Chapter 9

Gail had no way of knowing what would be waiting for her when she came home-for the final time, she had determined. She expected a big fuss when Hazel was told that she was leaving and was going to marry Rick Hale at once. And she knew Hazel would be even angrier when she insisted that Bryan be sent away to school, but she was prepared to make it a legal matter if Hazel refused.

She was first in the door and her face flushed crimson and her breath was expelled in a loud gasp. As Bryan and Rick followed her, she moaned "Oh, God-not"

The three of them stared at Hazel, lying naked on the carpet, with Bradley lying on top of her! It was obvious that he had his penis inserted into her, and beads of sweat stood out on his upper lip and forehead from his exertion. Disgust was frozen on Gail's face and hatred flashed from her eyes. Bryan simply stared, stunned by the sight of his mother and brother obviously having sex. Rick stood as if he wished he could disappear, biting his lower lip, trying to keep from staring at the full, mature body of Gail's mother. He shot a glance at Gail and thought that she was about to faint. He stepped close to her and put his arm around her shoulder, squeezing it hard, offering her his strength.

Gail's nostrils flared in anger and her jaw set in determination. She felt as if the bottom had dropped out of her stomach. Her brain was reeling, and shame was almost smothering her. She was aware of Rick's arm, but it was probably only a gesture of kindness, she felt. No one could accept or tolerate a sordid, perverted family like the one she was a part of.

Her nerves snapped and she rushed forward, kicking and clawing at the two on the floor.

Hazel had turned her head, and she was more surprised than ashamed of herself. She could only wonder who the young man was with her daughter and son. She saw him put his arm about her, and surmised they had met at the lake and were dating.

The awed look on Bryan's face had turned to one of utter loathing. He stared harshly into his mother's eyes, his lips working busily as if words were fighting to escape.

Bradley had flashed a quick glance at the three when he first became aware of them, but now, he could not meet their eyes. He let his head fall forward in despair and shame, so that his face rested on his mother's bare back. When Gail rushed forward in her mad attack, Brad rolled off his mother's back, wildly trying to stuff his cock back into his pants. Gail's foot caught him in the chest and knocked him sprawling. Fright was on his face, for he had never seen his sister in a violent mood such as this. He edged away and finally crouched against a chair.

Gail leaped upon her mother, her knees digging into her lower back, as her fingernails raised bloody welts on her skin. She gouged the soft flesh savagely, so angry that spittle had formed on her lips. Her eyes blazed with hate and she brought screams of anguish from Hazel as she raked her fingernails deeply into the flesh of her back.

"You rotten slut!" she screamed. "You cover us all with your filth! You lousy, rotten pervert!"

Her sudden rush had caught them all by surprise, but now, Rick came to his senses and rushed forward putting his arms about Gail's waist and pulling her off roughly. He was afraid she would actually kill the woman on the floor. Gail wrestled wildly to free herself, but Rick held her tightly and at last she quieted down.

Rick released her and tried to turn her about so that he could see her face and tell her that it was going to be all right, but Gail dropped her head and he could see huge tears flooding her eyes. She pushed him away, as if not wanting to contaminate him with her touch.

"Leave me alone ... please..." Gail pleaded through her sobs. Rick let his hands fall to his sides and stood staring at her compassionately.

She struggled to compose herself, managing to stem the flood of tears. A look of despair came to her face as she looked at Rick Hale and waved a weary hand about her. "I mean ... leave me alone for good, Rick. I couldn't drag you ... or any man into this filth. And who am I to talk? I'm as rotten inside as they are. Please ... go!"

Rick reached out a hand, but Gail flinched back, her eyes dead, her face a blank mask, without emotion.

"Gail! They don't matter! We're going away from here! Please...! " Rick begged.

She shook her head firmly. "No! Please go, Rick ... and don't try to see me. I won't be here!"

She knew she meant it, although Gail didn't have the slightest idea where she might go. She couldn't bear to look into the stricken eyes of Rick, and she turned and walked out of the room. Rick stood looking after her helplessly.

Bryan stood silent, feeling ashamed of his part in the tragedy that had befallen Gail. All of them were guilty, and Bryan didn't know what to say. Rick looked at him blankly, as if seeking advice, but Bryan dropped his gaze.

