(fiction) ' Unconventional Family Planning' Prologue:The Princess, The Knight, and the Dragon
Prologue:
The three children ranged in ages form nine to eleven years old. A pair of sisters and the boy who lived at the house across the backyard from them. They were playing a game of their own invention: 'Rescue the Princess'.
"Oh save me! Save me! Before this wicked dragon eats me up!" The redheaded girl cried dramatically.
"Don't be afraid, my princess! I, the brave knight, will kill the dragon before it has a chance to even muss your hair!" The boy declared in his best 'heroic' voice, he then turned to the youngest of the three and said, "Squire, unsheathe the dragon-slayer blade!"
"Sir Galahad, your sword." The youngest of the three stated while she pantomimed passing the boy a heavy object. She then jumped to the right and raised her arms, her hands spread like claws, "ROOOARR! You will never defeat me! I'll make snacks of you and your squire before I have the princess for dinner!" (The younger sister was playing the role of the dragon as well as the squire.)
The 'knight' and the 'dragon' fought. He would swing his imaginary sword, she would swipe at him with her imaginary claws, while the 'princess', wriggled as if bound to the tree by invisible chains.
"You will never beat me! I'll cook you with my fire breath! ROOOARR!"
"Your fire breath cannot penetrate my impenetrable shield! I'll easily block your attack! Now take this, you foul smelling beast!" He declared valiantly as he 'stabbed' the dragon through the heart.
"Aaarg! you got me!" The 'dragon' said as she fell to to ground and pretended to convulse with her death throes. The drama was ruined by her starting to giggle.
"There, you're free, my princess! The dragon is vanquished and we can live happily ever after." He 'cut' her bindings and she leaped into his arms.
"My hero!" She said as she tried to lean in for a kiss.
"Aw, c'mon Ginny, don't get all mushy." The boy said, breaking character and turning his face away."
"Gerald, the story always is supposed to end with a kiss, don't ruin it."
"Fine." He said.
She tilted her head up, closed her eyes and pursed her lips, waiting for her kiss. The boy reluctantly delivered the briefest possible buss to her. She frowned, her disappointment evident in her expression.
"What do we want to play now? Well, I mean what do we want to play next, after a break? I want to get a snack now." The youngest child asked.
"I've got popsicles at my house." Gerald offered
"I call green! The 'dragon' should get the green one!"
"Annie, you always want green, dragon or not." Ginny responded.
"Don't worry Annie, I put the green ones aside for you, I know they're your favorite." Gerald whispered to her. Then he called out: "Let's go! Last one there's a rotten egg!" He grabbed Annie's hand and they ran towards to house.
"No fair, you took a head start!" Ginny called after them as she tried to catch up.
The distance between them widened. Annie was wearing 'Chuck Taylor high tops' and denim overalls, she was a 'tomboy' and had an easier time running than Ginny (Virginia) did in her dress and penny loafers.
The three of them often played together through their grade school years. Gerry didn't think it unusual that his best friends were girls, or that they often played 'house' (with the girls bickering over who got to be 'mom' and who had to be 'daughter', sometimes they were both 'mom') They created several variations of 'save the princess'. Ginny always wanted to be rescued, and the 'story' always ended with a kiss and "they lived happily ever after".
Once they got a little older, playing evolved into 'hanging out' together. During their middle school years, as often as not, they could be found 'behind the shed', the area where their backyards met. There was a patio of a sort there, a concrete pad that was formerly the floor of an outbuilding long since removed. The three of them had hauled in some salvaged outdoor furniture to create their own oasis.
It was the summer before Ginny entered her sophomore year and Annie and Gerald were about to enter high school that their relationships changed.
"Did you hear about Beth Perkins and Jimmy Murphy?" Annie prompted, anxious to share some juicy gossip.
"Oh, are they an item now?" Gerry responded.
"Looks like it. That's the rumor anyway, Maggie says she saw them necking at the mall. He had his hand on her boob!"
