My Saving Grace Pt. 08

"I didn't think you would, but it was worth asking," he said with a sigh. "Okay, then. When Grace graduates this May, the clock starts ticking. As soon as you decide which job offer you're going to take, your Mother and I expect you two to get your own place. We will, of course, give you a reasonable amount of time to find something suitable. We understand that you can't start looking until you know where you're going, and it takes a little time to find housing. Still, don't drag things out!"

"We understand, Dad," I answered for both of us. "Please go on."

"Kevin, your Mom and I agreed when you started college that we would pay your tuition and book fees. That hasn't changed. We don't want to hobble your future by jeopardizing your education. However, there won't be anything beyond that."

I nodded my head in understanding. That was what I'd expected and it was fine with me.

"You both own your own cars free and clear already. You already pay your own insurance and gas, so no changes are needed there. As far as furniture goes, you're welcome to take whatever you want from your bedrooms. Additionally, like I told you before, we are willing to give you some minor household stuff to help you get started, like pots and pans, and the like. We can discuss anything I forgot to mention when the time comes."

"Alright, Dad," Gracie said.

Dad's gaze hardened slightly. "There are some things I expect while you are still living here," he began. "Breaking one of these rules will mean breaking the rest of our agreement, understood?"

We both said, "Yes, Dad."

"First, we will be sending you money to take care of the house, just like we have been doing. Except for bullet holes, you've done a very good job of maintaining things while we've been away. We expect that to continue!"

Again, there was nothing new there. I took care of the lawn, paid the utility bills, and did most the minor stuff that didn't require a plumber or electrician. Gracie did the sweeping, dusting, and general cleaning. We took turns with dishes, and we each did our own laundry.

"No problem, Dad," I said.

He nodded. "Second – and this is really the most important point – we expect you to confine your loving to your bedrooms! No funny business on the couch, or on the kitchen table, or-"

"Michael!" my Mom interrupted. "I think they get the point, dear!"

"Right...uh, sorry, Cathy," Dad said, chagrined.

Gracie and I merely nodded to indicate we understood. Dad looked down at the carpet for a minute, lost in his thoughts. Mom gently stroked his cheek, wordlessly offering her love and comfort.

"This new...relationship between the two of you...it's a little hard for me to deal with, kids," he said softly. "For both of us, really. I don't have your Uncle James' ability to "let go and let God." I'm too hands-on for that. I guess I can understand – in abstract terms – how it happened, but here in my heart? No."

"Actually," Mom said, looking up at Dad, "there's a small part of me that isn't surprised."

"Huh?" Dad said.

"Oh my dear Michael!" Mom said, caressing him again, "I love you with every fiber of my being, but sometimes you are so dense! I mean, look at the two of them!"

Mom gestured at Grace and I with her free hand, an almost-smile on her lips.

"Honey, you know they've always been close – far closer than I ever was with my siblings. Even James, whom I've always loved dearly. In fact, they were closer growing up than any siblings I've ever heard of."

Mom shifted against Dad in order to press a little more of her body against his. She smiled to herself as she recalled a dear memory,

"Kevin, you were one collicky infant!" Mom said. "You cried incessantly, until one night...you just didn't! On that night, your Dad and I slept all the way through until it was time to feed you, and we were shocked. In fact, I was afraid, at first, that something had happened to you! You can imagine my surprise when I walked into the nursery to find Gracie curled up with you in your crib, holding you!"

Mom shook her head, smiling at the memory.

"It's still one of the cutest things I've ever seen, the way she was holding you close. There she was, barely two years old, herself, and she'd taken it upon herself to comfort her baby brother!"

"To this day," Dad chimed in, "We haven't figured out how Gracie managed to get into that crib!"

Grace and I laughed softly. We'd heard this story many times over the years, but it was one of the few that I never got sick of hearing.

"Let's all hope she only uses her powers for good!" I quipped.

"Yeah, no kidding!" Dad replied, in a brief moment of real humor.

"We quickly learned," Mom continued, smiling faintly at my joke, "that when we let Gracie sleep in your crib, you let US sleep! That discovery quickly nixed the thought of trying to get her to stop doing it."

