulnerable? At least all this is contributing to our vocabulary levels.” Johnny laughed. “Compliment her, huh? This isn’t going to be as easy as I thought. Your sister isn’t exactly Brooke Shields.”
“She thinks she is, though, so she’ll believe almost anything.”
“If she believes I have the hots for her, as you put it, you’re right—she’ll believe anything.”
“Wait a minute,” Johnny said, looking out his front window, “here comes the little nympho.” He saw Mary coming up the walk. Gary looked, too.
“Yeah, well you got the better of this deal. Why don’t we try to discredit Mary Warren?”
“Come on,” Johnny said. They went down to greet Mary. When she saw Gary standing behind him, she smiled knowingly at Johnny and nodded surreptitiously in Gary’s direction. Johnny winked and then nearly laughed at how quickly she fell for it.
“Hi,” Gary said. She smiled coquettishly.
“Hi.”
“I believe your sister is expecting me,” she said, trying to sound as mature as possible.
“She’s in the basement,” Johnny told her and winked again. Then he leaned toward her. “We’ll be down in a little while. You’d better build up her confidence,” he whispered. “She’s very nervous and almost changed her mind twice.”
“No problem.” She squeezed his upper arm and hurried off.
“We’ll watch a little television first,” Johnny said after she was gone. “Timing is very important in something like this.”
“How do you know?”
“Mr. Lucy told me.”
“He tells you a lot of things, doesn’t he?” Gary said, following him into the den. There was obvious jealousy in his voice.
“Not much more than he tells you. If you’d ask him stuff, he’d talk.” Johnny turned on the set and sat back on the couch.
“Not when you’re doing work. He’s strict about that. At least he is with me.”
“With me, too, but he leaves time for you, doesn’t he?”
“Yeah, but I wish he left more time.”
“Well, he can give just so much of himself. He has other students. He’s got to make a living or he won’t stay here.” Johnny watched Gary take a seat. “What about that ring you mentioned?”
“What about it?”
“Did you get it to him?”
“Yeah, sure. It’s worth more than a thousand dollars. My father had it appraised.”
“What did Mr. Lucy say?”
“He said he’d see. Lots of times these appraisals are inflated. I told him my father’s a bull-shitter from way back, too.”
“I like his idea about having ‘an insurance account’. He’s right. It will give us a sense of independence and increase our confidence. Someone like Sheila needs that kind of back-up too. Did you speak to her like I asked you to?”
“Yeah. No problem.”
“Good,” Johnny said, and relaxed. It was the way Mr. Lucy wanted things done, he thought, the kids getting each other to act. If Mr. Lucy did it directly, some adults might not understand, especially his parents or Gary’s. “It’s better this way,” Mr. Lucy explained. “You people have got to have faith in one another, too, and Johnny, you’re the best one to develop that among the others.”
“I was talking to Sandy about it, too,” Gary said. “She told me about some of her mother’s stuff, stuff she doesn’t want Paula to get her hands on. She says if she doesn’t take it, Paula is sure to get it.”
“I know. She told me.”
“You’re getting to be just like Mr. Lucy,” Gary said, this time a strong tone of envy in his voice. He was almost angry. “You know everything before anybody else does.”
“Well, we just happened to be…”
“Did you know that Murray Okun’s mother has been trying to get him to work with Mr. Lucy?”
Johnny did know, but he could see how important it was to Gary that he be the one who knew first.
“When did you hear this?”
“Yesterday, in the library.”
“I thought he was doing great in everything. Isn’t he in the top of your class?”
“Yeah, but he’s not on the top,” Gary said, his eyes widening.
“I get it. The Okuns want their boy to make the big speech on graduation day.”
“Yep and his mother will probably write it for him. I can just see her standing there on the platform handing him the pages.” They both laughed. “What a mama’s boy. Remember the song: ‘Murray cannot play hardball: softball, yes; hardball, no’.” Johnny smiled. He recalled how Mr. Lucy had laughed when he had sung that for him, but he dared not tell Gary about it.
“So, is he going to do it?”
“I don’t know. He came over to ask me a lot of questions about Mr. Lucy.”
“What kind of questions? Did you tell Mr. Lucy about them?” he added quickly.
“Naw. They were nothing questions—how does he teach? Where do we work in the house? How long does he spend on a subject? Does he yell? That kind of stuff. You know Murray. He’s not permitted to sweat too much. His mother still makes him wear a handkerchief around his neck on warm days so he doesn’t get a chill.”
“Yeah, I know. Still, you’d better tell Mr. Lucy about those questions when you see him…to give him all the preparation he can get. Why should he be at any kind of disadvantage when it comes to Murray Okun and his mother?”
“Mr. Lucy at a disadvantage? That’ll be the day.”
Johnny made a mental note to tell Mr. Lucy about it before Gary did.
“OK,” Johnny said. He stood up and turned off the television set. “Let’s go down. Now remember, just follow my lead and do anything I suggest and support anything I say. Don’t forget what I said about looking at her and complimenting her.”