"Well, good for them. Why is that a big deal? I mean, I get that it's indiscreet to be doing that where others can see but, what's the fuss about? They're not doing anything that other kids don't do."
"So, Gerry, do you want to see what all the fuss is about?" Annie asked.
"Fuss about what?"
"Umm...kissing...making out" She answered quietly.
"...!" Gerry was stunned silent. He fidgeted and licked his lips nervously."Sure, I guess, I mean we should know for future reference, right?"
"Yea, that's what I was thinking..."
She turned her face up to his as he lowered to meet her. Their lips overlapped, tentatively at first, and then with greater and greater fervor. I was the awkward, sloppy, cherry ChapStik flavored kiss that characterizes a teenager's first time. A couple of repetitions and the young couple 'got the hang' of it.
Ginny stifled a gasp as she came upon them. She backed up behind the corner of the shed, but couldn't look away. Tears blurred her vision.
'I can't believe I waited for him! And of all people to be there instead of me...my own sister. Damn it. Damn it. Damn it! That was supposed to be me. Why couldn't it have been me?!' She thought to herself as she shook her head and clasped a hand over her mouth, afraid they would hear her sobs. Soon it became too much for her and she fled, careful to pick a route where she would not be seen.
Presently the teens' lips parted.
"Yea, I get it now, definitely worthy of all the fuss." Gerry said breathlessly.
"Yea." Annie agreed and pulled him down for another kiss.
...
"We have to stop, at least for now." Annie declared.
"Why?"
"If Ginny sees us, it'll get weird. It's not like we're 'going out', but, she might think that..."
"Do you not want to be 'going out'?"
"That's not what I meant, besides, I thought that you had your eyes on someone else."
"Annie, umm, I'm not sure how to say this...I...umm....I'm in love with you, I have been for I don't know how long."
"What?!"
"Please, it was hard enough to say the first time. I'm in love with you, Anne Marie Paxton."
Her faced flushed crimson.
"In that case, I suppose we can be 'going out'" She said before they kissed again.
Over the course of that school year, Annie and Gerry spent a lot of time together. Everyone seemed to know they were 'going out'. Ginny seemed to have less time to hang out with "people younger than her", and by Columbus Day, rarely was social with her childhood friends.
Consciously or not, Ginny separated herself from her sister and her sister's boyfriend. She started going by 'Ginger', she became a cheerleader, she ran with the popular crowd, she dressed differently, and stated dating.
Midway through her junior year she started 'going steady' with Brad Henderson. He was the scion of one of the wealthiest families in town, handsome, athletic, a B.M.O.C., and in Gerry's opinion a bit of an asshole. Perhaps Annie was in denial, she didn't want to believe that her sister was dating a jerk, or was being taken advantage of. She insisted that Gerry must've been imagining things when he relayed the rumors to Annie. Rumors consisting of Brad's bragging about who he 'banged' or how. Apparently, as often as not, girls other than her sister.
One day Gerry bumped into Brad and there was a bit of a confrontation.
"You know Brad, I'm not going to get all preachy about right and wrong and all that, but if you end up hurting Ginny by being a man-slut, I'll never forgive you."
"Ha ha ha, why should I care if you forgive me? I barely know you, you're a nobody, a beta at best."
"Perhaps, and maybe I didn't explain myself well. There are consequences to your actions, and I don't want Ginny hurt."
"Who?"
"Ginny...err... Ginger."
"Oh, Ginger. Yea, you used to follow her around like a lost little puppy. Don't worry she has a man in her life now, she's taken care of. What's it to you anyway?"
"She's family, and like I said , I don't want her hurt. Does she know about you and Beth Perkins? Or how you stopped seeing Julie Newman when you thought you knocked her up? Does she know who you 'banged' last night? Or how you tell everyone about Ginger and what she probably thinks is private..."
Brad hoisted the smaller boy and slammed him against the hall lockers.