Hazel still lay groaning on the floor, and Brad was in a daze, crouched on the floor. Rick looked from one to the other, then quietly walked past Bryan out the door.

As the door closed, Hazel whined, "Help me up, Brad."

Brad stared at her naked body, now covered with bloody welts. He finally stood up and came to her, lifting her and helping her to the couch.

"Get some warm water and wash these scratches," Hazel commanded. She was rapidly regaining her old dominant feeling, but her back stung and ached from the brutal scratches, and she needed a bit more time to take full command of her family. She would put Gail in her place, the crazy little fool.

She looked over at Bryan as Brad did her bidding, wondering how much influence Gail might have with him, after their short stay at the lake. Perhaps not too much, Hazel thought, since Gail had obviously gotten herself a boyfriend.

"Bryan..." Hazel said cautiously, puzzled by the strange look on his face, " ... tell me about your..."

"Why don't you just shut your mouth!" he interrupted vehemently. He glared at her for a moment, then turned and went out the front door.

He looked about quickly for Rick's car, but he had gone. Bryan's face fell and he went back into the house, without a glance at his brother who was washing the scratches that marred his mother's back. He continued on until he came to Gail's room. He opened the door without knocking and went in.

Gail lay on her bed sobbing so hard that she hardly heard him. Scalding tears were streaming down her cheeks, and her knuckles were white as she ground her fingers into the pillow.

Bryan walked over and put a hand on her hair, and he stroked it fondly for a moment before he said calmly, "Come on, Gail. Let's go after Rick. You were too upset out there to see how much that man really loves you. Let's just take the car and go."

Gail shook her head firmly, but kept on crying.

"Listen, he woke me up, and I guess he did you, too. Don't throw away our one chance to get out of this shitty mess. Get up. Wash your face. Let's get out of here before something awful really happens. We can make it."

She lay with wide eyes as her sobbing subsided. One phrase Brian had used had struck home. He had said, "Don't throw away our one chance!"

Gail felt guilty at the selfishness of her grief. Bryan actually did look to her to free him from the clutches of his perverted mother. He really did need her help. She sat up, wiping her tear-stained cheeks with her hands. Bryan was staring at her with pleading eyes.

"You're right," Gail said more calmly. "Oh, why did I blow up like that and punish poor Rick? Why did I send him away? I wonder if he can ever forgive me."

"Sure he will. Anybody could see that the guy is nuts about you. Come on, let's get our clothes and grab the next bus back up to the lake. It'll work out, you'll see!" Bryan sounded so confident and enthusiastic that it restored her own courage, and she smiled softly at him.

"You get packed," she said, rising and beginning to drag out two suitcases from under her bed. "We're leaving. I've still got a couple of hundred dollars I've been saving. We'll make it, even if Rick turns his back on me."

"That's the way to talk!" Bryan said, as he headed for his own room.

In the living room, Hazel was moaning in self-pity. "My own dauhgter, and she has turned Brayan against me. You should have heard him and seen the look in his eyes when he went out!"

"He'll snap out of it," Bradley said without much conviction.

"I should never have let them go up to the cabin together."

Brad kept washing her back, not knowing what else to say. He felt ashamed of himself. He was actually evaluating himself for the first time in a long time, and the image he saw was not encouraging. He was a weakling-a sexually warped creature who chose incest or homosexuality, and he knew that either choice would lead him to disaster. He was even afraid of his sister. He wished that he could have been with them at the lake, for he could sense the change in Bryan's attitude toward his mother, and he wished dolefully that something or someone would appear who could guide him into a sensible, normal life.

He felt a deep hatred for the woman who had done this to him, and he feared that if he continued on this path, he might kill her or himself.

"Ouch! You're hurting me!" Hazel growled. Brad had been subconsciously rubbing her flesh viciously hard, with the rough-textured washcloth. Her words snapped him from his reverie, and he got up and tossed the cloth into the dish of warm water, walking away without a word.

Just as he was leaving the room, Gail and Bryan met him, suitcases in hand. Brad backed into the room, his face red under the harsh gaze of Gail. She set her suitcases down, while Brad watched her, open-mouthed. He had never guessed that Gail had the inner strength that she was showing now.

