Chapter 6

Things were rather tense around the house the rest of that day, and not much improved the next morning when Van went off to work at the station and the two sisters were left alone. Janis stayed in bed as long as she possibly could, then went downstairs with a sheepish look on her face. She had plotted all night and come up with a new tactic for getting Van, now that she realized it would be impossible to wedge jealousy between him and Peggy. The best way to win a battle, she'd decided, was to make the enemy think the war was over-and then strike hard as soon as his defenses were down. Peggy was busy cleaning the living room. She mut-91

tered a curt good- morning as Janis passed through to the kitchen for a glass of milk, but it was obvious from the cold tone in her voice that she still resented the trouble her volatile young sister had caused the day before and was not about to let her forget it.

Look at her, Janis thought in disgust, as she leaned in the doorway and sipped at her milk while she watched Peggy push the vacuum cleaner around the room. Her hair's a mess, she's got no make-up on, and that housedress is right out of the Stone Age! How could Van be serious when he says he's in love with someone who looks like that?

And yet, somewhere in the back of her mind, Janis realized that she envied her sister's married life for more than the obvious reason of Van. There was a definite pride visible in Peggy's eyes as she cleaned her house, moved her furniture, dusted her knickknacks. These were her own things-hers and Van's. The substance of their life together, the visible possessions of a marriage. This was a house they had worked together to buy and which they had fun decorating together. A house that would someday ring with the cries and laughter of their children, that would know the happiness of Christmas and the joys of birthdays and anniversaries. It was ia place removed from the cares of the world, where Peggy and Van could be alone in the shelter of the home they had created.

Often, during the days she'd been there, Janis had watched Peggy peeling vegetables in the kitchen or making the beds upstairs and wondered what it would be like to do such things because you wanted to, because it was part of your responsibility toward your home and husband, and not because it was something you had to do to oblige your mother. She'd seen the happy swell of pride in Peggy's eyes when Van complimented her on a meal she'd made or when they discussed some item of furniture they'd both looked at in the store in town, hoping some day to buy.

Was that what marriage was all about, Janis wondered. Until coming to stay \vith her sister, she'd never really thought it possible for a woman to find fulfillment in being a wife. And yet now, she was beginning to wonder.

"Peggy?" she called hesitantly, raising her voice to be heard over the steady hum of the vacuum cleaner. "Peggy!" she called again.

Her sister looked up, a trace of annoyance in her eyes. "What?" '

"Could you shut that off so we could talk for a minute?"

"What? I can't hear you."

"Shut that . . ." Janis smiled and moved quickly to pull the plug from the machine.

"Now why'd you do that, Janis?" Peggy complained. "I've got a million and one things to do this morning."

"Can't you just spare a minute? I've got something I have to say to you."

"About what?" Peggy sighed. "Please? Just sit down for a minute?" Peggy dropped the cleaner hose and sat wearily on the couch, her eyes following suspiciously as Janis moved to sit beside her. "All right," she said. "For a minute. But if it's any more of that nonsense about Van, I warn you . . ."

"No, please. Just listen." Janis urged. "It is about Van, but it's not what you think." She suddenly threw herself at Peggy, wrapping her arms around her sister's neck and hugging her tightly. "Oh, Peggy!" she said, doing her best to put a sob into her voice. "I've been such a fool! Such a stupid little fool! No, worse! I've been a bitch!"

Peggy's hands gently patted the girl's shoulders. 'What are you talking about, honey?"

"I don't know why I did what I did, Peggy. I must have been out of my inind! I just couldn't control myself and when I saw how much trouble Fd caused I felt so ashamed I just wanted to die!" She put her head on her sister's shoulder and began to sob in her throat as though she were crying, even though her eyes were perfectly dry and coldly calculating the effect of every word she uttered.

"Come on now," Peggy consoled. "I understand."

"No, you couldn't. And I know you'll never forgive me for what I tried to do."

"Of course I can forgive you!" Peggy laughed gently. "You're just young and confused and in too much of a hurry to grow up. I know that; so does Van. We both realize you don't mean all the things you say and do."

