Sister Laurel & the Atheist Page 9

  She handed her a group of pictures. Sorting through the stack, she paused at a particularly striking portrait. He was dignified looking with a well trimmed beard, longish brown hair graying at the temples and warm brown eyes. She handed the images back. "Yes, he's very nice looking. When do you see him again?"

  "I have already, twice. Last week I drove to Flagstaff and we made love everywhere. Even on his desk at the university. Then yesterday he came here again. He's here right now in my apartment. Laurel, do you think we had sex too fast? I don't want to screw this up like I did with Julian."

  She was asking me? Why me? "Sarah, you know I'm no Dear Abby, especially when it comes to sex. I'll say this though. I think it has less to do with time than instinct. If you truly hit it off together, it wouldn't matter if you fucked five minutes or five weeks after you met." A flush surged through her. Her hand went to her mouth. "Oh my, did I just say fuck?"

  I saw Sarah nod in the mirror. "Ah-huh."

  "God, I never say that. Ooh, I feel so…risqué. I wonder what Julian would think?"

  Sarah rolled her eyes, then whispered in her ear, "I'll bet he'd love it. Especially, if, in the heat of passion, you said, I love the way you fuck me, baby, ooh I love your big cock inside me, fuck me faster, harder, make it go deeper!"

  Before she'd even finished whispering, her jaw dropped. "I couldn't say that."

  "Yes, you could. People say things behind closed doors they'd never say otherwise. It's called pillow talk. I hate to remind you that we've shared the same man, but I can tell you from experience, he'd like it."

  Now, her eyes expanded. "Really, you said things like that and he liked it?"

  "Not just he, but all men like it. It reinforces their macho image."

  "Hmmm. My sister mentioned pillow talk. Maybe I should try it."

  "There you go. Sister tested."

  Laurel laughed.

  When she got back in her car she called Tess.

  "Hi sis, what'cha doing. Gee pretty soon I won't be able to call you Sister Sis."

  "And I can't wait. How'd you know it was me?"

  "Some new fangled invention called caller ID. What's up?"

  "Oh, same old thing. I need advice from my personal sage, again."

  She snickered. "Go ahead. Ask wise older sister anything."

  "Okay, here goes…Julian is taking me to celebrate our engagement tonight by him taking me to dinner. I'm meeting him at the museum. He doesn't know it, but I have this urge—"

  "To fuck his socks off at the museum?"

  She frowned. "Spoilsport. How did you know?"

  "Because it's not that unusual, Seth and I have made love in his office—on the examination table, on his desk, on a gurney."

  "I guess not. My friend Sarah told me she did it on her boyfriend's desk too, but that wasn't my question. Tess do you say naughty things to Seth when you…"

  Tess laughed. "Sure. Not always, but if the mood strikes, yes, I tell him how good it feels in terms that would make you blush. He tells me too."

  It was her turn to laugh. "Maybe not Big Sis, I said fuck twice today."

  She knew she smiled. "Ooh, you wicked person. Welcome to the real world."

  She tittered. "Sarah said I should say some of those wicked things to Julian. She said he'd like it."

  "He might. I'm sure he'd tell you if he didn't want his innocent little princess to say naughty things, but the point is you don't just say things for your partner. In the heat of passion, you say what you feel. It's like letting off steam."

  "Really, that sounds like good advice. Do you have any more?"

  "Maybe, what are you wearing?"

  "I'm going to dress like I did on our first date."

  "Okay, leave the panties and bra off."

  "But they're so pretty and sexy."

  "They are, but for the things you want to do they'll only get in the way."

  "All right. Any more ideas?"

  "Can't think of anything else. Besides I hear Stephen fussing and have to go. Have fun and give me a full report when you can."

  "I will. Bye. I love you."

  "I love you too."

  Laurel arrived at the museum at five thirty. An employee directed her to his office, but he wasn't there. Instead a pleasant looking middle aged lady greeted her. "You must be Laurel Adams. Julian just told me all about you. I'm Agnes Goodbody, the Director of Antiquities Acquisition."

  While shaking her offered hand, she kissed her cheek. Backing away she said, "Look at you. You're gorgeous, though I'm not surprised. Julian is gorgeous himself. Is he not?"

  She nodded looked for him. "He is. Where is he?"

  "He's in the basement, undergoing torture." She grasped her hands. "Just kidding. That's kind of a euphemism around here for tedious work. He's logging in a large shipment newly acquired items." She looked her over "Beautiful gown. Looks like you're planning on doing some celebrating tonight."

  "Thank you. Yes. I guess you heard of our engagement."

  "Yes, I did. It was so cute. Julian waltzed in this morning like he was in seventh heaven. Usually, when employees get called in they're grumpy, but not your boy. Not today at least. So I asked him what's wrong? He laughed and said, "Nothing is wrong. If you were to ask me what's right, I would tell you everything, because I just became engaged to an angel."

  Her bashful nature compelled her to change the subject. "Will he be long?"

  "Auf, excuse my manners. Why don't you have a seat in Julian's office while I call him and tell him you're here."

