Despite spending the night in a sleeping bag on the floor of his wife’s church, Cain had the best night’s sleep in recent memory. Snowed into the church with his wife’s extended family, he spent the previous night initiating his wife’s young cousin, Ellie, in the ways of sexual pleasure, then spent that afternoon in carnal delight with the girl’s mother, Sheri. When Cain finally lay down, he was more tired than he could remember.
His wife, Carolyn, had doted on him. Proud of him for saving her cousin and bringing the snowmobiles back, she made sure the children allowed him to eat and go right to bed. She watched him sleep for a time and didn't complain about his snoring.
The next morning, after washing up in the restroom, Cain sat sipping coffee and checking the weather on his phone. It looked like the wind would finally die down tonight. Maybe tomorrow the roads would open up, and they could make their way home.
As he sipped coffee, his wife’s cousin-in-law, Brenda, sat beside him, nursing her own cup.
“How’s it look?” Brenda asked, nodding at his phone.
“Better. Probably won’t get out today, though.”
“Good.”
She took a sip and watched him over the rim of her mug. The look in her eyes confused him.
Good?
“Why good?” he asked. He tried to keep his eyes on Brenda’s, but they kept wandering down past the coffee mug. She was a petite woman with medium-sized breasts, but on her, they were spectacular. Cain couldn't be sure, but it looked like her nipples were hardening as she watched him.
“I have a mystery to solve.”
Brenda had been seventeen when Cain met her. She was dating Will, his wife Carolyn’s cousin. She had been pretty then, and as with Sheri, Cain had enjoyed watching her mature. Three kids hadn't wrecked her figure at all. She was trim and strong, even though she must be pushing forty.
But, in Cain’s opinion, she was too thin. Her breasts were world class. But otherwise, she could have done with some padding. Still, her face was pretty, and she had tons of energy. He had always imagined her to be a wild woman in bed.
She leaned in close.
“The mystery of… why Sheri was in such a good mood yesterday when you got back.”
Cain looked away. Saying nothing would be the best course of action. Saying anything might give him away.
He glanced at Brenda, and she sat back in her chair and crossed her legs, holding her coffee up to her face, enjoying the aroma. Her honey-colored hair fell around her shoulders. It looked damp, as if she had washed it in one of the bathroom sinks.
“I’m not sure what you mean,” he said, and immediately cursed himself.
Brenda smiled.
“No?”
“I mean, she was glad that things turned out well.”
“She was singing in the bathroom as she got ready for bed.”
“Singing?”
The thought made him unreasonably proud of himself, and he smiled.
Remembering who he was talking to, he glanced back at Brenda.
“Oh, well,” he said, composing his face. “She loves to sing, doesn't she?”
“Yes, she does. Still, it makes me wonder.”
Cain went back to his phone, trying to end the conversation.
“And Ellie…”
Cain’s mouth went dry.
“What?” he meant to ask. All that came out was a dry, raspy sound.
“She was in such a good mood yesterday. It was positively rude.”
“You don’t say,” Cain managed.
“I do say.”
She glanced around the room.
“Very… touchy-feely too.”
“I didn’t notice.”
Brenda looked around conspiratorially. She leaned toward him and beckoned him with a curled finger.
“I think they both had…” she whispered and then mouthed the word “sex” without vocalizing it.
Cain’s mouth dropped open.
“They’re mother and daughter, for crying out loud!” he said, intentionally misunderstanding her.
“No, no, no! Not together. Are you perverted?”
“You’re the one that said it,” he whispered, looking around.
“I said that they had {sex}, not that they had it together.”
Again, she refused to say the word "sex" out loud.
“Well, who do you think they had {sex} with?” he asked, heart in his throat.
“Paul!” she called out, setting her cup down.
“What?” Cain asked.
“Good morning!” Uncle Paul said from behind Cain. Cain jumped and spilled coffee on his hand.
“Whoa!” Uncle Paul said. “Time to switch to decaf?”
“Morning, Paul. Didn't see you there. How are you today?” His hands were shaking as he set his coffee and phone down and reached for a napkin.
“Fine, fine. It’s really great to have everyone here together, even if it’s a little longer than we planned.”
“That’s exactly what we were just talking about,” Brenda said, putting her hand on Cain’s arm.
Cain’s head snapped around to look at Brenda, who smiled sweetly at him.
“Yes,” he said. “Um, looks like maybe tomorrow we’ll be able to head out.”
“Good,” Uncle Paul said. “We've got enough food to last until then. What should we do today?”
“Several people have their laptops,” Brenda said. “We should start writing a family history.”
“Outstanding,” Uncle Paul said. “Can you get us going on that? You being the power-blogger-influencer and all?”
“Soon as I finish my coffee,” she said.
Uncle Paul went to help in the kitchen. Cain tried to go back to his phone.
“Where were we? Oh, yes,” she said and slid her chair closer to Cain. She recrossed her legs, her dangling foot barely touching the back of his nearest leg.
The casual contact sent a tiny shiver through Cain. He looked at Brenda and saw her giving him a smoldering look over her coffee mug.
