Tempus Fugit

By Mavis Applewater

For disclaimers see part one.

Thanks to my beta reader Mary.

As always this is for Heather.

Part Nine 1964

This was the year that a Mississippi jury failed to reach a verdict in the case of Mississippi vs. Bryon De La Beckwith for the murder of Medgar Evers. Barry Goldwater ran for president, Jack Ruby was convicted for murdering Lee Harvey Oswald, Black and Puerto Rican students boycotted school in New York protesting racial segregation and the US Attorney General announced that smoking was bad for us. The Beatles ruled the charts and the first Ford Mustang rolled off the assembly line. Ford and the Beatles weren't the only ones having a good year. I graduated from Harvard Law with honors. I still don't know what excited Dad more the new Mustang or my academic success. Oh and Dad hated the Beatles, not so much their music but the long hair had to go. Hey he owned a barber shop.

Before the Mustang or my laurels arrived there were many hurdles to face that year. It was an exciting time to be a law student. The Warner Commission alone sparked more than a few debates. And for me I was still waging my own private war to clear an innocent woman's name. Thankfully Professor Larson had been serious when hevolunteered his help. He became just as devoted to the case as I was helping me with every twist and turn.

"Spencer," I greeted Professor Larson's niece with a smile. Spencer was really nice, a wee bit older than myself and had recently become a licensed private investigator. She worked very hard to become one of the few women in the Commonwealth to do so which might explain why none of reputable firms were interested in hiring her. Hanging out her own shingle failed as well. She ended up working for a less than a reputable man who specialized in matrimonial investigations. When Professor Larson suggested that Spencer come on board and work on Ginny's case both of us jumped at the chance.

Now before you get the wrong impression it is true Spencer is an attractive woman. A tomboy at heart and, as Ginny's mate Jo put it, liked to drive stick. I liked Spencer because she was bright, intelligent and very good at what she did. My ankle was better and Ginny decided to spend some time with my parents.

So when Spencer asked to meet with me and Professor Larson it was a welcome distraction. I met the two of them in his office. He was chomping at the bit. Spencer hadmade him wait until I arrived before revealing what she had discovered.

"Thank goodness you're here," Professor Larson blew out in exasperation. "This little stinker wouldn't tell me a thing until you got here."

"He's like a big kid," she scoffed as I shed my coat and joined them. "First, I have to ask how in the hell did this girl end up in prison? Never mind I think I know," she grumbled opening a thick file. "I just don't understand why anyone would devote so much time and effort screwing over some teenager. Recent events have worked in our favor. People have let their guard down or they feel a sudden sense of correcting injustices. I have a complete dossier on Virginia Woolf Swenson's incarceration. Every infraction, every job, cellmate and every time she went to the bathroom. Shall I begin? On December 21st, 1956 Virginia Swenson began her internment at Cold Fields Reformatory School for Young Girls, not a hellhole but not one of your finer correctional facilities either. By order of the court she wasn't permitted to have visitors under the age of twenty-one. She also wasn't permitted to be alone with another girl at anytime. She was housed with three other girls, Wanda Cravats, Geraldine Winters and Trudy Myers. All repeat offenders serving time for petty theft and other minor offenses. During her time there Virginia was a model prisoner. Since she had earned her high school diploma she spent her time there tutoring her fellow inmates. More than one credits her for their education. Her visitors log has only four names. Samuel and Doris Druette, who visited her on numerous occasions; Howard Walford, although I have information that it was really Robert Walford, a classmate from Buchanan High, who visited twice and one visit from Margaret Wellington Swenson."

"Her mother?" I interrupted.

"One visit on December 27th of that year," Spencer continued. "Mrs. Swenson signed in at ten twenty-seven and signed out at ten thirty-five that morning. She never went back. The visit must not have gone well. The matrons have no idea what happened only that Virginia was so upset by the visit she had to be confined to solitary confinement for a period of eight days. Your parents were present during the visit so they know what happened. After her confinement she went back to being a model prison. Her only visitors were your parents. On May 18th, 1957 Virginia's eighteenth birthday she was transferred to The Woman's Correctional Facility at Framingham. Now it gets interesting. Included in her file was the court order that no one under the age of twenty-one be permitted to contact her and a list of names of people who weren't permitted to have any verbal or physical contact with her even after they turned twenty-one. In no particular order, Laura Samantha Swenson, Hilary Bradford Cabot, William Quincy Tracy and Eleanore Roosevelt Druette. Hilary and William never made any attempt to contact her. I talked to Billy; he had no idea that she was in prison. They knew one another from Harrington Prep where Virginia was a student for two years. Hilary doesn't wish to speak to anyone about the matter. Given the social circle she runs in I barely gotnear the lady. The second I mentioned Virginia the conversation was over. All I know is that they were classmates at Oak Ridge Academy in 1954 until Laura and Virginia suddenly decided to switch schools. Laura Swenson made a total of three attempts to contact her sister twice by phone and once in person. Each time she was refused access. Eleanore Druette, God love you, tried to make contact with Virginia Swenson a total of eighty-seven times mostly by telephone. You were on the restricted list ergo you were denied."

"Wait!" I held up my hands. "Ginny didn't want to see me. She was the one who cut off all contact except for the letters."

"Uhm, that maybe true," Spencer slowly began. "But when an inmate receives a phone call or visitor unless it is their lawyer they don't know who it is until they either answer the phone or step into the visitor's room. The guard just goes and gets them. Then if they don't wish to speak to the visitor they say so. Even if she wanted to see you, she couldn't. I doubt that she knows about the list. Interesting thing about that, above and beyond it being a blatant violation of Virginia's civil rights, is that it followed her from Cold Fields. It was penned the same day she began her sentence."

"Son of," I growled. "Why? Better still who? If Ginny had been paroled it would have been a moot point. Everyone on that list wouldn't have been able to see her. None of us were over twenty-one. So why bother?"

"Yeah," Spencer grinned. "It's almost as if someone expected her to serve the full term. The letter was signed by Millicent Forgrass the director of Cold Springs, who received a check in the amount of three grand the following week from the Brinkman Corporation. She was paid to be, and I quote, a consultant. It gets better. That same company on December 23rd of 1956 cut a check to a Mrs. Karen Jarworski also for consulting services. The amount was five grand and some change. Her husband, a police detective, used the money to purchase each of them a brand new Plymouth. They also took a nice vacation to Miami. It was a very Merry Christmas in the Jarworski household. Getting back to Virginia's stay at Framingham. Once again a model prisoner. She worked in the laundry, the kitchen and donated her time to working in the library and helping many of her fellow inmates earn their GED. She rarely engaged in any altercations, well no more than anyone else. Although she does have a few blemishes on her record. Her first infraction occurred on May 30th, 1959 just one week before her first parole hearing. During a routine sweep, a bottle of Jim Beam was discovered hidden under her mattress."

"Bourbon? Ginny? I don't think so," I argued. "She still rarely drinks. And I've never known her to drink anything that harsh."

