Based on a post by RonanJWilkerson, in 12 parts. Listen to the Podcast at Explicit Novels.

October 17, 2020.

All of Dave's partners were at the park, setting up the folding table and portable gazebo. None of his partners were wilting flowers, so he couldn't exactly muscle his way in to doing the set up. But, they had taken off with the intent that three would return to clean the dishes while the rest hung out in the park for Shawna to get off in barely an hour. Roscoe and Esme, of course, were among those getting to run around in the grass and fresh air.

So, Dave was at the sink, scrubbing dishes with some of his favorite songs playing out of his Echo Show in the kitchen. The volume was cranked, and so was Dave's voice as he sang along, rather skillfully, but a bit out of practice. Currently, he was belting through a Kenny Loggins song. One that got him energized and moving.

Isabella's eyes,

Oh,

shine your light and make your momma smile

"Who, yeah, shake it baby!"

Dave spun around, caught in the act. Doing dishes, and singing. And dancing. Sort of. Mel and Becca stood at the entrance to the kitchen, clapping and whistling. Lupie was beside them, with a smile and a raised eyebrow.

"I claim dibs on naming my first daughter Isabella!" Rebecca called out. Melanie pursed her lips and looked defeated.

"I'd fight you for that privilege, but with a daughter named Esmeralda, that'd be too close. Besides," Lupie added with a wry smile, "some would say it's the same name, so I guess I got there first." Then, she playfully stuck out her tongue. Now, Lupie is often fun loving, but this was a level of silly unheard of for her. Everyone was too busy laughing with her to show much in the way of shock though.

Dave moved in to hug her and delivered a soft kiss. Lupie hummed into the kiss and smiled before pulling back with a playful scowl.

"Don't think I forgot you were doing basic chores, David."

"They needed doing, and I didn't have much on my plate at the moment, corazon ." Lupie just narrowed her eyes at Dave's reply, but the smile below gave away her jest. For added measure, Dave slapped her ass and then squeezed. That and Lupie's 'Eep!' got Mel and Becca laughing again. Then they took up position behind Dave's shoulders, so he was surrounded by his partners. Their hands slid along his sides in ways that were chaste, for now, but hinted at an interest in something more.

"No, horny girls, remember this is Shawna's celebration. Picnic party in the park, the gift from Becca and Reena, and then she gets Dave all to herself until after breakfast." The younger women groaned, but acquiesced. "Shawna's heading straight there from work, and she texted me a few minutes ago she was on her way out the door. We need to wrap up here in short order and get to the park."

Lupie sent Dave to wash up and change for the party while the ladies finished the remaining dishes and picked up the last needed items for the party. They got to the park about ten minutes before Shawna, or just enough time for Roscoe to finish saying hello to each of them.

The other ladies greeted Shawna warmly, then she advanced on Dave, who had been waiting his turn.

"Congratulations, babe. I'm proud of you and happy for you."

Shawna wrapped him in a tight hug and a long, lingering kiss that was smoky rather than fiery. "I've been looking forward to that all day."

Dave smiled and dropped a quick peck on her lips. "So, just the two of us until tomorrow morning huh?"

Shawna grinned. "Umm-hmm. Very accommodating crew you've drawn to you, darling."

"And pretty good cooks too. You should get something to eat. I made that cucumber tomato salad you like."

"Ooo, with the fresh veggies you just harvested?"

Dave nodded. Shawna skipped happily to the table, Dave beside her, holding her hand.

Dave ate a double helping of everything. Each dish was tasty, and he was hungry. He sidled up to Shawna. "So how's Skippy the Wonder Boy doing?" Shawna's department now consisted of her, a young and fresh out of college guy with his master's in meteorology, and a young lady that was on her internship last spring when lockdowns hit. Each had different levels of skills, and each had shortages that Shawna, as the boss, had to train them up from. At least 'Skippy' had finished all the classes. He seemed like a pleasant guy on air. Unfortunately, he looked perpetually 14, wearing one of daddy's suits. The scruffy attempt at a beard was not helping.

Shawna's scowled. Hard. "Mitchell is coming along just fine. Especially for a young man thrust into a position with far more responsibility than he should have to carry this soon out of school."

"I'm sorry, hun. He always comes off as very pleasant, but he also looks way too young."

"He is too young. He's handling his professional duties quite well, though. It's his personal life I worry about occasionally."

"How so?"