“In the basement is the church office,” she said. “The records room is at the back.”
Cain looked at her and frowned, uncomprehending.
Brenda looked at her watch. “It’s 7:30. I’ll be in the records room by 10:00.”
“Brenda, I don’t understand,” Cain said, fearing he understood all too well.
The slender woman sat forward in her chair, all pretense of relaxed congeniality gone.
“Meet me in the records room this morning, Cain. Just you and me. If I leave that room smiling like Sheri, then nobody has to be any the wiser.”
“What… are you serious?” Cain spluttered in a loud whisper.
Brenda’s hand was back on his arm.
“Absolutely!”
Her smile was so full of lust that he felt his dick move in preparation. Brenda stood and was gone.
He wanted to hold his head in his hands. Just then, as luck would have it, Ellie plopped down into the recently vacated seat.
“Hi!”
Cain smiled weakly at the young woman.
“Hi. Sleep well?”
Ellie giggled.
“Yes, I did! I didn't get nearly enough sleep the night before!”
Cain glanced around the room, trying not to cringe.
“Ellie, please,” he muttered.
“Sorry. How about you?”
“Oh, yes. Like the proverbial log.”
“Need more coffee?” she asked, rising.
“Oh, uh… sure,” he said. “Black.”
“Black. Got it.”
She pranced over to the kitchen.
“Is she hero-worshiping you?” Sheri asked as she sat in the chair that Uncle Paul had used.
“What?” Cain asked, startled. He had been watching Ellie’s butt as she crossed the room.
“Oh, for saving you,” he said, then laughed a strange, high-pitched laugh, realizing how ridiculous that must sound.
“I think she’s just being nice.”
“Hm,” she said, unconvinced. “Well, is there anything I can get? For you?”
Cain tried to laugh, but his throat constricted, and it came out sounding choked.
“Ah, no… thanks,” he said.
“I’m teasing you, Cain,” she said.
Yesterday, before they had left her parent’s house, Sheri and he had agreed that, while they had enjoyed their time, it would never happen again.
“Still,” she said, reaching out and touching his hand, “I’m... indebted to you. I won’t forget that.”
The sincerity in her eyes touched Cain.
“Ah! And here’s your lovely wife!” she said, a little too loud.
Cain turned and saw his wife crossing the room.
“Mornin’,” Sheri said to her cousin.
“Morning,” Carolyn said. She didn’t look especially happy to see her cousin holding hands with her husband.
“I was just saying ‘thank you’ to your hubby again.”
Carolyn smiled, but it looked forced. She sat on the opposite side of the table from her husband.
“Want tea or anything?” Cain asked her. “Breakfast isn’t ready, but I heard something about cinnamon rolls.”
“Your favorite,” Carolyn said.
Sheri leaned back, sensing some awkwardness. Ellie came bouncing back across the room with Cain’s coffee.
“Here you go. Careful, it’s hot!”
She set it in front of him. Carolyn looked at the girl, a puzzled expression on her face.
“Paul and Brenda were just talking. They want to write a family history today.”
“That should be fun!” Sheri said.
“Mom’s been working on the genealogy for quite a while,” Carolyn said. “I don’t know if it’s here or not.”
“What they have in mind is a historical narrative,” Cain said. “Genealogy is where you’ll begin, but they want more than that.”
“Sounds like an enormous job,” Carolyn said.
“It will help pass the time,” Cain said.
He was trying to avoid thinking about his conversation with Brenda. Where was she coming from? Was she going to blackmail him? Did she want to hear the story? He didn’t know her all that well, usually only seeing her twice a year. She and her husband Will had separated a while back, but eventually reconciled.
The four chatted until it was time for breakfast. Everyone sat, blessed the food, and began eating. Uncle Paul outlined the weather outlook and what they had planned for the day. He and Brenda divided everyone into teams and delegated tasks.
Carolyn’s mother, Wilma, had recently been working on genealogy at the State Library in Des Moines. Luckily, her files were still in her van. They used that as a framework and began structuring the recent history of the family.
Since Cain had married into the family, he didn’t have a big part in this project. Carolyn asked for his help with the kids, and maybe moving boxes. Brenda caught his eye at one point, but he couldn't read her expression.
Cain organized the kids to clean the kitchen while the adults and teens got to work. The kids pretended Cain was the King, and they were servants. Cain told them what to do using the “royal we.” If he forgot, then he had to do the task.
“Rose,” Cain said, affecting an aristocratic drawl while addressing Ellie’s younger sister, “err, we would be most appreciative if you would consider putting all the baking supplies in the cupboard. Thank you!” and he bowed formally.
“Dearest Emily, would you be so kind as to sweep our floor? Thank you.”
“We require three sturdy lads to remove the trash and make certain the receptacle lids are closed. Thank you.”
The kids had fun imitating his accent and bowing to each other. They got the dishes done, and the kitchen clean in no time. Cain looked at the clock. It was 9:15. He had time to kill, so he sat and brooded. He didn’t come to the reunion planning to be unfaithful to his wife. Now, he had been sexually involved with two other women for the first time in almost 25 years. And a third was demanding his attention.