"She knows whatever I tell her, and if she learns otherwise I'll have to assume she heard it from you. And if that happens, I will find you, and I will hurt you."
"Fine, I won't say anything. But, you don't deny any of it?"
"It's almost all true, so what? Julie and I broke up for other reasons, her being late had nothing to do with it. Who cares? Everyone knows that I'm not exclusive with anyone. Why should someone like me be stuck with only one girl? They all get what they want, and so do I. Keep your nose out of my business or it'll get busted."
"Ginger doesn't know." Gerry raised his hands, defeated. "And she won't hear it from me, but don't you think she deserves better? At least to know where she stands with you?"
Brad cocked his arm back, ready to strike the smaller boy, when a voice from behind surprised him and he froze.
"Well, I didn't hear it from him, I heard it from you, just now! You said that you and Beth were done, the rumors are true. Brad you're an asshole. I'm through with you." Ginger informed him. She had seen and heard the whole exchange.
"Son of a bitch!" Brad exclaimed as he unceremoniously dropped Gerry and chased after Ginger, who was storming away in a huff.
"You know they'll be back together soon. Ginny's pride won't allow her to be with anyone but 'Mr. Big Shot'. You're only delaying the inevitable." Annie told Gerry as he dusted himself off.
"That's not really my concern. I'm not trying to get between them, or break them up."
"Well it's nice that you're still 'her knight', but, what exactly is your concern?"
"Like I said, she's family. The closest thing I have to a big sister."
"I've seen you looking at her sometimes, you don't look at her like she's your big sister."
"I hope I haven't been leering, that would be embarrassing..." She punched his shoulder. "I'm only human, I'm sorry, I can't help it that she's attractive and that I notice. Seriously though, I'm not interested in..."
"So you're just looking out for her? Being a protective little brother?" She interrupted.
"How could I not look out for her? She deserves a fair shake. Maybe she'll see Brad for who he is, or maybe Brad will learn to have some concern for someone further away than the tip of his dick. Either way she'll be better off."
"Good answer. I sometimes feel that everyone sees her and ignores me, I'd hate to think that my boyfriend is trying to win my sister's heart."
"Well she is awful pretty, and was my first kiss...but..."
"What about her butt?"
"Annie, you are the only Paxton sister that I have romantic interest in, I'm in love with you."
"Again, good answer. However, I noticed what you didn't say: 'the only Paxton sister you love.'"
"Why are you trying to start this argument again? I'm sorry I teased you about Ginny being pretty, alright?"
"I want you to finally admit it."
"Admit what?"
"That you love Ginny."
"I've never denied it. You know there are different kinds of love, right? Like I said before, she's family, of course I love her."
"Good, then we're on the same page. What are you doing later?"
"You left yourself open. Usually I'd say; 'you!', however, tonight I think I'll stay home and work on the history term paper. That way you and Ginny can talk if you want. Call me if you need me."
"Okay, sounds good."
"Maybe in a few days the three of us can do something together, like bowling? Nothing that requires too much thought or emotional investment."
"I'd like that. It feels like forever since the three of us had fun together."
They didn't go bowling. Ginny and Annie did talk, however. A couple of weeks later Ginger and Brad were again 'an item', but no rumors of infidelity or bragging about 'scoring' were heard. Apparently Brad had changed his ways, or at least learned to be discrete so as not to upset his girlfriend.
A little over a year later, Brad and Ginger were Prom King and Queen, they enjoyed their fifteen minutes of fame, winding up their days in high school. Ginger got a scholarship (cheer-leading) to go to State, Brad attended the quasi-ivy-league school that happened to be nearby. Brad got a position in the family business (investment banking) immediately post-graduation. They were wed shortly thereafter. Brad's parents gave them a house as a wedding gift.