"I've been just awful!" Janis sobbed. "When I see how happy you and Van are I feel like a first-class skunk for ever trying to come between you."

"I told you before, honey. You couldn't come between us, no matter how hard you tried. Even if Van was attracted to another woman in a sexual way, it wouldn't be anything more than that and I know he'd come back to me as soon as he got it out of his system. It just wouldn't be important, because our marriage means more to the both of us than just a legal piece of paper and a couple of wedding rings. It means that we honestly want to spend our lives with no one else in the world but each other."

"Well," Janis said hesitantly, knowing this was the most dangerous gamble she was taking in her new plan, "I've decided that after all the trouble I've caused and all I've tried to do, it just wouldn't be right for me to stay here any longer. I've packed my things and if you'll drive me into town I'll get the next bus for home."

Peggy pulled away and gave her a stern look, but in here eyes was a reassuring gentleness. "If you've packed any suitcases, you'd better march right back upstairs and unpack them this instant, young ladyi Because you're not going anywhere."

"But, Peggy.

"No arguments! You're staying with us for the summer as planned, and that's final!"

Janis laughed and threw her arms tightly around her sister's neck. "Oh, Peggy! You're just the best sister in the whole wide world!"

"Now that we all understand each other, we're going to have a wonderful summer. Just wait and see."

Uh-huh! Janis thought with a smile. Just wait and see is right! But not in the way you think, honey!"

A sudden knock at the door broke them apart. "Go see who that is, will you, sugar?" Peggy said, separating herself from Janis and getting up from the couch. "I've got to get this cleaning finished or I'll never make it to town before the stores close."

Janis pushed absently at some stray hairs as she went to answer the door, her insides bubbling with triumph. She'd given the performance of her life and could almost taste the prize she was going to get because of it. "Yes-? Oh, it's you." Her smile changed to a condescending sneer as she peered out the screen door at Jip Jones's grinning face. "What do you want?"

"Hi, Janis," the boy beamed. "How come you didn't come to the phone when I called last night?"

"Because I was busy," she snapped. "I'm busy right now, too, so make it quick. What do you want?"

"I-thought you might like to go for a ride with me," Jip explained. "I've got the day off from the station and a full tank of gas and ..."

"And a case of the hots, too, I imagine," she cracked.

Jip's face began to color and he looked down at his feet as he shifted them nervously from side to side. "Well..."

"Look, what do you think I am? A sex machine? Something you drop a quarter in anytime you're in the mood for a quick thrill? I told you I'm busy, so beat it."

She stepped away from the door, but Jip called after her. "Wait a minute! I didn't mean ..."

"I said beat it! I'm not interested!"

"Who's at the door, Janis?" Peggy called.

"Nobody!" She started to close the inner door on Jip, but Peggy came out to the hall and spotted him.

"Oh, if s you, Jip. How are you?"

"Fine, Mrs. Avery."

"There isn't anything wrong at the station, is there?"

"Oh, no, Mrs. Avery. Nothing's wrong. I've got the day off and I stopped to see if Janis wanted to go for a ride with me."

"How nice!" Peggy said, beaming at Janis. "Ifs a perfect day for itl"

"I'm not going," Janis muttered.

"What? Why not?"

"I-I thought I'd stick around the house and help you with the cleaning," she said, quickly deciding that between the two evils, Jip was the one to avoid.

"You'll do no such thing!"

"But, Peggy . . ."

"You heard me! This is supposed to be a vacation. Now you go upstairs and put on some clothes. Jip, come on in. Janis will be ready in a minute."

"Peggy, I'm not..."

"On the way, you two can stop at the station and give Van his lunchbox. He was in such a hurry he left without it this morning."

Janis's ears perked to instant attention. The wheels in her mind began to clack as a new idea took shape. "Okay," she said with a smile. "If you're sure you don't need me."