“Jesus, I hope I can pull this off. I don’t want to let you or Mr. Lucy down.”
“You won’t. Trust me. Whatever happens, it’s to help one another, just as Mr. Lucy said. I’m sure I’ll do something for you soon.”
“Right.”
They looked at each other for a moment. There was a sense of brotherhood between them, a feeling of alliance. Loners most of their lives, they had finally found companionship and a sense of identity. They were bonded together by more than common problems. Mr. Lucy’s presence was always felt wherever there were two of them together. They shared his shadow.
Johnny hesitated a moment at the basement door. He opened it slowly, as if he were uncovering something precious. Then they started down the stairs. The girls were on their knees near the stereo, choosing tapes. Denise looked up shyly when she heard them approaching. Johnny could see there was some excitement in her face already and he had a momentary pang of regret. He considered it weakness and forced it down.
Mary’s eyes were hot with expectation. He took a deep breath and smiled at her. He felt the personal power, just
as Mr. Lucy promised he would.
“What’s up, girls?”
“Just listening to some music,” Mary said quickly.
“Great. Mind if we hang out?”
Mary waited for Denise to speak, but all she did was stare.
“No. Why should we mind?”
Johnny turned to Gary. “Wanna play a little pool?” Gary stared at Denise. A flush began to come into her face.
“What? Oh, sure, sure. Maybe the girls want to play, too. We could partner up for eight ball.”
“Maybe. What’d’ya say, girls, you wanna play?”
“Sure,” Mary said quickly.
“I don’t know how to play eight ball,” Denise said.
“There’s nothing to it,” Gary said. He looked at Johnny. “I’ll take Denise. That way I can teach her as we go along.”
“Fine with me. Mary, you’re mine.” She laughed. “I’ll set up. Put on a tape anyway,” he added.
“Go on,” Mary said, indicating Gary, “I’ll do it.”
Denise stood up slowly. She was wearing a recently purchased pair of jeans and a Danskin blouse tight enough to outline her budding breasts. Mary had given her the idea to go without her training bra.
“It’s suggestive,” she told her. “Someone told me it’s even sexier than a fully developed woman in a bra. It leaves things up to men’s imaginations and they can be driven into a frenzy because of it,” she added, her eyes big. Denise could hardly breathe because her heart was beating so fast when Mary told her all this. Now, she had done it, and from the way Gary Rosen was looking at her, she was positive that Mary’s information was correct.
“I’ll go first,” Gary told her. “And as I go, I’ll explain things to you, OK?”
“Sure. I’m not too good, though. I hardly ever play.”
“That’s all right.” He handed her a cue stick. “I like your hair like that,” he said. She couldn’t respond. Her throat closed before she was able to utter a thanks. Instead, she turned to Mary, who was smiling and biting her lower lip. Gary went to the table.
“What am I supposed to do now?” he whispered.
“Just play the game,” Johnny said. “Everything’s going well.”
Gary shrugged and got ready to break the pack of pool balls. The girls gathered around the table as the music started. The game was funny. No one could really play well. There was a lot of laughter and fooling around. Johnny got cozier and cozier with Mary. He got behind her and put his arms around her to show her how to use the cue stick. He embraced her often and kissed her on the cheek when she sank a ball. He correctly anticipated that Denise would follow her lead and use her as a model. Whenever Gary made the same kind of gestures he did, Denise didn’t resist. It made Johnny recall a recent conversation with Mr. Lucy.
“It’s always like this,” Mr. Lucy had told him. “Someone in the group sets the tone, shows the way for the others who follow like sheep. You’ll set the tone for the inner circle, Johnny. You’re their leader.
“Now, from what you’ve told me, this Mary Warren is the leader of your sister’s group. That means whatever she does, your sister’s bound to do. Get Mary to do it first; get her to encourage your sister and your sister will do what you want her to do. Sometimes it’s more effective to work through people, other people, when we want things done our way. Understand?”
“Yes,” he said. He did understand and he wanted to say, “That’s what you’re doing when you work through me.” But he didn’t say that; he kept it to himself so it could be one of his secrets.
The music continued. They played another game. Halfway through it, when the playing got very bad and they all got very silly, he suggested they “borrow” some of his parents’ booze. Denise was shocked by the suggestion, but Mary was all for it.
“Just a little,” he said, “to warm things up.” He went behind the bar to mix some drinks. “Everyone like vodka?”
“Sure,” Mary said.
“Love it.” Gary added. When he looked at Denise, she nodded quickly. “Denise loves it, too.”
“Great, because we have a lot of tonic.” Johnny gave himself, Gary, and Mary practically nothing, but filled his sister’s glass nearly halfway with vodka.
They drank; they played more pool; they danced. There was another set of drinks. The giggling got louder; the laughter got looser. When he suggested the whirlpool, there was a momentary pause filled with tremendous excitement and expectation. Everyone turned to it as though just realizing it was there.