"It also brings up a couple of questions," Spencer smirked. "How does someone score a bottle of name brand bourbon in prison? Usually spirits discovered behind the gate are brewed there. Secondly who sleeps on top of a bottle? I would assume that a woman who is bright enough to be a mentor for others is smart enough to know that a glass bottle would break given enough pressure. I did a little digging and basically got stone walled until I spoke to a Miss Wilma Denton. I love her; she's been a matron at the prison for over twenty years and is a very pious straight shooter. She was troubled by the event. First it was too easy. She said the bottle was in plain sight. Secondly during a normal sweep the entire cellblock is tossed. That day the only cell checked was Virginia's. Kind of like they expected to find contraband in her cell. On June 9th, 1959 Mrs. Jarworski received another consultant's fee in the amount of seven thousand dollars. Mr. Jarworski paid off the mortgage on the house and they took another vacation this time Hawaii. On September 13th, 1960 during another sweep, which was limited to Miss Swenson's cell a guard discovered a cannabis cigarette next to her toothbrush. Again Miss Denton doubts that Miss Swenson would be stupid enough to leave a Dobie just sitting out in the open. Both times contraband was discovered in Virginia's cell the matron who discovered it was a Miss Gretchen Stompmeir. One week after her miraculous discoveries she received a check for five hundred dollars from the Brinkman Corporation. On September 16th, Miss Denton was forced to write up Miss Swenson and another inmate a Lana Sturgis for engaging in unnatural acts in the shower. Now don't flip your lid. In hindsight Miss Denton feels uncertain who started the transgression. In fact she thinks, but she's not certain, that Virginia was fending off Miss Sturgis' advances. Three days later Virginia had her final parole hearing. Booze, pot and homosexual activities the parole board didn't want to see her again. One week later Mrs. Jarworski received another consultant fee to the tune of eight grand this time. Mr. Jarworski bought a speed boat among other things and Mrs. Jarworski remodeled the kitchen. Lana Sturgis' legal representation was taken over by the same law firm that handled Virginia's case. Seven months later she walked out of Framingham and was picked up by a limo. She also received a check for her services as a consultant from, can anyone guess?"

"Brinkman." I hissed clenching my fists.

"Give that lady a cupie doll," Spencer shook her head. "After that, remarkably, Virginia returned to being a model prisoner. Her only visitors were your parents. Although the staff was concerned by letters she was receiving from Eleanore Druette. They suspected that Miss Swenson and Miss Druette were conversing in code. They never broke the code. Really ticked them off."

"Who is Brinkman?" Professor Larson questioned.

"What is Brinkman," Spencer corrected. "Several IRS and federal agents are asking the same question. Brinkman is a Bahaman corporation; it must be since its finances comes from an offshore account and the base of operations is a beach house in the Bahamas. The corporate officers include, James Sutherland."

"Ginny's lawyer." I groaned.

"A fine financial attorney," Larson grimly noted. "But why would you have him act as lead council in a criminal matter?"

"You wouldn't," Spencer stated bluntly. "He's Brinkman's financial officer. His name is on all the checks. Then we have Warren Swenson. Color me surprised that he is the CEO. And at one time or other the list of members on the board included Frankie Rossi, Sal Parenti and Gino Degrassi. Well until his untimely death. Then we have Vinnie "The Shark" Denosia and a long list of other gentleman all of whom have been investigated by the government at one time or another. If I had to guess I'd say that the Brinkman Corporation was a laundry service."

"Wash, dry, fold and clean your money," I blew out an uneasy breath. "I can't see Mr. Degrassi helping to set up Ginny."

"He was dead by then," Spencer concluded. "And all of the consultant fees were channeled from other businesses. It took a lot of digging and I can't prove it but all the money used to frame Virginia came from her father's companies. Some family, huh?"

"You have no idea," I grunted with disdain. "There is someone you might want to talk to about what happened at Oak Ridge. Gina Degrassi. She told her father that Laurie was the reason they got booted out."

"Gina Degrassi?" Spencer gulped. "Wow Uncle Gary you said this case was interesting still I had no idea just how interesting."

"Ginny said that Gino kept his kids away from the family business," I tried to explain.

"Still Gina is Gino's little girl," Spencer hedged. "What is it you need to find out about Oak Ridge? From what I discovered whatever happened was covered up. All I could find out was that Ginny and Hilary were somehow involved. There was a police report that has since mysteriously disappeared. In fact the only time it has seen the light of day was when it landed on Judge Warren's desk. Then poof; it along with her other prior police reports disappeared. You'd almost think someone was keeping copies of them under wraps which doesn't jive with the family portrait. According to most people I've spoken with, the Swenson clan was well to do and very close."
"Excuse me?" I gaped at her. "I'm sorry but no."

"It's the truth," Spencer asserted. "The Swenson's doted on all three of their children. And all three of them excelled in academics. Nathaniel graduated from Phillips Academy with honors. Went on to West Point, again graduating with honors before beginning his career in the Army. He chose a career in the military because he had political ambitions. All in all everyone who knew him loved him. And they swear up and down that he was extremely close to his parents and younger sisters. Not only that the whole family was tight."

"That is not the family I knew." I bluntly contradicted her.

"I got the same story from everyone," Spencer corrected me. "That was until Nathaniel died in action. Actually he died saving the lives of two of his men. They had been cut off from the rest of the unit. He got them out, but failed to return with them. Then out of the blue Mamma and Poppa Swenson are shipping the twins off to boarding school before their brother's body makes it back to the States. They weren't even allowed to attend the funeral. That is when Virginia's behavioral problems began. Oddly enough their former instructors claim that Laura was the one who developed an attitude problem but Virginia was the one who managed to get into serious trouble. Mr. Swenson devoted most of his time to tripling his fortune while Mrs. Swenson devoted her time to socializing and gin. The family moved several times under a cloud of rumors regarding Virginia's behavior."

"Didn't they consider family counseling?" Larson grunted.

"Apparently not," Spencer sighed wearily. "Speaking of the family what would like to know about Laura?"

"Any chance she is willing to confess?" I smugly inquired.

"Not likely," Spencer couldn't help but grin. "Laura Swenson-Bradford graduated from Largmount High after one very lackluster semester. Surprising since prior to that, academically she was a shinning star. Which is probably how she got accepted to Stanford where she managed to flunk out midway through her sophomore year. Not that she cared, since she had already managed to get engaged to a senior. She married Jessup Bradford, who is from a fine old family, the following spring. The day after the wedding she cashed in on a very large trust fund. They are very affluent, have one child and seem to be happy. Except Mrs. Bradford has a habit of being arrested for drunk driving. Four times in California while she was in college. Three times here in Massachusetts. All seven times the charges were dropped. She never spent a second in jail and was never fingerprinted. Her hobbies include shopping, doing lunch and raising her son. She's pregnant with their second child but they haven't announced it yet so keep it under your hat. Any questions?"

"What about the judge? Any chance he was on the payroll as well?" I swallowed hard trying to digest everything.

"Nope," she shook her head. "Judge Warren is very honest and extremely strict. Total hard ass unless of course you're a white boy from a good family. Then he's been known to be lenient. But still he will only go so far. He also has a hard on when it comes to cases involving homosexual behavior. He's institutionalized more kids than any other jurist in the state. The sentence he handed down to Virginia in comparison to his usual sentencing in such a matter was a slap on the wrist. Basically if her daddy wasn't Warren Swenson she'd still be in prison or locked up in the nuthouse."

"My God." I felt sick.

"Warren is a hanging judge," Professor Larson added. "That's why the AG loves him. He thinks he's fighting crime by giving kids hard time. This case just gets deeper and deeper. Corrupt cops and prison officials it just gets worse at every turn. The detective was he on anyone else's payroll?"

"He has to be," Spencer snarled. "Not just him, but several men in his unit wives have experienced sudden windfalls. Usually it is just after Detective Jarworski bungles a case which subsequently is tossed out. I don't know how he keeps his badge. I can sight at least twelve instances where he has lost evidence. Word around the cop circles is he's dirty, no one likes him but you don't want to cross him. Okay now what I can I do? I'll keep looking for those missing records, but I doubt if finding them will do the client any good."

"She's not a client," I muttered absently. "She doesn't even know I'm doing this."

Spencer released a roar of laughter. "My God, you're amazing," she sputtered once she caught her breath. "You are still in law school and you've come this far without a client? Heaven help the legal system after you pass the bar."

"Well while you are saying your prayers," I smiled shyly. "Do you think you can find Gina Degrassi? Set up a meeting and I'll come along."

"I'll try," she shivered. "Daddy may have kept her away from the business but the lady is still connected. Again, why?"

"Oak Ridge," I tried to explain. "If we can prove that on at least one other occasion Laurie set Ginny up, it could be helpful."