Hazel had hastily put her robe back on, and she now huddled in a tense heap on the couch, staring at her daughter and her youngest son. Faint fear crossed her face, but she quickly banished it. She was still the head of the family, and controlled the purse strings ... and also, Bryan and Brad were still legally minors. "What do you think you're doing?" Hazel sneered.

"Bryan and I are leaving. You'd better not make this mess any nastier than it is, or I'll go to the police and tell them what you've made your sons into-plain sex toys for you."

Hazel flashed a hasty glance at Bryan. His face was a cold mask, his jaw set, as he stood with the suitcases close to the front door.

"Now you listen here, Miss Smartass-" Hazel sat up straight and shook a finger, "it's you that will have the law to deal with. Bryan's still a minor!"

"Why didn't you think of that when you seduced him?" Gail snapped coldly. "Bryan's going with me. If Rick will still have me, I'm going to marry him and Bryan will have a good home. It won't do you any good to try to find me, because we'll be out of the state."

"Big talk!" Hazel bluffed.

"And about Bryan's share of the money, the first thing I'll do when I'm away from you is to hire an attorney to see that he is given his rightful share!"

They stared at each other with hatred in their eyes. It was Bryan who finally broke the tense confrontation. "Come on, Gail, let's go!" he said impatiently. He did not even look at his mother or brother as he set one suitcase down and opened the door. Gail picked up her suitcases and walked out without a glance, and as Bryan prepared to follow, Hazel wailed in a high-pitched shriek "Bryan ... my baby ... Bryan...! Please don't leave me ... I love you, Bryan!"

He followed his sister through the door and left it standing open, grimacing as his mother's piteous whining faded.

They walked to the bus stop and took a bus to the Greyhound Depot, and inside an hour, they were on their way. A heavy load seemed to have been lifted from both of them and they chatted happily about their future.

At the village of Lake Sharon, they stopped for a Coke, and Bryan sensed that Gail was beginning to worry. He didn't want her to lose her nerve now, and he asked if she wanted him to call Rick.

"No," she said quickly. "It'ssomething I've got to do. I'm the one that drove him away." She went to a wall phone and put a dime in and dialed Rick's home. She was shaking inside, and perspiration showed on her upper lip. She breathed deeply as she heard his voice, braced herself, and blurted out, "Rick ... it's Gail. Bryan and I are at the restaurant in the village. I..."

She paused as he cut in and her heart leaped for joy as she sensed the relief in his voice. "I'll be right down. Sit tight, honey. And ... I do love you, Gail." He hung up, and as she returned to her seat, she had tears in her eyes, but this time, Bryan knew, they were tears of happiness.

Hazel looked across the table at her son. They had hardly spoken all that day after Gail and Bryan had left. Now, they picked at their supper listlessly, gloom written on their faces.

"Do you think we should drive up to Lake Sharon?" she asked.

Brad James shook his head. "They wouldn't go there. They would know that would be the first place you'd look."

"What are we going to do?" Hazel whined.

"Do without them, I guess," Brad shrugged. He had been doing some soul-searching all day, and he had about come to a decision. He wished he'd had the nerve to leave and live his kind of life, but Gail was obviously made of stronger stuff than he was. He felt restless. He pushed back his plate and said suddenly, "I'm going out. I've got to take a walk ... think."

"Oh, Bradley," Hazel protested, "you can't leave me alone after what happened. I'm a nervous wreck. Please ... please don't go out ... not tonight."

"I've got to!" Brad retorted, his voice firm. "You'll be all right!" He half turned away, then back, pinning her with his eyes. Hazel saw the same look of contempt and possibly of hatred that she'd caught in Gail's and Bryan's eyes. "You'll always be all right-somehow!"

Brad left the kitchen and she heard the front door open and close a few moments later. She wondered if he would run to the arms of his boyfriend. Or, even worse, was he planning to leave, too? No, she decided, Brad was much too weak, far too dependent to do that.