Would he be able to perform after the sexual marathon he had been running? Inevitably, his mind wandered to the blue pills in his toiletry bag. He looked at the clock again: 9:30.
Should be enough time.
In the bathroom, he washed a blue pill down with the last of his coffee. He brushed his teeth and made himself as presentable as he could.
He was nervous. The other encounters had been spontaneous. This was anything but. He made his way downstairs without seeing anyone.
The ceiling in the basement was low. The office area had not been remodeled recently. There was cheap wood paneling from the ‘70s on the walls, and a horrible green sculpted carpet on the floor. It smelled musty and old.
Cain found the records room. The door was closed, so he knocked twice, then turned the knob. Brenda was in the back, flipping through files in a filing cabinet. She didn’t acknowledge his presence.
“Um…hi,” he said.
“Hi,” Brenda said without turning, her voice was low pitched, soft and luxurious.
“You, uh, need some help?”
Brenda kept her place in the files with one hand but checked her watch, then swiveled her head to look at him.
“Help? What kind of ‘help’ are you offering?”
“Er, I thought that you…I mean, when you said…well, just offering to help.”
That was fantastic, he thought. Now she thinks you’re a moron.
Brenda offered a tight-lipped smile and turned back to the filing cabinet.
“Lock the door. Get undressed.”
She resumed rifling through the filing cabinet after she spoke, her back to him. Cain stared at her for nearly thirty seconds before she stopped and turned.
“Did you hear me?”
“Yes, but…”
“Listen,” she said, keeping her hand in the drawer, but straightening and turning to face him. “Lock the door and strip. Otherwise, we’re going to have problems.”
Cain looked down and shook his head, not believing what he was hearing. Still, he reached back and turned the lock, then double-checked it.
Brenda kept him skewered on her gaze. Cain sighed and began unbuttoning his shirt. Brenda turned and continued searching through the filing cabinet.
I really hope she doesn't kill me and leave my body down here to rot. That would be embarrassing.
Cain kicked off his shoes as he slipped out of his shirt. Trousers and t-shirt followed. Down to his boxers, he thought about stopping, but it wouldn't be enough. Finally, Cain took hold of the elastic and stripped them down his hips and legs, stepped out of them, and laid them on the rest of his clothes.
Should he say something? It was kind of cold. Cain looked around for a thermostat.
Pulling a file from the cabinet, Brenda turned and walked to the desk.
“I found a record of funerals held at the church during the first half of the 20th century,” she said, not looking up from the folder. “Should be helpful.”
Standing with his arms crossed over his chest and buck naked, Cain had nothing to add to her statement. He watched her move across the room, watched her breasts sway as she stepped around a stack of boxes. He felt his dick fill out and overcome the effects of the cold and embarrassment.
Brenda set the file down with others on the desk. Finally, she looked up at Cain, holding his eyes for several long seconds, then allowing her gaze to travel down his body. She lingered on his man-bits, and he felt himself rising under her attention.
Brenda’s response to his rising erection was a single raised eyebrow, then her gaze continued traveling down his legs and finally flicked back to meet his eyes.
“Not bad. Hardly anything to fall in lust over.”
She sounded unnecessarily cruel to Cain’s ears.
He dropped his gaze from hers, shook his head, and reached for his boxers.
“What are you doing? Put those down.”
“Why am I here?”
“You’re here to satisfy me,” she said, not responding to his anger. Her glance traveled down to his semi-erect cock.
“My… curiosity, if nothing else.” She glanced back up and flashed a smile. Brenda walked over to a stack of chairs and began unbuttoning her blouse.
“Tell me what you did with Sheri.”
He thought back over the lovely, terrifying afternoon spent with this woman’s friend and sister-in-law.
“She was wet and freezing. I undressed her and warmed her, slowly, with my body heat.”
Brenda stepped out of her slacks and was down to her bra and panties. She looked up at him as she continued to undress.
“And?”
“And after she warmed up, we were both aroused. We… played. Without intercourse.”
“Played. How?”
Her bra was gone, and, with her back to him, he could see her ribs. Her shoulders and legs were muscular, but she was definitely too thin. She slid her tiny panties down and turned to face him as he began speaking.
Cain tried to concentrate. He told what had happened between him and her sister-in-law. He didn’t want to out Sheri, but Brenda wouldn't stand for anything less than the truth.
As he talked, she kept his eyes captive with hers. He wanted to look at her body, but couldn't break her gaze. She was as naked as he was and covered the distance between them in slow, even steps. She swung her hips as if she were a voluptuous young vixen rather than an athletic middle-aged woman trying desperately to hold on to her youth.
As she approached Cain, he watched her eyes move to take in his whole body, as if she were taking inventory. As her eyes left his, he stood up straighter, perhaps hoping to gain some advantage from his superior height, or maybe just because he was becoming self-conscious. He watched her breasts wobble as she came closer.