"I see where you are going," Professor Larson concurred. "Even if we can't, proving that at times one was mistaken for the other would be beneficial. Just one question Ellen? Am I to understand that you've met Gino Degrassi?"

"Just once," I shrugged. "Thank you both again."

"Hey I'm having a blast," Spencer boasted. "Where are you off to?"

"Cedar Hills," I sighed gathering up my things. "I need to have a chat with my parents."

I took the train back home. I wanted to know what happened the day Ginny's mother visited her. I doubted it would further the cause, but at that point I was grasping at straws. We had a lot of information and very little hard evidence. We knew that Detective Jarworski was crooked, that some of the guards at the prison were on the take, and that Ginny was framed. And we couldn't prove a damn thing. Add in Ginny entered into a plea bargain and had already served her time. Frankly no one except us cared about the case. In the eyes of the legal system there was no case.

I walked into my Dad's shop. Sammy was helping by cleaning the back and Dad had a bunch of customers waiting. Some man I failed to recognize was sitting in the chair. Dad was beaming as he trimmed the man's hair. "So those are your kids Sam?" The gentlemen inquired.

"Yup," Dad smiled as he continued to snip away. "All three of the little rug rats."

"Right." Someone off to the side snorted with disdain.

"Brent." I hissed under my breath when I spied the troublemaker. Stewie was sitting next to him and began to shift nervously.

"Got something to say smart ass?" Dad spun around pinning Brent down with a hostile look.

"Brent," Stewie tried to caution our former classmate.

"You let that deviant into your home and now you want people to think she's your kid?" Brent spat out. "How could you let her near your daughter?"

"Jesus Brent," Stewie growled. "Come on we're in Mr. Druette's shop have a little respect."

"Respect?' Brent sneered. "God only knows what she did to turn Ellen."

"You could ask me?" I fumed folding my arms across my chest. No one had noticed me until that moment. "Come on Brent."

"Eleanore, I will handle this," Dad cautioned me. "You, get out of here."

"Maybe you turned her," Brent spat out as he jumped up throwing down the magazine he had been reading.

I thought for sure Dad was going to kill him. Hell everyone thought it except the guy who bolted across the room. Tossed Brent out on his sorry behind and began to wail on him. Nobody moved we just stood there watching the fight. There was big old Brent getting beat up by my kid brother. Sammy was less than half his size and he was knocking the snot out of him. It wasn't until we saw Ginny racing across the street screaming for Sammy to stop that we finally moved into action.

"Sam?" Ginny sputtered yanking the little guy to his feet. "What the fuck?" She shouted down at Brent. "You gave him a black eye." She screamed at Brent who was bleeding in the middle of the sidewalk.

"Me? The little shit broke my nose," Brent wailed.

"Don't you ever talk about my sisters that way," Sammy was screaming kicking and fussing.

"Sammy," I jumped in dragging him away. "Let it go."

"Son of a," Stewie gaped down at Brent. "Hey he may scrawny but,"

"Shut up!" Brent whimpered.

Sammy moved to get a few more licks in. Dad and I managed to shove him inside the shop. "My God," Dad smiled proudly. "Who knew? I wish I had a camera."

"Dad." I hissed under my breath.

"Oh right," he cleared his throat. "Uhm so you were saying Jackass?"

"Nothing Sir," Brent retreated.

"That's what I thought," Dad nodded curtly as I ducked into the shop to check on my feisty little brother.

"Should I ask?" The poor customer in the chair questioned.

"Ginny was adopted," I offered in a hushed tone. "It's a sensitive subject."

"Good to know." He gulped just as my Dad and Ginny entered the shop.

"Sam?" I took him by the arm and checked his eye. "Now that's a shiner. Little brother, I know you've heard those things before." I quietly began. "Tell me this isn't the way you deal with it?"

"No, El," he sincerely vowed. "I can deal. But to say that to your face? To Dad? No way, I can't just stand back."

"Junior?" Dad beckoned him.

Sammy's shoulders slumped before he slowly made his way over to face our Dad. "Now, son," Dad grimly began. "I know I need to tell you that fighting is wrong. And stupid. But dang it all to hell I'm just so proud of you. Girls take your brother home before that butthead comes back and tries to save face. Oh and Sammy you're still grounded for that other thing."

"Can we take the Chevy?" I beamed trying to lighten the mood.

"You're young and can walk," Dad shooed.

"You weren't kidding Sam your kids really are something else," the customer snickered.

By the time we reached the house we were cold, tired and our nerves were frayed. "Anyone want to tell me why Sam suddenly decided he was Superman?" Ginny questioned with a grunt.

"It was nothing." I quickly lied.

"Sam?" Ginny pushed.

"Brent is a jackass," Sam scowled touching tentatively touching his eye.

"I knew that," Ginny spun around. "And?"

"And he's a loud mouth jerk," Sam sniffed trying to look tough.
"Again not a revelation." Ginny hissed.

"Jerk shot his mouth off," I threw out sensing that Ginny was ticked off. "About me." I added trying to deflect her anger. "Sam decided to be my knight in shinning armor. Did a hell of a job too."

"I think I just beat Dad to the punch," he smiled.

"What did he say about you?" Ginny demanded.

"Oh no there's been enough blood shed on my account for one day," I asserted as she growled under her breath. "Chill it wasn't about you. Brent was just being a jerk. Some people never grow up."

"You're lying." She gaped at me. I knew that look in her eyes and this time I was not going to go along with it.

"Oh no you don't," I shouted. "You're not leaving. Not everything is about you."

"Tell me the truth," she pushed.

"Ginny, don't go?" Sam pleaded. "Brent's an asshole."

"Hitting him was wrong," Ginny yelled. "And more than a little surprising. Just because you got the first shot in doesn't make it right. And yes I'm leaving. No way I'm going to be the cause of any more trouble."

"Ginny?" Sammy shouted.

"I told you it wasn't about you," I flared. Technically it wasn't. "He hates all of us."

The shouting match quickly escalated. If we weren't a real family before that moment sealed it. Mom barged out of the house while we were scrapping. "What in the name of heaven is going on out here? I'm trying to enjoy my hot flash." She bellowed down at us.

All three of us turned mute, scowling while we kicked the snow. "Out with it!" Mom demanded. "What happened to Sam? Honey who hit you?"

"More like who he hit," I laughed.

"Eleanore," Mom tsked me waving for Sam to join her on the porch. "Ooo that is going to smart. Who wants to start talking? Who hit your brother?"

"I got into a fight," Sam defended himself. "No big deal."

"No big deal?" Mom glowered.

"Mom," I tried to make peace. "Brent shot his mouth off and Sam shut his trap."

"Brent?" Mom gave us a quizzical look.

"Jerk who went to high school with us," Ginny clarified.

"Didn't graduate," I confided.

"Big surprise," Ginny groaned.

"You got into a fight with a full grown man?" Mom gasped. "Why?"

"Yes, Eleanore why?" Ginny fussed.

"He said nasty things," I shined them on.

"Such as?" Mom's eyes narrowed.

"He was rude to Dad," Sammy finally broke in. "Then he started saying stuff about El and Ginny. So I showed him the door."

"Told you it wasn't all about you," I smugly informed Ginny. "So you're not going anywhere."

"No one is going anywhere," Mom scolded the lot of us. "Except into the kitchen. The three of you are grounded. So get cracking and start dinner."

"I don't live here." I stammered.

"Oh I wouldn't try playing that card," Mom cautioned me. "Unless you want to cover the next tuition by yourself." I was going to point out that I was in my last semester of law school and there was no further tuition looming on the horizon. But it was a bad day to be pushing Mom's buttons. "I'm only going to say this once. All of you are my children and I love each of you dearly. Even if I didn't go through agonizing hours of labor to bring you into this family. I don't want to know what some idiot did or did not say. There will be no fighting in or outside our happy little home. Now start on that dinner it's getting late."