"Well, his first partner was a former Cowboys cheerleader, and looks it. She's been off the squad for two years, so she didn't get snapped up by some rich guy wanting a trophy." Shawna paused to a rough exhale. "But yeah, this earnest, and rather naïve, nerd boy has the devastatingly hot, bubbly woman three years older than him dumped in his lap. His first day back after she'd joined him, I thought the top of his head was going to fall off, he was smiling so big."

Dave snorted at the image. He could understand the boy's predicament. That made him think.

"That was just the start. His second partner was his sister's best friend; she was homecoming queen and prom queen. The sad side is, his sister didn't make it." Shawna's voice caught. "So sometimes he's having sex with this beauty that he never thought would come near him, and sometimes they're crying together over his dead sister and her dead friend."

"Damn this fucking virus," Dave said huskily. He blew out a breath. "He really is one of us isn't he?"

Shawna nodded.

"How many partners does he have?"

"Mindy, his fourth partner joined him last week. He's probably getting a fifth soon." She thought for a moment. "Guess that means you'll be getting another lady soon as well."

Dave shrugged. "Yeah, maybe. I'm at seven now, so maybe that's it. That would be fine by me. Any one of you alone are incredible." He paused for the appreciative kiss. "I was thinking, if both families are plused up enough to be safe, then maybe we should invite him and his partners over. For games, or just talk and some background music."

Shawna brightened. "Now that's the man I fell for." She kissed him firmly on the cheek. "I don't know if he has any friends or family left, and his girls are nice ladies, but not nerds. Well, Ginger, his third partner is an anime fan, but I think that's the extent of her nerd creds. Mindy's an athlete. Now, all of them love him to death, and they may share some of his other interests, but not the nerdy stuff."

Dave frowned. "Sounds like Oracle isn't working out for him."

"Oh, no. He has interests that aren't strictly speaking nerdy. And I know there's some sharing going on there. Kelly, the former cheerleader, shares his love of gardening."

"And that's something Liv and I can share with the both of them."

"Yup."

"Okay, let's talk it over with the others and plan something." Dave looked chagrined. "So, uh, what's his real name?"

Shawna gave him a pursed-lip grin with narrow eyes. "Mitch. Mitchell Westfield"

"I'll work on that."

Shawna gave him some side-eye, but with a grin, as they walked back to the others. Becca and Reena were waving them over excitedly and everyone had gathered around the box with the cake Lupie'd made.

Shawna opened the package Reena held up for her. In the small box was a black t-shirt with the station logo over the heart on the front and "Weather Boss" across the back. The girls had carefully made sure it was just the right fit, not too snug or too loose for Shawna to wear to work. She laughed and hugged each teen.

"You two are pretty awesome you know?"

Both young ladies beamed.

Shawna draped the t-shirt over her shoulder as Lupie opened the box to reveal the cake. It was three layers, with milk chocolate icing. On the top was the station logo, with the words 'Chief Meteorologist'. Around the sides, as one walked around, there was a sun breaking through clouds, a cloud with rain falling from it, and the third tableau depicted a tornado, with a bit of dust obscuring the bottom.

"Oh, it's perfect Lupie! Thank you so much!" The ladies embraced before Lupie set about slicing the well-crafted dessert. Naturally, Shawna got the first slice. Between the layers was a thin puree of strawberries; Shawna's favorite. That was good for a small happy dance, which in turn, made Lupie happy.

With everyone chatting happily, Dave slipped away from the others. He just had a small side trip he needed to make.

About fifteen minutes later, Shawna came around the bend in the sidewalk as it exited the trees near the base of the bridge. She moved, unhurried, to Dave's side as he stood at the peak of the bridge, looking down at the stream passing below. In flood stage, it took a wider path, and might legitimately be called a river. Most of the time, it remained within the narrow channel with broad margins that were pleasant to walk along if you wore the right footwear.

"You know, we all saw you leave. We just thought you needed some space. Or some time." She looked into his face, seeing the evidence of tears, but not a full-on bawling episode. "This is Eddie's bridge isn't it?"

Eyes watering again, Dave didn't trust himself to speak and merely nodded. Shawna stepped closer and hugged him. They stood like that for a few minutes before she slowly released him.

"Thanks. I needed that. I just; I'm such a damn wimp. I know I need to be stronger for all of you, but I; I can't move past this."

"You keep focusing on the times you fall down. I see the man that gets back up, shoulders the burden, and keeps going."

"I don't want to though, I only do it because I have to."

"That's what makes you the man I've fallen in love with. No one wants to take the burden, and some people refuse to do it. You do it, knowing how much pain you'll go through again."

"This world sucks ya know."