Mom sighed again, and Dad pressed another kiss on the top of her head. It struck me then, just how many mannerisms, gestures, and habits Grace and I had picked up from our parents! Our affectionate nature, the way we laughed, the way we touched...I wonder why I'd never seen this before?

"And then, there's the day Gracie told me she was going to marry you, Kevin," Mom said, quietly.

Dad and I stared at her in shock. Grace blushed, and grinned self-conciously. Obviously, Mom hadn't even told Dad this story. I don't know whether I was more surprised that Mom hadn't told me, or that Gracie hadn't!

"Mom, what are you talking about?" I asked.

"I've never told anyone this. Only Grace and I know, unless she's told someone since then." Mom paused, looking at Grace. When Grace shook her head in a negative gesture, Mom continued the story.

"Kevin, do you remember that boy – I think his name was Tommy Duncan, or something like that, red-headed kid and big for his age?"

"Oh yeah, I remember that punk all too well," I said.

Tommy Duncan had been the same age as Grace. He'd also been a seriously nasty bully. He picked on everyone at our bus stop. Grace had to deal with him for two years before I started riding the bus to kindergarten. But finally, it was my turn to witness him in action. I'd innocently asked Grace, after that first encounter, why she didn't tell someone.

Gracie had patiently explained that she HAD told people: the bus driver, different teachers, lunchroom monitors, etc. It hadn't done any good, because no adult ever caught him doing anything wrong, and most of the other kids were too afraid of him to speak up. I decided then and there that he wasn't going to bother my big sister anymore. But what could I do about it?

I pondered the problem over, one weekend, and I got the solution in – of all places – Sunday School! The story of David and Goliath was powerful inspiration for a kid who was already demonstrating a strong creative streak.

That Monday morning, we were running just a bit later than usual because Mom had had to find me before she could walk us to the bus stop. I'd been finding heavy objects all over the house and stuffing them in my backpack. I'd spent a few hours Sunday after church, experimenting with how much I could weigh it down and still swing. I was sure I had it right; one way or the other, I was about to find out.

Sure enough, as soon as Mom was safely out of sight from the bus stop, Tommy made his move. I'd known in my heart Tommy was going to do something, but I was taken by surprise at the scope of his juvenile delinquancy! He knocked Gracie over into the grass. Then, while another boy held her down, he lifted her skirt all the way up.

"Everyone can see your UUUUNDERWEAR, Gracie!" he hollered gleefully.

Gracie struggled against the boy holding her arms and kicked, trying to get loose.

"Wow, My Little Pony underwear?! How old are you?" Tommy taunted again, paying absolutely no attention to the enraged boy watching his sister being humiliated.

That bastard, Tommy, never saw me coming. I gave myself a running start, and swung my weighted backpack with all my might. It connected with the bully right on his ass! I found out later that I actually cracked his tailbone and delivered deep-tissue bruises.

Tommy hit the ground, squealing like a pig. His accomplice looked at me in complete and total shock. No one – NO ONE – swung at Tommy! By the same token, Tommy didn't huddle on the ground bawling like a baby; that was what his victims were supposed to do! The whole situation was, if I can borrow a line from one of my favorite movies, inconceivable! He was still looking shocked when I tackled him, like a seriously under-sized lineman!

I managed to knock him off of Gracie. I even (somehow) managed to land on top of him. I landed a single clumsy punch that didn't do much, before he easily threw me off of him. He then proceeded to teach me, the hard way, why attacking someone bigger and stronger than you is usually a bad idea. It was a painful lesson indeed, but the broken nose and multiple contusions were worth it in my opinion. Far better that they should beat me than do that to Gracie!

It didn't occur to me until years later to wonder why Tommy didn't try to pound the daylights out of me himself instead of letting his partner in crime do it. He didn't though; he didn't even try! He huddled off to one side, crying and holding his ass, looking like a kid that had fallen off the swings. It was pathetic. In later years, of course, I learned that most bullies actually turn out to be cowards of the highest – or lowest – order. When someone fights back, they typically do just what Tommy did.

Several things resulted from that day. For one, my parents gave me the first truly serious scolding of my young life, while at the same time praising me to high heaven for rescuing Grace. For another, Tommy's parents transferred him to a private school of pretty strict regime. They'd threatened my parents with a lawsuit, until several other children who'd been there found the courage at last to come forward.