There was no dodging it. Mom was in what we had started referring to as one of her moods. Solemnly we stomped into the kitchen and began to fix dinner. Mom relaxed in the living room with a glass of wine. We remained silent the only sounds were that of pots and pans being banged about. "So," I tersely began ready to get to the real reason I was in such a snotty mood. Ginny came here first. Ergo she was seeing someone. "What's her name?" I fumed. Sammy shrank back. He may have been brave enough to tackle a big dumb jock still he was smart enough to beg out of this little tit for tat.

"Margo." She grunted slamming the fixing for a salad on the counter. "We needed a break."

"I see." I curtly retorted slamming a chicken down. "But you came here first?"

"We're trying to work things out." She hissed under her breath.

"Isn't that just nifty," I sneered noticing that Sammy was trying to slip out of the room.

"Hey," Ginny spun around. "Don't. How many times have I stopped in to visit only to have you not come home that night?"

"True," I pursed my lips thinking it had only happened twice. "I especially enjoy those moments myself. You know when you look at me like I'm the whore of Babylon. Maybe if you called first or I don't know stick around a little longer it wouldn't happen?"

"That's not fair," she tried to argue with me.

"It's never been fair," I flared. "Not in high school and certainly not now."

"Is she at least special?" She pleaded.

"Sonja?" I shrugged. "I don't see her that often. She's a stewardess for a Swiss Air. She only hits Boston a couple times a year." Sonja was a doll. Who loved that I wasn't another uptight American girl who expected marriage immediately after sex. The truth was I met her in a bar one night. The only reason I had gone out that night was because I was angry with Ginny for leaving again. I picked up the first tall blonde I could find. The fact that she looked so much like Ginny was a bonus. As adventurous as Sonja was most of the time she was all show and no go. Still she had her moments. That woman wore the most tantalizing undergarments. Half the fun was discovering the fun she had hidden beneath her clothing. It was just enough to distract me from the real reasons I hooked up with her in the first place.

"Son of a bitch," Sammy stammered from his hiding spot by the backdoor.

"A Swiss airline stewardess," Ginny blinked seemingly impressed. "Twin cheerleaders and a stewardess? You're like something out of Playboy."

"I have school," I grunted. "I get lonely. Tell me when your bouncing around the continent you sleep alone."

"Most of the time." She spat out.

"A stewardess," Sammy sputtered still shocked. "Man my life sucks. I'm already grounded because Mom found my playboy when she was putting away my laundry."

"Could have been worse," I muttered under my breath. Last winter when my dear sweet mother cleaned my apartment my stash of playthings mysteriously vanished from my night stand and underwear drawer.

"Uhm," Ginny blushed shaking her head.

"What?" I questioned in a hushed whisper.

"She didn't," she mumbled still blushing. "I did."

"What?" I was horrified.

"When your Mom went down to the laundry room it suddenly occurred to me that you're an adult living alone," she timidly explained. "I did a quick sweep. I forget to give them back to you."

"You took the," my voice trailed off when I noticed Sammy listening. "My toys. You have them?" I whispered under my breath.

"In my duffle bag in a paper bag," she quietly explained. "I never looked at them. I swear. I just thought you and your mother might be happier if I ditched them. I forgot about them."

"Thank you for doing that," I mumbled feeling my ire ebbing. "Look I'm sorry. I acted like a jerk."

"Me too," she grimaced. "And I don't think you're a bad person for having a late date. It isn't any of my business what you do. And for trying to bolt. You're right everything isn't about me. I just feel guilty. I know my presence causes stress. So what actually did that booger head Brent say?"

"Oh he was just expounding words of wisdom regarding lesbians," I snarled still feeling disgusted by his words.

"So he didn't graduate?" Ginny snickered. "Not that I'm surprised. In the fall he still hadn't passed English and was dropped from the team."

"He got a GED, I think," I shrugged. "After he got drafted. The Army did nothing to improve his disposition."

"He was always a first class jerk," she shook her head. "I tried to warn Laurie. She thought he was cute."

"You didn't test drive him did you?" I grimaced.

"Yeah, just one date," she scowled. "Gave him the thumbs down. He expected me to pick him up. Some guys were just after the car."

"Was he blind?" I laughed. "True the Cherry Mobiles were a hot set of cars but how could you not notice the driver?"

After Dad got home dinner went surprisingly well. He couldn't stop singing Sammy's praises. Adding of course that violence was not appropriate after repeatedly calling him Sonny Liston. Sammy blushed every time Dad went on and on about how Sammy shut that, as he put it, sideburn wearing freak's big trap. Mom finally got the gist of what went down. She too admonished Sammy for fighting while praising him for defending his family.

I had almost forgotten why I had come home in the first place. Mom insisted that the three of us do the dishes and we weren't brave enough to argue.

After the last dish was put away, Sammy had homework and Ginny had a phone call. I took this as my chance to corner Mom. "Quite a day you kids had," Mom blew out wearily. "I forgot to ask why you stopped in. Not that I'm unhappy to see you. But usually you bring a truck load of laundry with you."

"I wanted to ask you about something that happened when Ginny was at Cold Fields," I carefully began. "Her mother came to see her. It was only once. I know you and Dad were there. Can you tell me what happened?"

"It's not my place to say," Mom sadly supplied. "If you want to know ask Ginny."

"I don't know if today is the right day to do that," I grimaced recalling the argument we had earlier. "We had a bit of a spat earlier."

"Then let it be," Mom cautioned me.

"I can't," I groaned running my fingers through my hair. "I'm so close to clearing her name. You wouldn't believe the stuff we've found out."

"Eleanore, is there a chance?" Mom was so hopeful.
"I'm trying," I promised. "I'll talk to Ginny. I'm just a little worried. I never told her I was working on this."

"You never told any of us," Mom corrected. "I guess Sammy's not the only scrapper in the family." She boasted. "Ask her. The worst she can do is to tell you to go to hell. I suspect it wouldn't be the first time she's told you to butt out."

"Or the last," I responded with an uneasy laugh.

I braced myself before mounting the staircase. I found Ginny in her room sitting on her bed only the table lamp dimly illuminating the room. "Come to get your goodie bag?" She questioned clearing her throat. She looked tired and clearly upset about something.

"No," I smiled shyly leaving the door open since it was one of the house rules. I moved very carefully when I took a spot next to her on the bed. "I was going to talk to you about something. But based on the look on your face it looks like maybe you need to talk. Everything okay?"

"No," she sighed brushing an errant tear from her cheek. "That was Margo on the phone. She's been thinking. She thinks it is for the best I don't come home. Ever."

"Ginny, I'm sorry," I hugged her tightly. "I know I was a snot earlier. I want you to be happy, you know that don't that you?"

"Yeah I know." She sighed tightening her hold on me. "It was my fault."

"Ginny?" I huffed leaning slightly back from her. "If I've learned anything in life it takes two."

"Not this time," she grumbled. "I lied. Well not lied, I just wasn't honest. I didn't tell her about my record. You'd be surprised how much of a turn off it can be." She tried to joke. "She found out. Even after I explained everything, she still didn't trust me. I think she believes me but my omission really hurt her. I hate that it is always going to be there. "

"Maybe not," I tried to encourage her.
"Yes, it is." She curtly retorted. "I was in prison. Nothing will ever change that. So, what did you want to talk about?"

"Perhaps this isn't the right time," I meekly responded.

"How much worse can the day get?" She laughed. "Come on. You came all the way here for a reason. If I can help, I'm more than happy to."

"Okey, Dokey," I shivered slightly. "At the risk of opening a new can of worms, what happened at Oak Ridge between you and Hilary?"

"Oak Ridge?" She was clearly taken aback. "Uhm it was a good school, bit uptight and all girls. Hey how did you know about Hilary?" She suddenly demanded.