"It always has, we just papered over it and let ourselves forget. Now is one of the times the ugliness rips through the paper walls and makes us look it in the face." Shawna paused to stroke the side of Dave's face soothingly. "Do you remember the Kurlan Naiskos, in TNG?"

"Yeah."

"One of your voices is an ox. Carry any burden, push through any problem, get the job done no matter the cost to yourself. A low-key hero. Maybe not the only hero within you. All I'm saying is, I am very glad to have you in my life, and to be a part of your life."

They stood there at the railing, looking at the water for a minute or so. Then Shawna spoke again.

"Honestly David, we're talking about your son's death here. I'd be worried if you weren't having bouts of sorrow. Hell, that would scare the shit out of me. I'd much rather come home to find you curled into a fetal position bawling your eyes out, than you just blithely going about your life as if nothing happened."

Dave looked up at her and smiled weakly. "Okay. Sorry, I just feel like such a pussy when I get like this."

"Don't make me tell Becca on you," Shawna said with a grin.

With a sly smile, Dave rejoined, "So, how may I convince you to keep my dirty secret?"

"Hmm, kitty's hungry, Davey." Shawna said in a low tone. Then she nibbled her finger and switched to a higher pitched schoolgirl pleading tone. "Kitty needs cream. Please Davey, pump your cream into my hungry, wet kitty."

"Kitty hell, I'm looking at a strong, capable panther that could eat me alive and make me smile the whole time."

Shawna grinned, excited. The skirt she wore that day was long and loose, without being flowy. Dave knelt briefly to reach his hands up and pull off her thong panties. He stuffed them in his pocket as she gathered the lower part of her skirt in her hands and leaned back against the railing. Fortunately, Dave was wearing jeans instead of cargo shorts today. Cargos would have dropped to his ankles the moment he unbuckled, leaving his bare ass out for anyone to walk by and see. Though no one seemed to be on the trail today.

Instead, he unbuckled and unzipped, lowering his jeans and boxers just enough to bring his already half-erect cock out. When he stepped closer to Shawna, she wrapped her left leg around his waist and draped the skirt to cover the both of them.

A few minutes of hungry kisses and energetic groping had Dave at full mast. He slipped himself inside Shawna's drenched pussy while she groaned. They fucked hard. Shawna focused mostly on staying upright and close, but put some effort into fucking back at him. Dave drove himself into her, his hunger matching hers, one hand behind her torso, the other fondling her tit through her shirt and bra roughly, the way she liked when they were going fast. His thumb and forefinger grasped at her nipple, and Shawna hit her first orgasm. She shook in Dave's arms, her rippling inner muscles running riot on his intruding organ. As she calmed, he approached his peak. She could see it in his eyes and urged him onward with soft, lusty whispers. As Dave erupted, she clutched him tight, her body overcome with spasms as the serum renewed her attachment to him, giving her pleasure when he attained climax.

When her shuddering subsided, she kissed him warmly. Dave slipped himself out of her and quickly fixed his boxers and jeans. He handed her panties back, so she had something to stem the fluids flowing out of her. There were knowing smiles when they rejoined the others, but no commentary.

In the mid-evening, with dusk sufficiently fallen outside, Dave and Shawna lay cozily tangled in the bath. With darkness outside and only the smallest, dimmest light on the vanity, the lighting gave a warm, inviting ambience. Peach bubble bath scented the air more than the water. It was just a little late in the year for a fresh peach; Dave checked that early in his planning.

Shawna took another deep breath, a big, lazy grin on her face. "My favorite scent ever."

"So can I call you my Georgia peach, even if you're not from Georgia?"

"Well, I sort of am. My mother's from Georgia. Mom and Dad met at UGA. He was majoring in Civil Engineering and she was majoring in Music Education. When they graduated, they moved to St Louis to start their new life together. Dad grew up in Creve Coeur, a town near St Louis."

"That's a sweet story."

"Umm hmm. I'm hoping to have the same happily ever after here. They're both alive and quarantining hard. Hopefully, the vaccine will get there soon. I haven't said anything to them directly, but they are being careful."

Dave gave a slight extra squeeze to the hug. They sat there in silence again for a while. Then Dave's hands slipped downward a bit, cupping her tits lightly as he hummed '; really love your peaches wanna shake your tree ;” Shawna recognized the tune and chuckled.

It was a long, slow, comfortable night, with more cuddling and light touching than sex. Ditto for the wake up.
Chapter 8; Planning a Future.

October 19, 2020.

Shawna's early shift meant she was home for dinner with enough time to change and sit with the family talking while Lupie and Reena prepared the meal.