Seeing Tommy get his ass beat by a kindergartener was apparently enough to break his hold over the kids he'd bullied. After that, Tommy's parents quietly agreed to pay MY medical bills, and forced Tommy to publically apologize to Grace. I don't know what happened to the boy who'd held Gracie's arms down (and beat the snot out of me). I just know I never saw hide nor hair of him again. After that, kids tended to leave the two of us alone. We were known to watch each other's backs.

Mom broke me away from my memories as she spoke again.

"When we came home from the doctor's office the day you whipped Tommy's ass, Kevin, we immediately put you to bed. Gracie was in tears, because she thought you'd been seriously hurt! I explained to her that you'd heal up just fine, that the bandages were to make sure your nose healed straight. That night, she told me she was going to marry you, Kevin!"

Grace turned her face up to me. I gazed back, eyes overflowing with love for her. I'd never known about that, and it touched me very deeply!

"She told me," Mom continued, noting the look, "that she was going to sleep in your bed with you from then on, because that's what married people did! We couldn't stop her! You probably remember that, Kevin."

"I do," I said, still staring into Grace's eyes.

"Gradually, that tapered off. She finally stopped when the bandages came off of your face, and she could see for herself that you healed just fine." Mom sighed again, before she continued.

"When Trent told us about the two of you...uh...being together...I had hoped that it was another, similar case and that it would pass. Now I understand what's truly happened. It wasn't a phase Grace was going through. What happened then MIGHT have been just a little girl's crush, but with what I know now, I think it was really the beginning of real love. That's when it all began, wasn't it, Grace?"

"Yes Mom," Grace said, speaking to Mom but never once looking away from me. "The feelings never changed a bit, I just buried them for a while. I was never sure if Kevin felt the same way. Then, in high school, he met Kelly, and I could tell he was head over heels in love with her. I resigned myself to having to settle for someone else. But I was okay with that, because if Kevin was happy, that was enough for me."

"You-" Dad began, but stopped with something that sounded a lot like a sob. "The two of you always sacrificed for each other, even growing up! Oh, that's not to say you didn't have your share of sibling arguments! But your Mom and I were always amazed at how quickly you made up with each other!"

Dad surreptitously wiped his eyes, and gazed at Mom. "Why didn't you tell me what Gracie said before, Catherine?"

"Well," Mom began, "Like I said, I was sure it was a phase she was going through. After all, Kevin had come to her rescue. It was only natural that there be a little hero worship there. She was a little girl, and little girls think that way! Besides that, who would take a statement like that seriously when they're hearing it from a 7-year-old? But also, I wasn't completely sure how you'd react."

Dad nodded in understanding. For my part, I was so caught up in the emotion of the moment, that I did what was natural. I leaned down and took Grace's willing mouth with my own, kissing her passionately, deeply, and wetly. I was drowning in her, when the sound of Dad loudly clearing his throat broke through the haze of passion surrounding us.

"Remember what I said about keeping it in your rooms?" he said, gruffly.

"Yeah," I said, "Sorry about that."

"It's...it's okay. I understand about losing yourself in the moment. Just...just make the effort, alright?"

The four of us sat quietly together, able to enjoy a family moment in spite of all that had happened. Finally, Dad looked at his watch.

"Well, we've said what we had to say. It's time we hit the road."

Dad and Mom stood and hugged us both, and wished us Happy New Year. Then they were gone. Gracie and I watched them drive away. We stood at the front window, arms around each other, watching until the RV turned the corner at the end of our street and vanished from sight.

Gracie released me with a smile, and headed upstairs, shooting a suggestive look over her shoulder at me. I got the hint! I hurriedly made sure the doors were locked and the alarm set. Then I hurried up to join her!

Upon reaching my room, I quickly stripped, grabbed a towel and ran for the bathroom I shared with Grace. She was already in the tub, scrubbing herself with her loofa sponge. I wasted no time slipping in behind her. As soon as I was settled, she leaned back against me, relaxing in my arms.

I inhaled the mild floral scent of her moisturizing body wash, blended with her own subtle scent. After a moment, I picked up the shower wand and wet Gracie's beautiful chestnut-brown hair with the warm water. Then I picked up the shampoo bottle and squeezed a good-sized dollop in my hands. Gracie closed her eyes and moaned softly in pleasure as I massaged the shampoo into her hair and scalp.

