The following week went by in a rush of school runs, Jane and Dee in their normal routines. Back in the kitchen a week after Dee’s confession and after another gym session, Dee brought up their plan again for the boys.
“It’s not our plan; it is your crazy idea,” Jane protested.
“Yes, but we agreed, and you know it makes sense, and…”
“We didn’t agree; you came up with it, and I’m still not sure. I think we should just forget about the whole thing.”
“That might not be an option. I already told JP. I promised him really.”
“Oh fuck. Fuck. Can’t you tell him it was a mistake, say sorry, anything?” Jane looked worried.
Dee shook her head, pulling on clothes over another of her impossibly small leotards. Jane ran upstairs, returning a few minutes later; they looked like two model mums. Dee drove to the school, distracted by the parents meeting to arrange chaperones for the New Year skiing trip. They parked and made their way toward the smaller meeting hall. They greeted a few familiar faces and avoided ‘Lenny the letch’ by waiting just inside the doors. Jane lifted her finger to’shhh’ Dee and leaned her head towards the door. Outside, a heated conversation could be heard approaching.
“All mobile phones, for inspection, yes.”
“The parents must be told.”
“No, no, we can’t risk this getting out.”
“We have to put a stop to this picture sharing, revenge porn, sexting, whatever it is called.”
“Let’s talk after this meeting…”
Through the door came the headmaster and the head of computing. Both looked flustered and flushed, and the headmaster was unusually red-faced.
The meeting was quick, and some potential chaperones volunteered. Dee and Jane, along with a few other regulars, were asked to help escort the group again; they had done it on previous trips. Everyone filed out as the end of the school day bell rang.
“What do you think that argument was about?” Jane asked as she and Dee walked along to the car.
“I don’t know for sure, but it sounds like a lot of trouble coming, and I don’t want Dunc getting caught up in it. I think we ought to warn them to clean out their phones and be safe.”
They drove to the collection point; the boys piled in, and Dee drove them home. In the kitchen, Dee called the boys to hang on.
“We need a word with you two.”
The boys were not used to such a stern tone; they sensed that something was wrong.
“We know there is something going on in school, something you two might be involved in. We are not saying you are in trouble, but we are going to keep you out of something that could turn nasty.” Dee had her arms crossed as she spoke.
The boys looked worried.
“Hand over your phones,” Jane joined the conversation.
Both boys protested a lot. Dee had moved to stand in the doorway to the hall to prevent them from escaping from the kitchen.
“Let me explain why,” Dee tried to calm the situation. “We overheard the headmaster and another teacher talking about pictures and stuff being shared in school. They are planning to take everyone’s phones for inspection without notice.”
Both boys looked shaken and suddenly quiet, crestfallen. Dunc went pale and looked really worried.
“Take your phones into the lounge, clean them up, and delete anything you do not want the head to see.” Dee stepped aside, and the boys filed past her.
“Now is the time to make Dunc the offer and get his mind off this stuff. He looks way more worried than JP. It can’t just be a coincidence that JP is ‘on a promise,’ do it today.” Dee urged Jane.
Jane started to protest, but Dee had already walked through to the lounge. The boys were frantically deleting and clearing out their phones. It took Dunc considerably longer than JP.
“I have an idea to save embarrassment. JP, bring your phone and come with me.” Dee led him out into the garden.
“I hardly join in anymore, honest. Not since you said…you know…the stuff…the other night.”
“I believe you; that’s why I made the offer—to keep you out of trouble. Show me your phone, please.”
JP handed over the phone; the pictures and video folder were virtually empty, and Dee’s topless picture was also deleted.
“How do you share the pictures? What apps?”
JP named a few and promised they had all been deleted.
“Use your phone, take pictures, and download stuff—cars, bands, beaches—just make it look used. Nothing risqué or rude; just be careful. When this blows over, I’ll put my picture back on too. Oh, and don’t spread this around school; that will look suspicious. Just tell your mates you got caught at home; it’s the truth after all.”
Indoors, Jane and Dunc sat in the lounge. Jane put out her hand, and Dunc reluctantly handed over his phone. Jane started to check through, looking for anything rude. A few more pictures were deleted with a lot of grumbling.
“I’ve got a proposition for you…” Jane went red.
“What is it?”
“It’s erm, well, it’s this idea.”
Dee and JP walked back into the lounge. ‘Saved by the bell,’ thought Jane.
“Don’t worry, another time,” Jane made off to the kitchen.
In the lounge, Dee asked Dunc if he had also deleted all the file-sharing apps JP had named. More frantic work on the phone, accompanied by muttering and cursing.
“Listen Dunc. This is for your own good; if the school finds something on someone else’s phone and calls the police, this could get very serious very quickly. I said the same to JP: download pictures or videos of bands, cars, and holidays, and fill up the space. Stay away from anything rude. If your friends wonder, just be honest and tell them you got caught at home. Blame me, blame Jane; just be smart and don’t go warning everyone, as that will look more suspicious.”
Somehow, the evening and mood didn’t really feel like a takeaway share anymore. Jane drove JP home, and Dee and Dunc ate from the fridge.
The following week passed by without much happening. The girls still met up, as usual, and the boys were at school. Friday evening, Jane invited Dee and Dunc to stop over. Hoping for an early start as she was taking the boys to a theme park on Saturday.
“You were right, mum,” Dunc started. “Friday’s assembly lasted almost all morning. They closed the doors, and we had to show our phones to file out. They were checking apps and pictures. We were fine; most people were, but about a dozen lads and a lot of girls, mostly sixth-formers, got marched off to the headmaster’s office. I don’t know what happened to them; none came back to class.”