"Mom was a pretty good painter. She actually sold a few at small auctions. The one she was proudest of, she gave to Dave though. He's a fan of seascapes, so she made this beautiful painting with a cliff in the upper left and a roiling, storm-tossed ocean filling most the canvas. Lots of white caps and ocean spray, dark stormy waters, the whole works. You could almost feel like you were on the deck of a ship struggling to stay afloat in the storm." Liv looked wistful as she spoke of her mom's talents.

"Oh! I've seen that one!" Jan exclaimed.

The others looked between Livy, Dave, and Jan.

With a neutral face that they had become accustomed to at certain times Dave said, "I put it away in a closet to keep it safe. I; went through a dark time there for a while. I didn't want to damage it."

"And I found it when I was looking for the book boxes you mentioned. I'm sorry I brought it up, Dave." Olivia nodded her agreement with Jan.

"Don't be ladies. Janelle's gift is a bright point. Honestly, I'm at a place now that I would feel safe bringing it back out. And the photos."

A small relief settle over the gathering. There were a few spots that obviously held a picture or painting for some years, but had been bare when the ladies arrived. The general state of the world, and the events of Olivia and Melanie's arrival made each reluctant to broach the subject.

"It would be good to see pictures of Eddie, Janelle, and; Carter?" Shawna said softly.

"I don't think I ever saw Livy's parents, but I met Eddie a few times." Becca chimed in. "He was a nice guy. Kinda handsome too. But, I know where he got that from." She blew an air kiss to Dave. The others grinned or chuckled, with a few nods.

"Well, she made the painting in Eddie's senior year, and he was between girlfriends when Mom finished. She had me bring it over on a weekend she knew Eddie was staying with Dave. Dave hadn't moved to this house yet."

Dave chuckled, in memory, as he realized where Olivia was going with this story.

"Keep in mind, Eddie is almost three years older than me. At the time, I was a few months past fifteen, and Eddie was shy of his eighteenth birthday by a few months. Mom drives me, but hangs back a bit, having me talk to Dave and Eddie. I get to Dave's front door, all flustered, 'cuz here's my crush, that I fantasize about spending my life with," Olivia is beaming a big smile at this point, with Dave replying with a shame-faced smile, "being all happy for this gift I'm giving him and showing me all this affection, but like I'm a well-loved daughter, not a woman he'd go out with. And all these little-girl-in-love feelings are just going haywire."

The older ladies all showed some level of sympathy for Olivia. For her part, Becca slipped off her spot, nestled in beside Dave and said, "I don't know what you're talking about." The play-act was good for a chuckle.

"That's when Eddie pipes up and offers to take me out that evening. He looked uncertain, but somewhat interested. We were friends, but there'd been no romance, no attraction. I was torn, because Eddie is a; " Olivia swallowed "--was a great guy, but he wasn't the guy I was after. I agreed, though. A week later he admitted that Dave put him up to it, and Mom was almost certainly involved. The three of them made multiple attempts at throwing us together. Hell, Eddie was the only boy Daddy didn't try to scare off."

"Wait, so you dated Eddie?"

"Not really. It was just two friends hanging out. It happened a few times as Mom, Dad, and Dave kept trying to get us together, but it never stuck. We both thought the other was an incredible person," she paused for a second again, "but there was no; no spark of desire. I mean, yeah, he thought I was pretty, I thought he was handsome, but it just wasn't there."

"OK, 'cuz that would have been really weird. Especially if you two had; "

"Nope." Olivia said it awfully quick, with a bit of extra color rising in her face.

That caused everyone else to lean in.

"Girl," was all Shawna said.

Olivia rolled her eyes and exhaled hard. "They were trying so hard, and we really liked each other, and we thought maybe if we just tried; but we couldn't kiss without giggling. Like we couldn't bring our lips together we'd bust out laughing first. On the cheek was fine, but lips touching was just too goofy." Olivia stared off into space for a moment. "Okay, there was one time we tried to go all the way. I was over eighteen by then. We each undressed ourselves, but by the time we were both naked, we both had the nervous giggles. On paper, we should have been a great match, but something big was missing."

"Oh, I've felt it," Becca said, waving her hand in the air, "I know what the big missing thing was."

The whole house cracked up laughing.

"Hey, we are talking about my friend here. And he's Dave son, so he was no slouch there. It just wasn't hard. That was a little demoralizing. I'm standing there, naked, tits out, not trying to hide anything, and I was already keeping it trimmed, so it's all out there where he can see it, and he's limp. Full length, but limp. That was a blow to my ego."