Gerry and Annie had dated all through high school. Annie went to the local community college and landed a job as a para-legal at a firm in town. She and Gerry got married while Brad and Ginger were still in college. Gerry ended up fully entrenched in the 'gig' economy. After his confrontation with Brad, he had started taking self defense classes. Now, he made a living teaching martial arts and self-defense at 'The Learning Annex' as well as at the 'Y', being a personal trainer, handyman, and posting 'how to' videos on 'YouTube'. None of the 'gigs' had any fringe benefits, but he was his own boss, and Annie had him on her healthcare plan. They had a firmly 'blue collar' existence, but were happy. They had been wed for almost two years and were discussing having kids by the time that Ginger and Brad got settled into their new house.
"You will never beat me! I'll cook you with my fire breath! ROOOARR!"
"Your fire breath cannot penetrate my impenetrable shield! I'll easily block your attack! Now take this, you foul smelling beast!" He declared valiantly as he 'stabbed' the dragon through the heart.
"Aaarg! you got me!" The 'dragon' said as she fell to to ground and pretended to convulse with her death throes. The drama was ruined by her starting to giggle.
"There, you're free, my princess! The dragon is vanquished and we can live happily ever after." He 'cut' her bindings and she leaped into his arms.
"My hero!" She said as she tried to lean in for a kiss.
"Aw, c'mon Ginny, don't get all mushy." The boy said, breaking character and turning his face away."
"Gerald, the story always is supposed to end with a kiss, don't ruin it."
"Fine." He said.
She tilted her head up, closed her eyes and pursed her lips, waiting for her kiss. The boy reluctantly delivered the briefest possible buss to her. She frowned, her disappointment evident in her expression.
"What do we want to play now? Well, I mean what do we want to play next, after a break? I want to get a snack now." The youngest child asked.
"I've got popsicles at my house." Gerald offered
"I call green! The 'dragon' should get the green one!"
"Annie, you always want green, dragon or not." Ginny responded.
"Don't worry Annie, I put the green ones aside for you, I know they're your favorite." Gerald whispered to her. Then he called out: "Let's go! Last one there's a rotten egg!" He grabbed Annie's hand and they ran towards to house.
"No fair, you took a head start!" Ginny called after them as she tried to catch up.
The distance between them widened. Annie was wearing 'Chuck Taylor high tops' and denim overalls, she was a 'tomboy' and had an easier time running than Ginny (Virginia) did in her dress and penny loafers.
*****
The three of them often played together through their grade school years. Gerry didn't think it unusual that his best friends were girls, or that they often played 'house' (with the girls bickering over who got to be 'mom' and who had to be 'daughter', sometimes they were both 'mom') They created several variations of 'save the princess'. Ginny always wanted to be rescued, and the 'story' always ended with a kiss and "they lived happily ever after".
Once they got a little older, playing evolved into 'hanging out' together. During their middle school years, as often as not, they could be found 'behind the shed', the area where their backyards met. There was a patio of a sort there, a concrete pad that was formerly the floor of an outbuilding long since removed. The three of them had hauled in some salvaged outdoor furniture to create their own oasis.
It was the summer before Ginny entered her sophomore year and Annie and Gerald were about to enter high school that their relationships changed.
"Did you hear about Beth Perkins and Jimmy Murphy?" Annie prompted, anxious to share some juicy gossip.
"Oh, are they an item now?" Gerry responded.
"Looks like it. That's the rumor anyway, Maggie says she saw them necking at the mall. He had his hand on her boob!"
"Well, good for them. Why is that a big deal? I mean, I get that it's indiscreet to be doing that where others can see but, what's the fuss about? They're not doing anything that other kids don't do."
"So, Gerry, do you want to see what all the fuss is about?" Annie asked.
"Fuss about what?"
"Umm...kissing...making out" She answered quietly.
"...!" Gerry was stunned silent. He fidgeted and licked his lips nervously."Sure, I guess, I mean we should know for future reference, right?"
"Yea, that's what I was thinking..."
