The phone rang in Tampa, “It’s a boy Jim. We named him Christopher.”
“That’s great, you must be so proud. We had a girl. Her name is Helen. We named her after Pat’s grandmother.”
“We sure do love him, but you’re the one that should be proud. He’s your son, not mine.”
The news hit Jim like a ton of bricks. He knew Beth had been impregnated in the time that the two couples spent together, but he never thought it was him that had planted the seed in her.
“It’s OK buddy. I never wanted kids before, but now that he is here I can’t imagine life without him. We are going to raise him as our own, and he never has to know the truth as far I’m concerned.” Steve’s reassurance of secrecy was a welcomed reinforcement to Jim that his marriage to Pat would not be put in jeopardy.
Jim did not get much sleep that night. He did not want to hide this from his wife, but with her in an emotional state he didn’t know if now was the best time to tell her that he had fathered a child with Beth.
When he woke the next morning, Pat was already up with their daughter. He watched as Pat nursed Helen. The smile on his face was a calming force for Pat. She felt the warmth of her family in his smile.
“Did you talk to Steve about Chris?” She asked.
“Yes, have you talked to Beth?”
“She called be a few hours after she gave birth to him.”
“Oh, I didn’t know the two of you had talked. Did she say anything else?”
“You mean that Chris is your son? Yes, we talked about that. I knew that she was pregnant with your child when we left the club.
“She asked me to keep it from you incase Steve didn’t want to have it.”
Jim was shocked. His own wife had kept the fact that he had fathered a child outside of their marriage from him. He took a seat on the couch and wondered how much his wife was willing to accept in their marriage.
Jim was brought back to reality when his wife told him it was time for him to get dressed and go to work. He showered and shaved, and then got dressed for another day at the office. Jim sat in his office motionless for most of the morning. Then he got a call from the contractor.
“Jim, we wanted to let you know that we will be putting the finishing touches on your cabin this week. You should be able to start moving in next week.”
Jim called Pat at home to let her know that the cabin was finished.
“Great!” She replied. “I’ll call the decorator and let them know it is time to move in.”
Pat called the decorator and gave the instructions to furnish the cabin. Parts of her instructions were to outfit the nursery for twins. Pat then made the call to the camp to let them know that the movers would be coming with the furniture for the cabin.
The couples met at the club at the first of summer. Jim was introduced to his son, and they renewed their friendship as one big family. Over the next few years the family became closer as they vacationed together at the camp. Many times the men would leave their wives at the camp as they attended to business matters, but they always rejoined the family as soon as they could.
The time came for Helen’s sweet sixteen birthday party. She had grown into beautiful young woman. Helen inherited her mother’s red hair; however, she did not take after her mother in bosom department. She had very little breast to speak of.
Helen was truly a flower child. Her long red hair hung to her waist, and she often braided flowers into it. She would have preferred to stay at the camp all the time, but she also enjoyed her life in Tampa.
“Helen, I want to talk to you about having a birthday party for you when your dad gets back from his trip.”
“I don’t really care about that kind of stuff mom, you know that.” Helen replied. “Besides, my birthday was last week.”
“I know honey, but your dad and grandparents really want to do this for you. Besides, it’s just one night, and it would make them all very happy. Could you please do this for them?”
“On one condition, I will do this hear if we can have a party when we get back to the cabin.”
“I think we can make that deal. It’s been a while since we had a party with everyone at the camp. I will call your father and clear it with him, but I’m sure he will agree to it.
“Now for the part you’re really not going to like, the party here is going to be a formal affair.”
“Why didn’t you tell me that before? You know how I hate that stuff.”
“Because I know you sweetie. So start putting together a list of whom you want to invite, and we will go find you a dress this weekend.”
Pat left her daughter and went to call her husband. He agreed to the party at the cabin, and asked Pat to take care of making the arrangements for his daughter’s coming out party. Pat picked a date early in June and booked a hall and caterer.
“Helen, I need your guest list, and get dressed so we can go find you a gown.”
“OK, I only have a few people I really want to be subjected to this farce; but here you are.”
“Good, on put some clothes on and let’s go. And Helen, undergarments please; I don’t think the ladies at the store would be OK with us without them.”
“Us?” Helen asked.
“I am getting a new dress for this shindig too. Unlike some people, I do enjoy getting all dressed up from time to time.” Pat answered.
“This deal keeps getting worse by the minute.” Helen disliked wearing clothes, and truly hated wearing underwear. Her usual mode of dress, when she had to, was a long hippie skirt and loose top. Helen and Pat went to their rooms to get dressed for the day of shopping. Helen grimaced as she pulled on her panties, but decided to go without a bra.
“Brazier please!” Her mother called from the other room.
“Why do I have to? There is nothing to hold.”
“Decorum dear, it wouldn’t be polite. I don’t like them either, but it is only for a few hours, and then you can forget it for a while.”
Mother and daughter finished dressing and left the house. They spent the day trying on dresses and shoes. Nothing made Helen happy. Nothing is the only thing that she would have been happy with. Finally, it was up to Pat to select a dress and shoes. With their new outfits picked out, the two ladies returned home.
Helen was barley in the door when she started to take her clothes off. Her panties were the first to go. She took them off in the kitchen and threw them into the garbage can. She walked into the mud room and removed her skirt and top. She took off the bra as she walked back into the kitchen. Her mother held out her hand to take it from her before she could throw it away as well. Helen went to her father’s office and picked up the phone.
“Who are you calling honey?” Her mother asked.
“My date for this waste of money that you all feel the need to throw on my behalf.”
Helen dialed her best friend. There was no other person that she wanted by her side to support her while she suffered through the night.
“Hi Beth, its Helen. How are you?”
“I’m fine, how are things in Florida?”
“Ok I guess, my parents and grandparents are throwing me a sweet sixteen and I want you all there.”
“We would love to come, when is it going to be?” Beth asked.
“The first weekend in June. Is Chris home?”
“He is out by the pool; let me get him for you.”
Beth walked out to the pool where is found her son sunning himself. He had fallen asleep lying in the grass. Chris was a handsome young man. He stood just less than six feet tall, and maintained a muscular body. He started playing football in junior high, and began to run and lift weights on a daily basis.
Beth placed her hand on her son’s knee and shook it gently, “Baby, Helen is on the phone for you.”
“Huh, what?”
“Helen is on the phone. She wants to talk to you.”
“Oh, OK.” He said as he got up and ran into the house.
“Hey you, happy birthday.”
“Same to you man, and that’s the reason I am calling.”
“What’s going on down there?”
“My folks and grandparents are throwing me a big birthday party in June, and I need a date for this thing. That means you man. You have to come down here and help me through this thing.”
“Of course I will. I would love to see you all dolled up.”
“I look like Scarlett O’Hara in this dress mom picked out for me.”
“I bet you look great in it.”
“Yeah, it’s going to be a formal. So get your tux out man.”
“You have got to be kidding me!”
“Nope, but I made them agree to a party at the cabin too. One night in the textile world and we can party like we want to.”
Helen and Chris chatted for a while about their lives for a while.