JP nodded in agreement, “Yes, thanks for keeping us safe.”
The evening was more like normal, with no tense atmosphere, unlike last week. The boys were sent up to bed early, and Dee challenged Jane again.
“If you can’t pluck up the courage to tell Dunc, just leave it, and I will find a way around it.”
“I was trying to last week as you came back in. I have to get myself psyched up. I’m not like you, but I will, as I can see it makes sense after last week.”
They got up early, drove to the theme park, and had a great day. Mostly the boys enjoyed the rides together with the girls holding coats and watching. The girls made the boys escort them on a couple of the slower rides. Dee grabbed JP for a ride and gave Jane a bit of a scary glare as she left her and Dunc in the queue. Jane settled into the two-seater cart and finally plucked up the courage to speak to Dunc. She told a version of Dee’s story. She changed the names and places, and it sounded even to Jane a little like a fairy tale the way she told it.
Dunc became less and less interested as she told it until the punchline. The important part, the part where Jane offered to play the part for Dunc, got his undivided attention. Dunc asked questions. Was she serious? A hundred others bubbled up in his mind. Jane stopped him and assured him she was dead serious, but he must not tell a soul or the deal is off. Dunc had fancied Jane for months and was still pinching himself when they piled back in the car to drive home.
Six weeks passed until the week of JP and Dunc’s birthdays began. JP was at pains to point out he was the older of the two by just a day, but older. JP would turn seventeen on Saturday, Dunc on Sunday. A joint party running over midnight would be perfect. The mums planned to hold the party over at Dee’s house. Hardly a surprise party, but they did arrange a few surprises for the day. Dee hired a DJ; she had quizzed a few of Dunc’s friends in secret. The DJ had been recommended and would bring lights and everything.
The weekend weather looked good too. Jane and Dee busied themselves through the week making everything ready. They also hired a bouncy castle, a photo booth, and a marquee. They invited many of the boy’s friends, and a few other mums came to help. Jane thought the bouncy castle was a mistake. A bit kiddy, she had said, but Dee reminded her that lots of girls were also coming, and a bouncy castle is a lot more innocent fun than drinking. Dee also invited their mystery new neighbour, Charlie, as he and his two girls had just moved in after a year of building and extension work.
Dee had made a point of introducing herself a couple of months before when Charlie had been visiting the builders. He told her he was single and had twin girls at sixth-form boarding school, but shared little other information. They made quite an impression when they arrived at the party. Charlie carried two cases of expensive champagne, which were already chilled. The twins turned everyone’s heads; they were demurely dressed but beautiful. They were not alike to look at but were both quiet and held a conversation easily.
The party was a huge success. The DJ did a great job entertaining and acting as an MC when needed. The bouncy castle and photo booth were a huge hit, and everyone found themselves caught up in the fun of a party and somehow managed to just play and enjoy themselves. Dancing and games in the marquee and the bouncy castle were where all the fun and laughter could be heard.
Understanding neighbours allowed the party to run on until way past one AM. As the guests were collected in cars, the house and garden soon returned to a suburban quiet. Charlie walked home with his girls, and both PJ and Dunc stood and waved them off. Both boys were completely smitten and knew this was the best night of their lives so far.
Over the following weeks, both PJ and Dunc spent more and more time with the twins, Lucy and Claire. The girls were well educated and exuded an air of reserved innocence and respectability. Neither PJ nor Dunc even hinted about calling in their promised sexual awakening from Dee or Jane. Jane was increasingly relieved as the days went by that Dunc did not mention her promise. Dee was sad that JP had not asked her to fulfil her promise. Dee had fantasised about how those lessons would go. She had been looking forward to enjoying the undivided attention of a teen with endless stamina and instant recovery.
It was a few weeks later when PJ nervously spoke to Dee and asked if she would talk to his girlfriend, Claire. He said that as the twins had lost their mother over ten years ago and they attended a girls’ boarding school, she was worried about making their relationship physical.
Dee prepared herself to educate Claire about boys and so many things. She also spoke privately to Lucy and asked if she would like to speak to her as a woman. Lucy said she would love to, as she and her sister seemed to know so little, and their dad avoided all those kinds of talks.
The more Dee thought about speaking to Claire and Lucy, the more she started fantasising again, but this time about how she would enjoy showing more than telling. She had become quite close with both girls since the party, and their father had become a friend too. The girls would often visit, even if Dunc and JP were not there. Dee spoke to Jane, who had been so relieved when their pact with the boys had not been needed. Dee told her that she was going to have ‘that talk’ with them both. Jane had told her in no uncertain terms that she wanted no part of it.
Dee thought about how best to approach the girls about the whole question of sex. She knew it would be easier as they had both asked for help, and so had JP. She thought long and hard of a way to ensure the conversations would move from talking to showing, but in a spontaneous way. She still wanted to offer JP the lessons she had promised him. She hoped Claire and Lucy would be open to exploring their sexual awakening through more practical methods.
Dee was worried that Dunc would be left behind, as Jane wanted no part of it all. It worried her that when she closed her eyes and imagined herself demonstrating things, Dunc appeared just as much as JP, Claire, and Lucy. It worried her, but not enough to stop her fantasising about it. Dee decided she would start by educating the girls as far as they would let her, and then see what help JP and Dunc needed. Threesomes kept popping into her head. Dee had not had a threesome for a long time—too long, she decided.