"I've been working on your case," I timidly confessed.

"I don't have a case," she sternly corrected me.

"According to one of my law professor's yes you do," I tried to explain. "Look I don't know if anything I've done will do any good. I just have to try."

"Why? It's over," she stressed.

"No, it isn't," I cut her off. "Look at what happened just today. If you want me to stop I will. If you don't want to answer my questions, I can respect that."

"Yeah, like I could stop you," she shook her head. "If you must know I have no idea what happened at Oak Ridge. Hilary and I were close. Dating in fact. I liked her a lot. I even tried to keep it a secret from Laurie. As you are well aware Laurie thinks I should share everything. Oak Ridge never had more than two hundred students at any given time. So, I guess our little affair really wasn't that much of a secret. Everything was great until one night Hilary stopped talking to me. She was really freaked out about something. I never found out what it was. That same night the cops showed up and arrested me. I was charged with trying to seduce her. I spent the night in jail then all of sudden the charges went bye-bye and Laurie and I were on the first bus out of town. Next stop Cedar Hills. I swear that's all I know."

"Would you mind telling me what happened when your mother visited you at Cold Fields?" I quietly questioned.

"You're a regular Nancy Drew aren't you?" She pursed her lips. "It was a short visit. She asked if I was a homosexual. I told her the truth. She said and I quote, from now on when people inquire about my children I will tell them that my son died a hero and my daughter Laurie is a Stanford girl. I have no other children. Then she left. I haven't seen or heard from her since."

"I'm sorry," I reached out to hug her.

"Me too," she sighed pulling away from my touch. "Now if you don't mind I'm tired."

I simply nodded and left her alone. I caught the train back into the city not certain as to when or if I'd hear from her again. She showed up on my doorstep two days later. I started to apologize. She cut me off informing me she really didn't want to discuss the matter ever again. She spent the night. Nothing happened between us. It didn't feel right. It was yet another turning point for us. I was ready to lock up the file I had begun and do what my mother suggested, let it be.

Then I got the call from Spencer, she had arranged a meeting with Mrs. Coluccio the former Gina Degrassi. One more tedious interview and if nothing came from it, I was going to let it go. After my final class that Friday we drove down to Long Island. Gina had done well for herself. Despite her family connections and marrying a nice Italian boy she and her husband walked on the right side of the law running a very posh art dealership in the city.

Her housekeeper, a very pleasant woman, led us around back where we met the lady of the house frolicking with her children. "Mrs. Coluccio thank you for meeting with us," I politely greeted her while thinking she had her father's striking good looks.

"Be forewarned this may be a short meeting," she cautioned us. "Tonya, take the children inside."

We waited until her three children were safely out of earshot. "Are you cops? Or worse reporters?" She demanded keeping her tone pleasant. "If you are then you should know my father never brought his business home with him."

"No, Ma'am," I quickly reassured her. "I'm a law student and my interest has nothing to do with your father. I met him once and found him to be a perfect gentleman. I'm here about a former classmate of yours from Oak Ridge."

"Thank you for your candor," she smiled brightly motioning for us to take a seat. "Oak Ridge, my goodness, now that was a life time ago. I can't believe I almost flunked out. If it wasn't for one of my classmates I would have been in serious trouble."

"Virginia Swenson?" I prodded.

"Yes, how did you know that?" She shook her head. "My God I haven't thought about her in years."

"She's the reason I'm here."

"Gin-gin?" She smiled. "Don't tell me something has happened to her? That girl had a heart of gold."

"What about her sister?" Spencer interjected.

"Laurie," she shrugged. "The same. Heck we couldn't tell them apart half the time. Still Laurie was like some of my father's friends. Nice men, just never turn your back on them. I just never suspected that Gin-gin had a temper. Shocked the heck out of me."

"You mean what happened with Hilary?" I carefully questioned.

"Oh those things happened," she readily dismissed my words. "Small school, no boys within a hundred mile radius these things happen. We use to call it having a pash. I think it was different for Ginny and Hilary, they seemed pretty serious until that night."

"What exactly happened?" I pushed.

"Look Hilary is a happily married woman now," she cut me to the quick. "I don't know what happened to Ginny. But I'm not one for telling tales out of school."

"A few years ago she got into some very serious trouble," again I was treading lightly. "I'm friends with her and I'm trying to help her."

"You said that at times you would mistake one of the twins for the other?" Spencer encouraged.

"Happened a lot," Gina laughed. "For heavens sake they're twins. Many times I suspected that they used to switch places for a lark now and then. Is Ginny okay?"

"For the moment," I cautioned. "I know this is private, but anything you could tell me about what happened would really be helpful. Your father said that you told him that it was Laurie who had committed the transgression."

"I never told him that," she blinked with surprise. "Then again Poppa could be very resourceful. Now that I think about things it would make sense. There was just something about Laurie that always made me uneasy. If I had to pick which one of them would have upset Hilary in that matter I'd bet on her and not Ginny. I'll tell you what I know. Ginny and Hilary ditched out of the dorm late one night. Not an uncommon event. When they got back Hilary was boarding on hysterical. Ginny just shrugged it off and disappeared. Which was not her style. Hilary stormed into the headmistress' office. Next thing I knew Ginny was being hauled off by the local heat. None of us heard what happened and the Swenson girls belongings were packed up the following morning. The closest I ever got to an explanation from Hilary was that Ginny tried to assault her. She never went into graphic detail. Whatever happened it scared the daylights out of Hilary. She was never the same after that. Just didn't make sense." She paused for a moment seemingly mulling things over. "Unless Poppa was right and it wasn't Ginny. That I could believe."

"Thank you for your time, Mrs. Coluccio."

"That's it?" She smiled. "I hope I helped."

"Yes, a little," I smiled in return. "Thank you again."

"Now how did that help?" Spencer asked as we began the long drive back home.

"She confirmed that at times the twins switched places," I explained. "I seriously doubt she'd ever testify to it. But others at the school might."

"Leaves the nagging question as to why?" Spencer shook her head.

"Laurie wanted whatever Ginny had," I tried to translate. "And she didn't like sharing Ginny. She also had a real problem with her sister's sexuality. She'd do anything to put a stop to it. Trust me I have first hand knowledge of just how far she would go."

"Really?" Spencer spied me curiously.

"Back in high school when Ginny and I were first starting to get close," I choked out. "She pinned me in the girl's room. She grabbed me so hard she left bruises."

"So she's nuts?" Spencer quickly deduced.

"Big time," I concluded. "When I accused her of trying to split Ginny and I up she flipped her wig. No way, her sister was gay. And one way or another I had to go."

"So she slaps around a couple of women using Ginny's name," Spencer put the pieces together.

"She probably assumed that Daddy would throw money at the problem and they'd just move to another town," I concluded. "Ginny would get a slap on the wrist. I'd be out of the way and she gets her sister back. Only this time her plan blew up in her face."

"She could have stepped forward," Spencer spat out.

"She could have just chilled out and let nature take its course." I sneered. "Ginny and I were just a couple of confused kids. We weren't even planning on attending the same colleges. Then again, Ginny did apply to Smith. If Laurie found out, it might have pushed her over the edge."

"Just because she was considering continuing her relationship with you?" Spencer sputtered thrown by the lack of logic. "So she smacks around a couple of women in places she must have known the cops would be around? Talk about loony toons. If she wanted to jam you up, she could have just dropped a dime on your little ski trip. You crossed state lines for illicit purposes. Of course since you are older you would have been the one locked up."

"Possibly," I nodded thoughtfully. "But then Ginny would have hated Laurie for hurting me. And Ginny drove. Title eighteen, crimes and criminal procedures part one. Crimes chapter 117 Transportation for illegal sexual activity and related crimes. The court would have viewed Ginny as the guilty party since she was driving the car."

"Ah the Mann Act, gotta love it," Spencer scowled. "You know what gets me is sodomy was listed as one of Virginia's crimes. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought sodomy meant doing it with farm animals."