She turned her face up to his as he lowered to meet her. Their lips overlapped, tentatively at first, and then with greater and greater fervor. I was the awkward, sloppy, cherry ChapStik flavored kiss that characterizes a teenager's first time. A couple of repetitions and the young couple 'got the hang' of it.
Ginny stifled a gasp as she came upon them. She backed up behind the corner of the shed, but couldn't look away. Tears blurred her vision.
'I can't believe I waited for him! And of all people to be there instead of me...my own sister. Damn it. Damn it. Damn it! That was supposed to be me. Why couldn't it have been me?!' She thought to herself as she shook her head and clasped a hand over her mouth, afraid they would hear her sobs. Soon it became too much for her and she fled, careful to pick a route where she would not be seen.
Presently the teens' lips parted.
"Yea, I get it now, definitely worthy of all the fuss." Gerry said breathlessly.
"Yea." Annie agreed and pulled him down for another kiss.
...
"We have to stop, at least for now." Annie declared.
"Why?"
"If Ginny sees us, it'll get weird. It's not like we're 'going out', but, she might think that..."
"Do you not want to be 'going out'?"
"That's not what I meant, besides, I thought that you had your eyes on someone else."
"Annie, umm, I'm not sure how to say this...I...umm....I'm in love with you, I have been for I don't know how long."
"What?!"
"Please, it was hard enough to say the first time. I'm in love with you, Anne Marie Paxton."
Her faced flushed crimson.
"In that case, I suppose we can be 'going out'" She said before they kissed again.
*****
Over the course of that school year, Annie and Gerry spent a lot of time together. Everyone seemed to know they were 'going out'. Ginny seemed to have less time to hang out with "people younger than her", and by Columbus Day, rarely was social with her childhood friends.
Consciously or not, Ginny separated herself from her sister and her sister's boyfriend. She started going by 'Ginger', she became a cheerleader, she ran with the popular crowd, she dressed differently, and stated dating.
Midway through her junior year she started 'going steady' with Brad Henderson. He was the scion of one of the wealthiest families in town, handsome, athletic, a B.M.O.C., and in Gerry's opinion a bit of an asshole. Perhaps Annie was in denial, she didn't want to believe that her sister was dating a jerk, or was being taken advantage of. She insisted that Gerry must've been imagining things when he relayed the rumors to Annie. Rumors consisting of Brad's bragging about who he 'banged' or how. Apparently, as often as not, girls other than her sister.
One day Gerry bumped into Brad and there was a bit of a confrontation.
"You know Brad, I'm not going to get all preachy about right and wrong and all that, but if you end up hurting Ginny by being a man-slut, I'll never forgive you."
"Ha ha ha, why should I care if you forgive me? I barely know you, you're a nobody, a beta at best."
"Perhaps, and maybe I didn't explain myself well. There are consequences to your actions, and I don't want Ginny hurt."
"Who?"
"Ginny...err... Ginger."
"Oh, Ginger. Yea, you used to follow her around like a lost little puppy. Don't worry she has a man in her life now, she's taken care of. What's it to you anyway?"
"She's family, and like I said , I don't want her hurt. Does she know about you and Beth Perkins? Or how you stopped seeing Julie Newman when you thought you knocked her up? Does she know who you 'banged' last night? Or how you tell everyone about Ginger and what she probably thinks is private..."
Brad hoisted the smaller boy and slammed him against the hall lockers.
"She knows whatever I tell her, and if she learns otherwise I'll have to assume she heard it from you. And if that happens, I will find you, and I will hurt you."
"Fine, I won't say anything. But, you don't deny any of it?"
"It's almost all true, so what? Julie and I broke up for other reasons, her being late had nothing to do with it. Who cares? Everyone knows that I'm not exclusive with anyone. Why should someone like me be stuck with only one girl? They all get what they want, and so do I. Keep your nose out of my business or it'll get busted."
"Ginger doesn't know." Gerry raised his hands, defeated. "And she won't hear it from me, but don't you think she deserves better? At least to know where she stands with you?"