It loomed before them, filled with erotic promise. The bubbling, scented water beckoned and tempted. Even Gary, part of the contrivance, seemed taken with the hydro-fantasies. Everyone looked at everyone else. The air was electric with sexual tension.
“Let’s do it,” Mary said.
“Sure, what’s the big deal?” Johnny said.
“Do what?” Denise asked. The vodka had left her lightheaded and confused. Gary had his arm around her, but she didn’t seem aware of it.
“Go in the spa. What’d’ya think? Just like my parents and their friends do,” Johnny added. It gave the suggestion some kind of seal of approval, especially for Mary.
“Yeah, if the adults can do it, why can’t we? Last one in is a nerd,” she said, moving toward it. She began to unfasten her jeans. Johnny shot a glance at Gary, nodded, and then took off his shirt as quickly as he could.
“Great,” Gary said, and did the same. Denise looked from one to the other, the realization of what was about to happen settling in on her.
“Put the lights out at least and draw the curtains on the windows. I’m not going in unless you put the lights out.”
Mary already had her jeans off. She held them in front of her and looked impatiently at Denise. Johnny smirked as if to say, “Let’s humor her.”
“Get the curtains, Gary,” he said. “I’ll get the lights.”
After that there was a nervous air of silence as everyone stripped down. Mary was in first. There was still enough light from the basement windows to silhouette her body clearly. Gary stared admiringly. The sight of her well-developed figure brought the scene to a high pitch of sexual excitement. Johnny nudged Gary to remind him of his mission. He reached over and took Denise’s hand.
“I’m not ready,” she exclaimed. Still in her panties, she embraced her naked upper body.
“Come on,” Johnny said. He was up on the platform.
“It’s beautiful,” Mary cried. “Hurry up, Denise.”
“I’ll go first,” Gary told her. He got behind Johnny and the two boys slipped into the spa, Johnny getting close to Mary quickly. Then the three of them coaxed Denise until she got up enough nerve to slip out of her panties and come up the platform. Still embracing and covering her tiny bosom, she stepped into the spa. Gary held his hand to guide her in beside him. She looked at him anxiously for a moment, hesitating.
“It’s dark,” Johnny said.
“Stop being so immature,” Mary said.
Throwing abandon to the side, Johnny’s little sister did what he had hoped. She uncovered herself and got beside Gary in the spa. Everyone cheered. The booze, the bubbling water, the excitement of their nudity soon made Denise as loose, as everyone else. She watched as Johnny kissed Mary and Mary cooperatively returned his embrace. When Gary made a similar gesture, Denise did not resist.
“This is beautiful,” Mary said. She leaned back, the tops of her breasts gleaming in the tiny illumination that penetrated the window curtains.
“If Mommy and Daddy ever find out,” Denise said, and nervously laughed at the image in her own mind.
“What’s the difference?” Mary said. “They do it.”
“Yeah,” Gary said.
“As long as everybody behaves, there’s no problem,” Johnny said.
“No problem,” Mary repeated and giggled. She and Johnny kissed again. Denise saw Johnny fondling Mary in the water. She jumped when Gary touched her own waist though.
“Relax,” Mary said. Ther
e was a little splashing about and then Johnny suddenly stopped.
“Hold it a moment,” he said. “Quiet.”
“What?”
“Everyone be quiet.” They were. “Aw, shit.”
“What is it?” Denise asked.
“It’s got to be Gerson Fishman. I forgot all about him.”
“I didn’t hear anything,” Mary said.
“I did,” Gary said. “A doorbell, right?”
“Right. He was supposed to drop by with a book on European history for me. That’s him. Shit.”
“Forget about him,” Mary suggested. “Maybe he’ll just go away.”
“Naw, he knows I’m home and…and the door’s open,” he added quickly. He stood up. “Everyone stay put. I’ll get rid of him in ten minutes and be right back.”
He hopped out and dried himself quickly with one of the big bath towels stacked beside the spa. Then he slipped on his jeans and shirt, grabbing his shoes as he leaned over to kiss Mary. She laughed.
“I’ll chaperon these two,” she said, “but hurry back.”
“Right. Wait,” he said, going to the bar. He took the bottle of vodka and the glasses and placed them on the spa. “Gary, you do the honors. Keep everyone happy until I get rid of Fishman.”
“Gotcha.”
Johnny hurried upstairs. His phone call to the Singletons was quick and dramatic.
“Tell my parents to hurry home, Mr. Singleton. Something terrible is happening in the basement. Please,” he said.
“I’ll get them for you. Hold on.”
“No. Just tell them to come quickly.” He hung up before there could be any questions. They were only a few blocks away, so he knew they would just come.
Still dressed he went to the basement again. He walked halfway down the stairs.
“Everything all right?” he asked in a loud whisper.
“I can’t see Gary’s hands, but everything’s all right,” Mary said. “Come on back in.”
“I will. Fishman went to the bathroom. As soon as he’s out and I get him out of the house I’ll return. Don’t leave the spa and don’t make too much noise.”
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