I released a riotous burst of laughter. "Uhm, yes bestiality is considered sodomy along with oral sex of any kind and any abnormal behavior," I tried to clarify. "Technically Laurie didn't do any of those things. According to the victims she just pawed them and beat the crap out of them. But the cops threw it in anyway."

So now what? You said you were thinking of backing off?" She thoughtfully questioned.

"Not just yet," I shook my head. I was still worried that I was heading down a dead end street. Still Ginny never told me not to keep trying. Although she did question the sanity of my actions.

That spring I graduated from law school with honors. My family was there, all of my family including my wayward ex-girlfriend. Ginny lingered in the background. It couldn't have been easy for her to see me achieve success. If life hadn't gone the way it did it could have been her receiving the accolades, instead she was endlessly roaming. Yet, I knew she was happy for me. Heck even my grandmother was happy. During the party my parents arranged in the backyard Ginny pulled me aside. "I'm proud of you," she echoed the praises I had been inundated with that day. Coming from her it meant the world to me. "What are your plans for after the party?"

"Well Sandy and Ron wanted to go out and celebrate," I began. "But I doubt Sandy will be able to stand up for much longer. I'm worried about her."

"Yeah me too," Ginny nodded in agreement. "Mind if I tag along?"

"Tag along?" I shook my head. "I was hoping to ditch everyone and steal you away. I know this can't be easy for you." I tenderly added patting her on the arm.

"It," she paused scrunching her face. "It hurts a little. But this is you. I couldn't be prouder of you if I tried. I know I was a real drag during my last visit. Sorry about that."

"Drop it, I could never stay mad at you," I gave her a quick hug. It felt good to put some of the drama behind us.

"Hey, no groping my prom date," Ron interrupted us.

"O'Keefe, you mangy dog," she pretended to scold him while giving him a hug. "Look at you all grown up." She added tugging on his shaggy hair-do.

"Mr. Druette already gave me guff over my hair," he explained with a sheepish grin. "Speaking of guff I heard what happened with Brent. I always knew he was bad news. Ever since the first grade when he dipped Ellen's pigtails in an inkwell."

"That brute!" Ginny bellowed. "You should have seen little Sam kicking the tar out of that blow hard."

"Blew the deal with Buddy," Ron snickered.

"What deal?" I questioned.

"Buddy is retiring," Ron causally began. "Neither Stewie or his sisters want the business. So Brent's dad was going to buy it for him. After Buddy heard about Brent's behavior he backed out of the deal."

"Brent running Buddy's now there's a scary thought," I shivered.

"Mow it down is more like it," Ron scowled.

"Let me guess, he wanted to put in a strip mall," Ginny grimaced. "Damn things are popping up all over. Disgusting."

"So you gals up for sneaking out of here and having some fun?" Ron implored. "Uhm that is if I'm not intruding?"

"Climb it Tarzan," Ginny snickered flipping him the bird. "I'm up for a night out. I think Sandy is done for."

"Convincing her to go home is hard enough. Trying to get her not to drive is damn near impossible," I sighed wearily. Sandy's debauchery had grown worse after Bobby's death. Trying to keep Sandy away from a party was like trying to get Russia and the US to call an end to the cold war.

"This could take some maneuvering, Ron nodded in agreement.

"Eleanore," Mom interrupted. "Hello Ron."

"Mrs. Druette," he nodded respectfully.

"What's up, Mom?" I questioned.

"Sandy is under the weather," she quietly explained.

"Three sheets to the wind is more like it," Ginny grumbled.

"I'm afraid so," Mom groaned. "She passed out. Your Dad put her in Ginny's room. Safe to say she won't be capable of driving for quite sometime."

"One problem solved," Ron chimed in.

"We can't just leave her here," Ginny argued.

"Oh were you kids going out?" Mom cheerfully questioned. "Go, Sandy is toasted. She won't come out of her coma until tomorrow if we're lucky. Go have fun. Take the Chevy. If Sandy wakes up Dad will take her home."

"Thanks for the party Mom," I hugged her. "Well guys I just need to change."

"Me too," Ginny frowned.

"You can get changed in my room," I offered remembering that Sandy was passed out in her room. "We'll take turns." I offered for my mother's benefit. "Where to?"

"Cindy and Frank's folks are throwing them a killer party at the Fairmont Hotel," Ron volunteered.

"Yeah, I got an invite to that," I nodded thinking it was close enough to home and most of our classmates would be there. "I think Frank's popping the question tonight."

"About time," Ron beamed.

"Uhm the Fairmont is nice," Ginny hesitated. "Who are Frank and Cindy?"
"A couple of our classmates," I explained. "Most of the class should be there. It should be a hoot. Or we could go somewhere else?" I suggested realizing that Ginny might not feel comfortable.

"What you are wearing should be fine," Mom cut in pointing to the dress Ginny had bought for the party.

Ginny thought about for a moment before agreeing. "I guess I don't need to change," she smiled. "The Fairmont isn't as uptight as some of the other snobby hotels." She added with a shrug.

"What about me?" I asked twirling around.

"You're perfect," she smiled brightly. "You too," she addressed Ron straightening his tie. "Since it is your party I'll drive."

"Bummer," Ron moped. "I was hoping to take the Cherry Mobile out for a spin."

"Hey, you stole my prom date no way I'm letting you drive the Chevy," she taunted him.

"Still got your priorities straight," I laughed before we ducked out of the party.

When we pulled up to the Fairmont I was floored. If this was one of the less fancy country clubs just what were the others like? The valet took the keys and we made our way to the main ball room. Frank had indeed proposed and by the time the three of us made our entrance Cindy was racing around showing everyone her ring. It was a really nice and sparkly. She hugged Ron and me before I went to introduce her to Ginny. "Uhm," Cindy stammered for a moment. "Virginia?"

"Cynthia," she smiled politely shaking Cindy's hand.

"Thank goodness for half a second I thought Laura had suddenly become cool," Cindy graciously greeted her. "How have you been? Better still where have you been?"

"Around," Ginny shrugged. "Congratulations. On the engagement and, of course, Law School."

"Thank you," Cindy gushed. "This summer is going to be busy, both of us job hunting and planning a wedding. Frank and I haven't been as lucky as these two. Already picked up by a top firm."

"Oh there's Sara and she's all alone at the bar," Ron wistfully sighed.

"Go," I nudged him.

"Uhm Ellen?" Cindy nervously began. "Can I speak to you for a moment?"

"Sure," I clenched my jaw a tad worried about her tone.

"Ellen," she quietly began after we took a couple of steps away from Ginny. "You know Frank and I are cool. But our families are a little uptight. His mom is already on my case because I want to work. It's just that,"

"She's not a date. Well not really," I groaned. "And even if she was we wouldn't make out at your shin ding."

"I must sound like a total drip," she sighed with relief. "Although I suspect Frank would love to watch. Just for the record I've always like Ginny. Her sister is a pill though."

"I've noticed." I laughed. "As for Frank you know a lot of guys have this whole can I watch thing going. I don't understand it."

"Honestly if you wanted a guy that's who you'd be with," she shook her head. "Again, I'm sorry for being a drag. If it was up to me and Frank the two of you could slow dance together. Speaking of my uptight family gotta go. Have fun."

"What's up?" Ginny briskly inquired.

"Nothing," I patted her arm. "She just wanted to make sure we wouldn't rock the boat around the old folks. She assumed that you're my date and as much as her future husband might enjoy watching us play tonsil hockey, she was worried that some of the other guests might be offended."

"Wait she'd be cool with you bringing a female escort?" Virginia stammered.

"She is cool with it," I snickered guiding Ginny towards the bar.

"You don't even know what a closet looks like do you?" She teased me. "Two white wines please?" She requested from the bartender.