Brad cocked his arm back, ready to strike the smaller boy, when a voice from behind surprised him and he froze.
"Well, I didn't hear it from him, I heard it from you, just now! You said that you and Beth were done, the rumors are true. Brad you're an asshole. I'm through with you." Ginger informed him. She had seen and heard the whole exchange.
"Son of a bitch!" Brad exclaimed as he unceremoniously dropped Gerry and chased after Ginger, who was storming away in a huff.
"You know they'll be back together soon. Ginny's pride won't allow her to be with anyone but 'Mr. Big Shot'. You're only delaying the inevitable." Annie told Gerry as he dusted himself off.
"That's not really my concern. I'm not trying to get between them, or break them up."
"Well it's nice that you're still 'her knight', but, what exactly is your concern?"
"Like I said, she's family. The closest thing I have to a big sister."
"I've seen you looking at her sometimes, you don't look at her like she's your big sister."
"I hope I haven't been leering, that would be embarrassing..." She punched his shoulder. "I'm only human, I'm sorry, I can't help it that she's attractive and that I notice. Seriously though, I'm not interested in..."
"So you're just looking out for her? Being a protective little brother?" She interrupted.
"How could I not look out for her? She deserves a fair shake. Maybe she'll see Brad for who he is, or maybe Brad will learn to have some concern for someone further away than the tip of his dick. Either way she'll be better off."
"Good answer. I sometimes feel that everyone sees her and ignores me, I'd hate to think that my boyfriend is trying to win my sister's heart."
"Well she is awful pretty, and was my first kiss...but..."
"What about her butt?"
"Annie, you are the only Paxton sister that I have romantic interest in, I'm in love with you."
"Again, good answer. However, I noticed what you didn't say: 'the only Paxton sister you love.'"
"Why are you trying to start this argument again? I'm sorry I teased you about Ginny being pretty, alright?"
"I want you to finally admit it."
"Admit what?"
"That you love Ginny."
"I've never denied it. You know there are different kinds of love, right? Like I said before, she's family, of course I love her."
"Good, then we're on the same page. What are you doing later?"
"You left yourself open. Usually I'd say; 'you!', however, tonight I think I'll stay home and work on the history term paper. That way you and Ginny can talk if you want. Call me if you need me."
"Okay, sounds good."
"Maybe in a few days the three of us can do something together, like bowling? Nothing that requires too much thought or emotional investment."
"I'd like that. It feels like forever since the three of us had fun together."
*****
They didn't go bowling. Ginny and Annie did talk, however. A couple of weeks later Ginger and Brad were again 'an item', but no rumors of infidelity or bragging about 'scoring' were heard. Apparently Brad had changed his ways, or at least learned to be discrete so as not to upset his girlfriend.
A little over a year later, Brad and Ginger were Prom King and Queen, they enjoyed their fifteen minutes of fame, winding up their days in high school. Ginger got a scholarship (cheer-leading) to go to State, Brad attended the quasi-ivy-league school that happened to be nearby. Brad got a position in the family business (investment banking) immediately post-graduation. They were wed shortly thereafter. Brad's parents gave them a house as a wedding gift.
Gerry and Annie had dated all through high school. Annie went to the local community college and landed a job as a para-legal at a firm in town. She and Gerry got married while Brad and Ginger were still in college. Gerry ended up fully entrenched in the 'gig' economy. After his confrontation with Brad, he had started taking self defense classes. Now, he made a living teaching martial arts and self-defense at 'The Learning Annex' as well as at the 'Y', being a personal trainer, handyman, and posting 'how to' videos on 'YouTube'. None of the 'gigs' had any fringe benefits, but he was his own boss, and Annie had him on her healthcare plan. They had a firmly 'blue collar' existence, but were happy. They had been wed for almost two years and were discussing having kids by the time that Ginger and Brad got settled into their new house.
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