  Five minutes later Agnes stuck her head in the door. "He said he'll be up in ten minutes. Well, I'm going home. It was so nice meeting you. Have fun tonight."

  "We will, thank you, and I enjoyed meeting you, too."

  A few minutes later, Julian sauntered in, his shirtsleeves rolled up. He held his sport coat draped over his shoulder. "Wow, look at you. You look just like you did that first night."

  "You noticed. Are we alone now?"

  Julian flashed a naughty smile. "Yes, except for the security guard who stays in his office until ten. Do you still want to make love here?"

  She didn't answer him. Instead she rose and strolled to her right. "I may look the same, but I'm a different woman." She turned and sashayed left. "Since that night, my world has changed." She turned and faced Julian. "I've fallen in love, lost my virginity, had my pussy waxed, became engaged, and turned into a sex addict." She reached down and lifted the hem of her dress. "Notice anything?"

  A single brow rose on Julian's wickedly smiling face. "No panties."

  She began to clear his desk. "That's right and to start, I want you to fuck me on your desk."

  After receiving her first climax on Julian's desk, he took her to various exhibitions where they had sex a different way at each location. Suddenly, just after she had her third climax, Julian's phone rang and to her surprise he reached into his pants, pulled his phone out and answered it. After a brief conversation he turned to her and said, "I'm sorry but we have to go."

  "To dinner?"

  His lips pursed as he nodded. "Yes, but not like I planned."

  She narrowed her eyes. "What do you mean?

  "Jessie. I made the mistake of telling her the good news and she insisted we come over there for a meet the family, engagement celebration dinner if she could make the arrangements. I didn't think there was a snowball's chance in hell that she could get everybody together on such short notice, so I said if she could pull it off we'd come."

  "And?"

  "She did it. That was her and she said everyone would be there by eight."

  She sniggered. "I look forward to meeting my future in-laws."

  "Phew! Thank you, I thought I really screwed up. I have to warn you though, my mother doesn't think there's a woman in the world who's worthy of me."

  She tittered, "Thanks for the warning."

  We both dressed and once more, leaving her car at the museum, we were off to Jessie's house in ten minutes. "Where does Jessie
live?"

  "She and her sixteen year old son, Jason, live in Pasadena. That's about twelve miles for here. We should just make it."

  It was just getting dark when we pulled up to a darling, older Spanish home. The driveway overflowed so we parked on the street.

  "Well, it looks like everyone is here." Julian exited on his side and came around, opened her door and to help her out, offered his hand. "Oh, your hand is cold. Are you nervous?"

  "A little, but if everyone is as nice as Jessie, I'll be fine."

  When they got to the door, instead of knocking or ringing the doorbell, he just clicked the thumb latch and it opened.

  When we stepped in I heard someone say. "There she is." I glanced up and saw Jessie heading our way. After hugging Julian, she embraced her and kissed her on the cheek. Then she turned to her mother, father and sisters. "Everyone, this is Laurel. Isn't she lovely?"

  Everyone, except the mother, nodded, with the father chipping in. "I'll say. Julian has good taste, just like his Pappy." He winked.

  Laurel liked Julian's dad, immediately. In fact as Julian reminded her of Daddy so did John.

  Jessie continued her introduction. Okay, Laurel, on the couch are my sisters, Judy and Janet.

  The one on the left said, "I'm Judy and that's Janet.

  She nodded. "Nice to meet you both."

  "Next on the settee is my mother, Julie and my father, John."

  Julie waved, but John rose. "I have to get a hug from my future daughter-in-law.

  He came up to her, but stopped short. "Is it all right?"

  "Instead of answering him, she eased into him and embraced him. It's nice to meet you, John."

  He pulled away and waggled his eyebrows. "And it's doubly nice to meet you."

  Jessie signaled for the young man who sat in a corner chair to come over. He stood and as he came toward us, Jessie explained, "And this is Johnny, my one and only."

  He waved shyly, but she decided since he was already there, she hugged him too. "Hi Johnny. You have a very nice mother."

  "Thank you. Julian is a lucky man."

  Julian laughed. "Trying to make points with my woman, huh?"

  Johnny's mouth fell open. "No, Uncle Julie, really—"

  Julian wrapped an arm across his shoulders. "Just kidding, Johnny."

  Jessie took her free hand. "Well, dinner is ready. Shall we go eat?" She led her into the dining room, while Julian escorted his mother. She could hear him whispering to her as they walked into the dinning room.

  The dinning room was large and fortunately seated all eight of them. Jessie insisted Laurel sit at the head of the table with Julian to her right and Juliet to her left. John and Janet sat next to Juliet, while Judy sat next to her fiancé. Jessie and Johnny went into the kitchen to serve the meal, which turned out to be Cesar's salad, ham, yams and corn on the cob.

  Juliet, though polite, seemed cool toward her, which thanks to Julian, She expected. She did offer an honest assessment of her feelings. "You have to understand, this whole thing has taken me by surprise. I'd never even heard your name mentioned before today. Give me time to get used to the idea."

  "I understand. Take your time."