"Not since Smith," I gloated. "I don't kid myself either. A lot of people say they are down with it until you hold hands in public. Then all of sudden I'm flaunting it."

"Oh I know that one all too well," she sighed. "Not that," she instructed the bartender disliking his selection. The bartender nodded seeming to agree with her.

"My I suggest two glasses of Moet instead?" The older gentleman recommended.

"Excellent," Ginny nodded her approval.

"Ooo bubbles," I beamed. "Wait," I cut her off when she went to pay.

"It's your night." She asserted brushing my money aside.

"And you just had a birthday," I countered.

"So, you get the next round."

"How do you know Cindy?" I asked as we strolled about sipping our champagne.

"Beaumont," she smiled. "The school we went to right before Oak Ridge. Hasn't your little investigation taken you that far back yet?"

"No," I sighed. "Finding your past records has been tricky. Seems they keep disappearing."

"Interesting." She furrowed her brow.

"You know what I find interesting," I slowly began as she hummed along to the band. "Why on earth did you allow a financial specialist to handle your defense?"

"He was Daddy's lawyer," she shrugged.

"Yes, his business attorney," I corrected her. "He doesn't handle criminal cases."

"What's the difference?" She was clearly confused.

"A lot I hope. Since my specialty is criminal law," I smiled as we ducked out into the fresh air. "If you had been busted for tax evasion this guy would have been perfect. But for the charges you were facing he was way out his element."

"But he took care of it those other times," she argued.

"By paying people off which, as we found out, only works so many times," I contradicted her. "If you went to trial the mere fact that you have an identical twin could have gotten you off."

"He said that if, by some miracle, I was acquitted, the both of us would have had to face charges in Vermont," she argued. "I wasn't going to allow you to get into trouble. He said something about crossing state lines."

"Fine, we could have gotten into trouble if you took the stand and incriminated yourself," I spelled out for her. "Who says you would have had to take the stand?"

"I would have to," she continued her argument.

"No, you wouldn't," I corrected her. "No defendant can be forced to testify against themselves. Any decent lawyer would have proven you were out of state at the time by having me, my parents and Rosa testify. Then show pictures of the matching cars, have people like Gina Degrassi or Miss Piper testify that they often mistook Laurie for you. As for what we did in Vermont no one would have known. After all we did bring our skis with us. Heck up until I told her old lady Piper still thought that Laurie was my buddy and point on the squad. Big old closet case that she is."

"Miss Piper?" She gasped.

"Oh yeah," I grimaced. "The point is your prior offenses weren't admissible. Strange that they only showed up just long enough for the judge to see them. You had an alibi and there was a viable second suspect. I can't see a jury convicting you based on the evidence. Your lawyer screwed you. Thing is you pled out which means no appeal."

"I didn't know any of this," she muttered completely bewildered. "Wow you just graduated and already you are one hell of a lawyer."

"I'm not a lawyer yet," I laughed. "I still have to pass the bar. Speaking of the bar, ready for another round?"

"Why not?" She smiled brightly. "After all I'm celebrating the success of the smartest woman I know."

"Now you're just trying to butter me up," I nudged her.

"No," she shook her head. "I'm impressed. I always knew you were smart but this is amazing. It may be too late to save my sorry ass, but if you're this good with a dead case imagine how much good you will do once you're out there in the real world."

"Your case isn't dead," I fussed as we made our way through the party. "Two more." I instructed the bartender. "Look if you want me to stop I will."

"Drinking?" She toyed with me.

"The case," I chuckled. "Although perhaps I should ease up on the bubbles. One of us has to drive."

"It's a party," she nudged me. "We'll deal with our transportation later. We could get Ron to, hey where is he?"

"Off with Sara. I hope," I smiled sipping my champagne. "He's had a thing for her for over a year."

"He never tried to get back together with you?" She shyly inquired.

"No. Not even at the prom," I curtly informed her. "And he knows about me."

"That doesn't stop some guys," she cautioned me as we bumped our way through the crowd.

"Stopped him," I reassured her before introducing her to one of my classmates.

We stopped and chatted with people having a good time. We drank a little more as we mixed and mingled. "So at the risk of stirring up a hornets nest what happened at Beaumont?" I inquired when we once again ducked out for some fresh air.

"Again, I don't know," she groaned. "One day I was sitting in class then I was summoned to the headmaster's office and arrested for trying to put the moves on some girl I had barely spoken to. I mean I knew her. I had a bit of a crush on her. But she was straight so I never even considered putting the moves on her. I spent the rest of the afternoon in a jail cell. When I was released we were on the move again. I asked Laurie about it. She said it was a misunderstanding."

"I'll bet," I hissed before draining my drink. "Don't defend her." I cut her off just as she was about to speak. "The only thing your sister did right was try to visit you."

"What?" Ginny stammered almost dropping her drink.

"She was turned away," I could have kicked myself for bringing it up. "So was I. At first I assumed it was because you didn't want to see me. I recently discovered there was a list of people who were prohibited from communicating with you in person or verbally."

"Those rat bastards," she cursed under her breath. "It's true I didn't want you to see me in there. My attire was less than flattering. But I would have loved to have heard your voice."

"Same here," I reached up and caressed her shoulder. "I tried calling you at the stroke of midnight the very second I turned twenty-one."

"That is so sweet," she gave me a lopsided grin.

"Speaking of sweet this is nice," I complemented the floral dress she was wearing by running my finger along the neck line. "When did you get it?"

"Your Mom and I went shopping the other day," she smirked.

"Have long have you been in town?" I questioned quickly withdrawing my hand.

"Couple of days," she drew out slowly. "And no there isn't anyone. I just wanted to surprise you for your graduation. Surprise!" She playfully added. "So do we risk more bubbly or try to sober up?"

"I'd love more bubbles," I grinned. "Still neither of us should be driving. I guess we'll have to pass. Mostly because the way the moonlight is shimmering in your hair. We've reached a nasty juncture."

"I know," she sighed leaning a little closer to me. "We really need to stop doing this. And even if we are tempted, again. We can't bunk together tonight."

"We might have to," I laughed. "I have a feeling Sandy is still passed out in your room."

"Huh!" She laughed. "Knowing Pops the sofa is already made up for one of us."

"Probably me," I groaned. "I swear you're the favorite."

"Knock that off," she laughed once again her arm slipping around my waist.

I could hear sounds of the party dying down. I knew that I should move yet I was unable to. Her eyes held me captive. "Oh this is bad," I whispered. "It reminds me of that party. Standing under a big oak tree; the moonlight glimmering in your hair. I really want to bunk with you tonight."

"And we need to stop bunking together," she finished for me. "Whew," she blew out. "Not tonight."

"So we call a cab?" I regrettably offered.

"Not what I meant," she purred. "Tonight is a celebration. We can call a cease fire in the morning."

"A taxi into the city and we crash at my place?" I eagerly suggested.

"Or?" She gave me a rakish grin. "This is a hotel. How about we call the folks, let them know we're safe. I have some extra bread saved up. I'll go bribe that nice bartender and get us another bottle of bubbly while you get us a room?"

"My God you're brilliant," I gleefully exclaimed. "I'll meet you at the front desk."

I rushed toward the exit stopping to say goodnight to Cindy and Frank. "Great party and congrats." I hugged the both of them.

"Not a date, huh?" Cindy tormented me.

"Long story," I rolled my eyes.

"Where have you been hiding her?" Frank blew out in appreciation. "You know she looks like that stuck up witch what's her name, Laura?"

"Twin sister," Cindy clarified. "I know hard to believe since Virginia is so nice. Oh Ellen, just so you know we booked a block of rooms just use Frank's last name for the discount."

"I love you guys," I hugged them once again.

"And we want details," Frank called out as I made a bee line for the front desk.

"Not a chance," I called back over my shoulder.

Ginny was beaming when she caught up with me. "Ready?" She smirked holding up a bottle of champagne.