There's something unbelievably sexy and intimate about washing a woman's hair. I don't really know how to explain it, it's just something I felt at that moment. Maybe it was the way Grace totally relaxed against me as I lathered her hair. Or maybe it was the complete and total trust she displayed, simply laying there and trusting me not to get it in her eyes. Like I said, I don't know why, I just know it was one of the most erotic moments of my young life.

Grace luxuriated in the touch of my hands. I enjoyed touching her as much – if not more – as she enjoyed being touched. After savoring it for a few more minutes, I picked up the wand again and rinsed her hair clean. Then I squeezed out some conditioner and repeated the process, slowly working it into her lovely hair.

"Ahhhhh," Gracie sighed, contentedly, completely limp with pleasure. And she was the only limp thing in this tub, believe me! The sheer sensuality of the moment had me so hard, I was afraid I might drill a hole in Gracie's lower back!

I finished working the conditioner into her hair. While I waited for it to set in, I gently stroked her wet skin with feather-light touches. This was Grace's favorite way to be touched: gentle, light strokes all over her body. I circled the sensitive flesh of her throat before moving to her even more sensitive collar bones. She shuddered as I touched the upper slopes of her firm breasts, and sighed when I veered away from her rapidly hardening nipples.

I swept gentle finger tips over her abs, enjoying the warm softness of her belly. She gasped when I moved them through the neatly trimmed patch of hair over her womanhood, and again sighed when I veered away before touching her mound.

I picked up the wand again and rinsed her hair until the remnants of conditioner were gone.

"Ooooooh," Grace moaned in delight, as I went back to caressing her. This time, I stayed away from the hottest of her hot spots. I didn't want to get her too aroused in here! I touched her more firmly now, massaging as well as caressing, working her firm, strong muscles with my hands as she cooed in pleasure. Gracie recognized the emotions behind each touch; she felt my deep love for and commitment to her. She felt my desire to pamper her. And she felt my desire to take her! Only my solemn promise to our parents stopped me from taking her right there in the tub.

My beautiful sister was so relaxed she was almost asleep, laying bonelessly against my chest. I gently kissed her forehead, and she smiled, proving she was still somewhat awake. Moving as carefully as I could so as not to disturb her, I washed myself and shampooed my own hair. At last though, I had to rouse her so I could rinse.

Grace crouched at the opposire end of the tub as she watched me finish rinsing off in the rapidly cooling water. It was akward, doing it without getting the sutures in my left cheek wet, but I managed.

"There's something so erotic about you washing me, Kev," she said softly, not knowing (probably) that I'd been thinking almost the exact same thing earlier. I just nodded my head in wordless agreement before beginning to drain the tub.

"Just now, while you were washing and touching me...it was like I could feel everything you were feeling. Kevin, the way you love me...there aren't any words!" she said, as I handed her a towel.

"But there is a word, and you just said it, Gracie," I replied, as I gently worked at drying her hair. "It's love! Love, and dedication. It's always been there between us. Even Mom and Dad see it, now, although they may not like admitting it."

I picked up her soft hair brush and started working it through her hair. Gracie keeps her beautiful hair at about shoulder length, so it was feminine but manageable. It was easy to run the brush through her tresses, and I enjoyed it. We watched each other in the mirror as I tenderly performed this task for her.

When I'd gotten all the tangles out, she took the brush from me and set it back on the counter.

"No need to style it for me, love," she said playfully. "It's just going to get all messed up again in few minutes."

And with that, she took my hand and pulled me towards my bedroom (which had actually become OUR bedroom, really; I had a bigger, more comfortable bed than she did, so it made sense.) Once there, she made sure the curtains were tightly closed, then turned down the bed. She smiled and beckoned me to her.

I pulled her close and she molded her body against mine as we kissed. I felt a strong tremor in my loins, and growled in frustration. I was so worked up and hot from our bath, that I was dangerously close to cumming already! Gracie slowly broke our kiss, nibbling my lower lip playfully as she did. Her eyes danced with love and delight, aware of, but not concerned by, my over-excited state.