"When I clean," Peggy declared, "anyone else hanging around just gets in my way. Now go get dressed while I see if I can interest Jip in some of those chocolate chip cookies I made last night"

"Oh, boy! My favorite!" Jip beamed.

Go ahead, Janis thought as she ran upstairs to change, eat your fill, sweetheart. Whether you know it right now or not, those cookies are the only sweet thing you're going to get this afternoon!

As soon as they were away from the house, Jip tried to put his arm around her, but Janis pushed him off and sat as far from him as she could. "What's the matter?" he asked.

"Nothing. Just drive, huh? I don't feel like getting myself wrapped around a telephone pole because you've got itchy fingers." She dug into her purse for a cigarette and lit it, her eyes staring coldly at the road ahead, barely conscious of the boy sitting beside her. A few minutes later, however, as they began to approach Van's station, she suddenly slid all the way back across the seat, so close to Jip that their thighs and legs were flush together. "Put your arm around me," she muttered.

"Huh? Why the sudden change?"

"Shut up and do what I tell you."

Jip slipped his arm up behind the seat and rested his hand on Janis's shoulder, but a quick tug from her and it fell to her breast. "Boy, I sure don't understand you!"

"Who asked you to?" As the boy's car pulled into the station and stopped in front of the office, Janis leaned her head against his shoulder and a bright, beaming smile spread over her mouth. Her smile broadened as Van stepped out of the office and approached the car.

"Well, Jip," he laughed, "what's the matter? Get homesick on your day off?"

"You forgot your lunch," Janis purred. "Peggy asked if we'd drop it by on our way."

"Oh?"

"Yes," she said, snuggling closer to Jip. "We're going for a long, long drive out into the country. Just the two of us." Her hand tickled slowly up and down Jip's leg, the motion easily and quickly observed by Van.

"Well, it's a beautiful day for a drive," Van agreed. "I wish I could take the opportunity myself." He took the lunchbox Janis handed him and turned to go back into the office. "You kids have fun now!" he called.

Jip started to put the car into gear, but Janis slapped his hand from the ignition and pulled away from him. "Wait a minute," she snapped.

"What's die matter?"

"Shut up and stay here." She slid quickly across the seat and opened the door, jumped out of the car and ran after Van into the office. "Oh, Van!"

"Yes?"

"Didn't you-uh-hear what I said? Jip and I are going for a long drive together."

"I heard you," he smiled. "But, I mean-just the two of us!"

"Sometimes that's more fun than with a crowd," Van said, sitting behind his desk and opening up his lunch. "Gives you more of a chance to talk and get to know each other."

"Few," Janis wailed, her frustration mounting by the second, "I don't think Jip intends to do much talking! I mean I don't think that's why he's taking me for this drive!"

"No?"

"No!" She was getting so angered by his indifference she had all she could do to keep from stamping her foot "He's got something else on his mindl"

"Well, Jip's a bright boy. I guess he's got a lot on his mind."

"Ohhhhh!" she swore. Then, deciding on a different tack entirely, she sat on the edge of the desk as her brother-in-law began to eat and said, "Van? Peggy and I had a long talk this morning."

"Oh?" he mumbled, his mouth filled with sandwich.

"Yes. We came to an understanding about things."

"What kind of things?"

"Well, you for instance."

"Me? What about me?"

Janis smiled and leaned toward him, forcing him to look at her as she explained. "It's just that I realized what a fool I've been making of myself in the last few days ... me to be chasing you the way I was."

"Well, that's very sensible, Janis."

"Of course it is. I mean, you're so oldl"

For the first time since she'd started, Van put down his sandwich and gave her a direct look. "Just what is that supposed to mean?"

"It should be obvious. I mean a girl my age chasing after a man your age is just nonsense! It would be like seducing my own father, for heaven's sake!"

"I'm not that old!" Van protested.