  Julian's mother and father left at ten-thirty and they left shortly thereafter. Her initial impressions seemed to hold through the night. John liked her and she liked him. Juliet was undecided and all she could do was hope she came around. Johnny was a nice boy, who was just getting interested in girls. Judy and Janet were pleasant enough, but they were not as effusive as Jessie, who claimed to love her like a sister.

  Chapter Twelve – Mother Superior and the Atheist

  "To believe in God is impossible - to not believe in Him is absurd"

  ~ Voltaire ~

  A s she had for the last five days she awoke in Julian's bed. Except for yesterday when he fixed breakfast and proposed, she awoke in his arms. She stared at the ceiling as a slide show of the previous night's events unfolded within her mind. After making love on his desk, they made love in the hominid exhibit, then the dinosaur exhibit and lastly the California History exhibit, after which, she could truthfully say she was sated. Then of course, she got to meet Julian's family.

  Mother Superior.

  For some unfathomable reason, she'd been putting off bringing Mother Superior and Julian together. No more excuses. She gently removed his hand from her breast, hopped out of bed and got into the shower. Wearing her undergarments, she applied her make-up and got dressed. Poor Julian, she must have worn him out last night for he'd yet to wake before it was time for her to leave. Since she didn't want to wake him, she left a note—Went to get Mother Superior. Love forever, L

  * * * *

  Julian rose as Laurel ushered in her Mother Superior. After introductions and preliminary pleasantries, the three of us sat down. Sue, as she requested he call her, sat in one of two occasional chairs, while he sat on the couch. His love, Laurel went into the kitchen to prepare coffee and refreshments.

  Sue chose not to wear her religious garments, for which he was grateful. However, she was in possession of the usual Catholic crutches, the bible, a crucifix and rosary beads. She looked to be somewhere between her late fifties and early sixties. She possessed a pleasant if not comely face, bright blue eyes and light brown turning gray hair in a French twist. His first impression of the woman was favorable. He liked her. She seemed to be a good woman, and therefore he decided to take it easy on her.

  "Thank you for having me here today. I can see why our Laurel has fallen for you."

  He smiled but said nothing.

  Laurel brought coffee and pastries. After serving, she sat on the couch next to him and curled her well turned legs beside her and placed an arm over his shoulders. A stab of pride filtered through him as she left no doubt about her feelings for him.

  Cementing their togetherness, he rested his left hand on her knee.

  Sue smiled. "There's no doubt you two make a darling couple. Julian, Sister Laurel has indicated your beliefs are strong and ingrained so I have no intention to dissuade you of them."

  He smiled back. "That's very kind of you Sister Sue, but let me assure you my beliefs were not ingrained. I sought them out and when the truth became apparent, I absorbed them. No parent, pastor or Sunday school teacher imbued these beliefs into my young impressionable mind, though such people did try to instill, in me, their Christian beliefs."

  "I see." She fidgeted around in her seat and finally sat up straight. "So your parents were Christian?"

  He nodded. "That's right, they still are—Presbyterian. A vocal atheist is a disappointment to my family, but they tolerate it as if I were an eccentric son. The fact is, there is no compelling reason to believe in a supreme being."

  Sister Sue took a sip of her coffee. "Mmm, good coffee. Julian, you may be surprised to know that I agree with you on that point, but that is where faith comes in."

  "Faith! Do you know what faith means? Belief in something without proof. I can't operate that way. Nor can six million avowed and countless closet atheists in our country."

  "Nevertheless, faith in God and his goodness is what sustains me and hundreds of millions of believers. But we digress, I did not come here to argue the merits of my beliefs or yours."

  His confusion must have showed, because she laughed. "Don't look so surprised. I merely wanted to meet the man who captivated Sister Laurel and protect her rights as a Catholic."

  "I'm listening."

  "I want your promise that you will permit her to practice her religion as she sees fit."

  "Agreed."

  "That you will get married in our convent chapel."

  He really didn't like it, but Laurel would give up so much to be with him, that he agreed. "No problem…provided it's what she wants."

  Laurel kissed his cheek. "Thanks, it is."

  He smiled and turned to Sister Sue. "That's settled. What else?"

  Sister Sue took her time answering. She wriggled and took a sip of her coffee. Finally,
she spoke, "That future offspring from your union have a Catholic upbringing."

  He leaned forward. "No, no, no! Are you aware of the Catholic maxim, 'Give me the children until they are seven and anyone may have them thereafter'?"

  "I believe you are quoting one of the Jesuit founders, St Ignatius Loyola or St Francis Xavier—'Give me the child until he is seven and I care not who has him thereafter.'"

  His nostrils flared. "Whatever? The meaning is clear, they destroy freethinking."

  "I'm sure that was bravado, moreover, if it wasn't, I'm equally sure the Jesuits of the twenty-first century are more tactful than the sixteenth century group. Even so, I'm not suggesting you send your children to be educated by the Jesuits. We merely want the children to learn what millions of others believe. In your and Laurel's case, your viewpoint can balance that of the church."

  He leaned back and wrapped an arm around his fiancée. "Laurel and I will talk about it."

  After that, the conversation turned to what Laurel had to do to rescind her vows.