She left the dishes on the table and walked clumsily into the bathroom, where she stripped off her robe and stood looking at her naked body in the mirror. She still had a nice figure, for the most part, she flattered herself. If she would only circulate about where men gathered, she could still make out with men-decent men. Why should she have to beg her sexual favors from her son? She was growing angrier by the moment as she admired her full-blown woman's body. She made a sudden decision, and began to apply makeup very carefully to her face. She spent more than a half-hour primping her hair and making up her face, then she went into her bedroom and selected a chic dress-her best one-and after putting on panties and bra, she slid the dress over her head, donned high-heeled shoes, and posed before her dresser mirror. "Why not?"

Hazel said aloud. She was asking the mental question why shouldn't I be attractive to men?

She moved awkwardly as she left the house and got into her car. She was able to drive adequately, although a bit painfully, and she drove to a small cocktail lounge that advertised in the papers as being "The Place to Meet Happy People."

She felt a few misgivings but she hobbled into the place that rocked with the music of a small group. No one paid any attention, and she found a small table up against the wall where she could hardly be seen, and from where she could barely see the dancers on the small floor. The music was deafening to her, and she looked about her with interest at the crowded place. Almost all the males had long hair and were what she considered sloppily dressed, and the females looked to Hazel to be little better than bar pickups.

A waitress wiggled over after more than five minutes of waiting and Hazel ordered a martini. She was tempted to quietly leave while she waited. The place was obviously a hangout for the young swingers. There wasn't a man in the place, aside from the two bartenders, who was even close to Hazel's age.

She suddenly felt old and alone. For the first time in many years, she thought of her husband. She wondered if things might have been entirely different if he had lived. She watched a couple in a nearby booth, openly making love. The young man's hand was underneath the girls miniskirt, his fingers playing with her pussy through her pantyhose.

She was sucking his tongue deep into her mouth while rubbing one hand over the bulge in the front of his pants. It aroused Hazel in a strange way, and it also made up her mind. If she stayed here, she could only feel lonely and old, and since she wasn't a good drinker, she might just make a fool of herself.

She got up, put a dollar on the table, and hobbled out of the place. She drove idly, thinking about the way things had turned out for her. Before she realized it, she was in the sleazier part of town and she pulled up before a dumpy-looking bar and went in. There were only a few men at the bar and no one at the few tables. Hazel hesitated a moment, then walked in with her awkward, leg-dragging gait and sat at a table.

The bartender eyed her suspiciously then came around the bar and faced her. He was a big man with a battered face, who looked like an ex-boxer. "Look, you ain't gonna do any business in here," he said gruffly. "My trade wouldn't spent a buck for a lay if they had it. It'd go oh booze."

Hazel gasped as his meaning sunk home. He thought she was a whore! He stood there, motioning with his thumb toward the door and she was so shocked and angered that she couldn't find the words to return his insult. She got up meekly and walked out.

Outside, she began to cry-real, honest-to-God tears. She had never before been treated as a prostitute. She got into the car and drove home. She ached to see the face of Bradley or of Bryan-to feel their bodies close to hers. She would talk to Brad ... make him understand her terrible need of him. He would understand. She would use every bit of allure, every part of her being to convince him of her need.

She pulled the car into the driveway and climbed out. She felt weary and battered, and it was a new feeling for her. She had always had an indomitable spirit, but now, she felt completely crushed. She needed someone to help her, and it was the first time she could remember that she ever had felt she needed help.

She put on the light in the living room and her eyes immediately fell on the sheet of typing paper that was pinned to the back of her favorite chair. Her heart sank. She limped over and took it in her hands. She recognized Brad's handwriting. It read: Hazel, I've gone away for good. I have come to hate you and hate myself. I'm not blaming you completely-I was as weak as you are strong. I've taken all the money I could find. Don't worry, and don't try to find me. You won't. Maybe, after a long time, I'll write.

Brad

The words swam before her eyes as the import of the words struck at her heart. She felt faint and collapsed in the chair, dry-eyed, although her breath came in gasping moans. It couldn't be happening this way ... to lose all her children the same day. It just had to be a dream.

She crawled to her feet and hobbled to Brad's room, peering in, still not able to accept the fact that he had left her. She walked into the kitchen and stared about her blankly. Almost without thinking, she got out a bottle of gin and poured some in a water glass.

She went back into the living, room and slumped into the chair, sipping at the gin, staring into the empty space of her life.