"No, but you're still old. It makes much more sense for you to stick with Peggy. She's sedate and easygoing. I need a boy like Jip, who won't fold up on me right away, if you know what I mean." Janis had to bite her lip to keep from laughing at the look on her brother-in-law's face. "So I just wanted to set your mind at rest. You don't have to worry about me chasing after you anymore. From now on, it'll be Jip who'll have to watch out!" She leaned across the desk and chucked Van's chin, then leaped to her feet and darted to the door. "Toodle-oo!"

She made a great display of hugging her arms around Jip and kissing his neck when she got back in the car, but as soon as they were out of sight of the station she pulled away from him and slid back against the opposite door. "All right," she snapped, "you can take me back home now."

"What?"

"You heard me. Turn the car around and take me home."

"Boy, you're some joker, Janis!" Jip laughed nervously. "For a minute there I thought you were serious!"

"I am serious. Take me home."

Jip's hand shot across the seat and seized her leg. "I'm not getting this."

"You're not going to get it, either," she said, pushing his hand away. "And keep your eyes on the road, will you?"

"I thought you told Van we were going for a long ride?"

"I did. But that doesn't mean I'm going to do it, just because I said it Will you-watch it?" she shrieked, as the car suddenly swerved into the lane of oncoming traffic. "Will you please keep your hands on the wheel and not on me?"

"Safety first, huh?"

"Damn right, safety first! I have absolutely no desire to die in a hick town like Tobinville, believe me!"

"If that's what you're worried about-I mean safety-I took care of it. I mean I'm more prepared today than I was the other night at the lake." "What are you talking about?" Jip gave her a leering grin and said, "Look -uh-look in the glove compartment and you'll see what I mean."

Sighing with bordeom, Janis snapped open the compartment The first thing to catch her eye was a small packet wrapped in tin-foil with the word prophylactic printed in bright red letters. She started to giggle, then laugh uncontrollably as she pulled the packet from the compartment and dangled it in front of Jip's face. "This? Is this what you wanted me to see?"

"Yeah," the boy said, his face flushing deep pink, "but I don't see whafs so funny about it"

"God, I haven't seen one of these things since I was thirteen!" Janis laughed. "I didn't even know they were still making them!" She began to rip open the tin-foil wrapper and pull out the three tightly-rolled rubbers inside it. "Oh!" she squealed. "They've even got little bags on^he end to catch all that nasty stuff!"

"Hey! What're you doing!"

"What does it look like I'm doing?" Janis giggled. "I'm blowing them up! They're balloons, aren't they?" While the boy roared helplessly, Janis filled one of the rubbers with air until it was swollen into a giant-size replica of a man's penis.

"Oh, if only I could find a man like this!" she laughed.

"Stop it! What are you trying to do!"

"Want to hear it go pop?"

"Janis ..."

A loud crack made him jump as Janis burst the air-filled prophylactic. "Thafs what I think of your safety first!" she sneered. "And you, too, for that matter! Now turn this car around and take me home!"

Jip wheeled sharply off the main road, but he was not turning the car around. They bounced roughly down an old dirt road leading to a deserted farmhouse and he pulled to a stop under a grove of trees, far out of sight of the highway.

"Now what?" Janis cracked.

"You know what I want." His face was tense, but the look in his eyes determined.

"Yeah, I know. But what you want and what you're going to get are two different matters."

"Why are you acting like this? The other night at the lake I thought-"

"Well you thought wrong. Now start this car before you really begin to bore me."

"You don't know what I've given up for you!"

"Betty-Lou?" Janis sneered. "You can get her back in asecond, don't kid me. She'll think her fatal charm won out over mine in the end."

"Janis, please . . ." He lunged at her, holding her in his arms as she squirmed to break his grip.

"Don't push your luck, buster!" she warned.

"I'm not letting you gol I want you and Fm going to have you, whether I get it willingly or not!"

"Yeah?" Janis said, her back stiffening. "Just try!"

Jip pawed at her blouse and to his surprise he found her offering no resistance. He yanked the buttons open and caressed her naked breasts. Still she gave no response. He pushed the seat back and then slipped sideways on it to stretch Janis flat on her back. His hands tugged roughly at her shorts and when they were off, he spread her legs wide apart

"You're only wasting your time," she muttered, her voice heavy with contempt. "Better men than you have tried this game and lost"

"Yeah? We'll see!"

Holding her legs firmly, Jip slipped off the seat onto his knees and pressed his face down into the soft warmth of Janis's belly. His tongue licked across the tender pink flesh, inching its way steadily downward until the tickle of her hair made him pull back. His hands pressed into her thighs, opening her, then his mouth returned, his tongue driving deeply with the first thrust

Janis had to bite her lip to keep from squealing in wild delight She was determined not to show any signs of response, no matter what Jip did to her. When she wanted to make love to a man, there was nothing she wouldn't do with him. But it was equally true that when she said no, she meant no, and there was no way he could force a cry of surrender from her. In spite of the fires Jip's hot, rasping tongue was lighting inside her, she lay stiffly hi under him, her legs and belly rigid, forcing a bored expression onto her face.

"Do you mind if I smoke?" she said sweetly, her voice like honey-dipped acid.

Jip's face lifted in astonishment. "You . . ."

"I warned you, little boy. Now will you stop making a fool of yourself and take me home?"

"Like hell I will!" He tugged at his belt and jerked down his fly. Pushing his pants and underpants to his knees, he scrambled back up onto the seat and thrust his weight down on Janis.

"Tell me when it's in," she cracked.

The boy's face was almost scarlet with rage. "You'll know when it's in, bitch! You won't forget this for the rest of your life!"

He lunged with such force that Janis felt as though a baseball bat had suddenly been driven into her. The pain shot straight up to her eyeballs, but not a grimace showed on her face. She lay stiffly in under him, her legs unyielding, her inner muscles frozen in resistance against him.

Yet, as Jip began to thrust and lunge, his body hammering at her with all the violence of a young boy trying to prove himself a man, Janis felt herself responding to him. Her mind screamed with brutal sensation as again and again he drove down on her, ramming so deeply that she could feel him in the pit of her belly. She longed to suddenly clasp her thighs tightly shut on him, hold him and work him inside her, then release and grip and lock her legs around his back and surrender herself completely to the raw eroticism of this animal coupling.

Her tits were on fire, the nipples big and hard and throbbing with need each time Jip's chest slammed against them. Her throat ached from the longing to scream out her pleasure, to sob and gasp each time that enormous thrust of feeling drove into her. The seat-cover was pulled tightly in both her fists. Her nails dug into the cloth to keep from flying suddenly onto his back and clawing with frenzy at his skin.

More than he had ever hoped to or would know, Jip was proving himself a man that afternoon. The heat of anger had thrust aside the clumsiness which Janis had come so close to mocking the other night, and in its place was the raw, brutal skill of a man who can take a woman against her will and make her love it!

Cursing at her apparent indifference as he continued to ram without mercy, Jip suddenly tensed and his strokes became more frenzied and reckless. His body pounded at hers like lightening, his flesh moving with hers in a headlong rush to oblivion.

And then, just before Jip cried out and drove down on her to stay, Janis's flesh betrayed her completely. A low, agonized cry from her soul broke from her lips as the wall broke down at last and the flood of her surrender came pouring free. Jip knew it, too, and that knowledge pushed him over the edge with her.

For several minutes he lay on top of her, both of them breathing hard through their mouths. Then, shakily, Jip raised up and lit a cigarette for himself with trembling hands.

"Finished?" Janis challenged, but the fight was all gone from her voice and they both knew it.

"Yeah, I'm finished. You know damn well I'm finished." Jip took a long drag from his cigarette and blew the smoke at the windshield. "Boy, you're just about the toughest bitch in the world, aren't you?"

"I try to be," she cracked.

"You don't have to be, you know. If you just. . ."

"Save the lectures for Betty-Lou," Janis interrupted, sitting up and reaching for her shorts. "You got what you wanted. Now take me home and we'll call it even."

"Is that how you want it?"

"Yeah," Janis said, not daring to look into his eyes. "That's how I want it."