"All set," I concurred holding up the room key. "I even got us a discount." I boasted pressing the button for the elevator.

"Did you call?" Ginny questioned once we were in the elevator.

"Yes," I smiled. "Mom is very proud of us for not driving after indulging."

"You know what will be nice? Not that I dislike your apartment," she carefully began.

"I know it's too small," I sighed.

"I was referring to that neighbor of yours," she corrected me. "The one who pounds on the wall every time she thinks we are too loud. Can't watch the Flintstones in peace."

"Yeah that's when Phyllis bangs on the walls," I scoffed.

"I'm not the noise maker," she grinned.

"Yes, you are," I debated as we stepped off the elevator.

"Hey I spent five years in the big house," she argued. "Trust me I know how to be quiet."

"Tonight you don't have to be," I taunted her jamming the key in the hole.

"Open the door," she breathlessly begged.

"Open the champagne," I demanded throwing the door open.

I was in her arms. A loud pop echoed throughout the room, followed by the sound of her kicking the door closed. "Do not disturb," I reminded her snagging the bottle.

"Right," she gasped for air.

I searched for glasses as she hung the sign on the door before locking it behind us. I offered her a glass as we climbed onto the bed. She toasted my success before we drank our champagne. We drank a little more before becoming wrapped up in the task of removing the other's clothing. We were naked and wrapped up in one another's arms in record time. We touched and tasted every inch of the other's flesh. It felt so good to caress her body. The sharp gasps she would expel each time I raked my nails along her trembling skin. Ginny worshiped by my body leaving no part untouched or satisfied.

Our love making was frenzied that night. We were fueled on by the knowledge that we were teetering on the edge of ending this aspect of our relationship. It was time to put up or shut up. Hitting the sheets every time she blew into town wasn't working. If she wasn't going to stay and I wasn't going to follow her we needed to stop acting like lovers. I had serious doubts that I would ever be strong enough to refuse her.

I awoke the next morning sated and spent. Ginny was naked lying on her stomach while I was happily nestled on top of her. I loved the feel of our sweaty naked flesh pressed together. I kissed her shoulder tenderly. "I love waking up this way," I murmured softly.

"On top?" She giggled.

"Absolutely," I boasted.

"Hmm," she sighed happily. "We have to get up."

"Oh God the walk of shame," I groaned slipping off her body.

"The what?" She laughed rolling over exposing her glorious naked form.

"You know," I poked her in the ribs. "The morning after. No change of clothes. Sticking your underwear in your purse. Only today we get to do it by strolling through a fancy hotel lobby before arriving at my parent's house."

"At least we can shower first," she surmised before stealing a kiss.

It was only mildly embarrassing checking out knowing that each of us had our undergarments and pantyhose tucked safely away in our purses. We found Ron sitting on the curb looking like Monday morning in hell. "Rough night Tiger?" I teased him laughing when his bloodshot gaze looked up at us.

"You have no idea," he groaned. "I was going to call a cab when I saw the Chevy still sitting in the parking lot."

"Come on Romeo, we'll give you a lift," Ginny laughed handing the valet the parking stub.

"Can we put the top down?" Ron whined as we headed down the highway. "I'm not feeling quite up to snuff."

"Not a chance bucko," Ginny chided him. "We have wet hair. So last night wasn't all hearts and flowers?" She taunted even further.

"She wanted to talk," he grunted. "Not that I minded. But she wanted to talk about the guy who just dumped her."

"Poor baby," I snickered.

"Don't," he cautioned me. "I'm not a pig. But listening to her expel this idiot's virtues wasn't what I had hoped for. I tried to tell her she could do better. Sara wouldn't listen. So we drank way too much. Finally she fell asleep and I sat up all night watching television until it went off the air. And how was your night ladies?"

"Fabulous," I boasted snuggling closer to Ginny.

"I hate you both," Ron snorted with disgust before drifting off to sleep in the backseat.

"Time to wake up sleeping beauty," Ginny snickered when we pulled up in front of the O'Keefe's home.

"Yo, Ron up and Adam!" I shouted jolting him out of his slumber. "I'd walk you to the door but your parents hate me."

He grunted and groaned as he stumbled out of the back. He waved to us as he stumbled up the walkway. When we arrived at my parent's home, Dad took one look at us shook his head and walked away. "Oops," I grimaced knowing he wanted to say something, but what could he say without admitting that he knew what we were up to.

"Good morning, Mom," I called out finding her in the living room folding up some sheets she had obviously laid out on the sofa.

"Good afternoon is more like it," she tsked handing Ginny the bundle of linen. "You might want to put these on your bed. Sandy got sick a couple of times during the night."

"She's still here?" I gaped.

"Oh yes," Mom grimly nodded. "If the two of you would be so kind, could you get Cinderella's butt in gear?"

"We're on it," Ginny promised. "Can't believe she's still here. I knew she was buzzed when she showed up yesterday but this is ridiculous."

"Gross," I grimaced when we opened the door to Ginny's room. It reeked of booze and vomit. Sandy was hanging halfway off the bed oblivious to our entrance. There was a used pot sitting next to the bed. I snapped open the window shades before opening the windows. Ginny knelt by the bed to check on our charge.

"Come on, Sandy," she gently tapped her head.

"Fuck off," Sandy snarled turning over and burying her face.

"No way was that from a couple of beers," I grimly surmised. "Sandy!" I shouted causing her to bolt up. Her eyes rolled back and we grabbed her just before she could collapse. "Shower time."

"For fucks sake," Sandy wailed as we dragged her towards the bathroom.

"Out of the way Sam," Ginny cautioned as we dragged Sandy into the bathroom.

Sandy cursed up and down as we stripped her and tossed her into an icy cold shower. She fought the entire time while we kept shoving her back into the cold water. We only released her a couple of times so she could get sick. Finally, she emerged looking like drowned rat. We wrapped her in a bundle of towels and dragged her back to Ginny's room. Ginny tore through her belongings and found a pair of jeans and a worn sweatshirt. "Get dressed." She coldly informed our shivering friend. Then Ginny gathered up some belongings and we retreated to my room and changed our clothing.

"What is she on?" Ginny miserably questioned. We headed back towards her room.

"I don't know," I admitted. "All I know is it has gotten worse since Bobby died."

"What did we do last night?" Sandy croaked out looking like death warmed over.

"We?" I sputtered. "You passed out and we went to a party."

"You ditched me?" She whined indignantly.

"You were down for the count," Ginny scolded her. "What gives? Sandy you're killing yourself."

"I'm fine," she blew us off.

"You don't even remember last night and you say you're fine?" I tried to reason with her.

"So, I partied?" Sandy reasoned. "What's the game plan for today?"

"We're taking you home," I insisted.

"Oh come on," Sandy protested. "This is a celebration."

"Party over," I corrected her. "We need to fumigate Ginny's room and have dinner with the family. I'm heading back to the city tonight."

"We can go out," Sandy continued to argue.

"I'm starting my new job in the morning," I cut her down. "Now stand up."

"Bitchy was never your forte," she grumbled wobbling as she tried to stand. We moved quickly each grabbing one arm to prevent her from falling again. On the drive home she sat in the backseat scowling at us. She was pissed by the time we dropped her off.

"She's a mess," Ginny concluded as we drove back home.

"I've tried talking to her," I sighed. "She gets angry every time I try to reason with her. I'm worried about her."

"You can't save her from herself," Ginny grimly noted pulling into the driveway. "Home again. How much flack are we in for?"

"Hard to say," I reasoned as we climbed out of the car. "Chances are they'll just ignore our absence last evening."

"About that," she cleared her throat. "I had a great time last night."

"Me too," I smiled over at her. "So," I tentatively began. "Are we enacting our new treaty? Or will you be accompanying me back to Boston."

"I shouldn't," she frowned. "Yeah, I could spend a couple of days in the city."

"Okay," I shrugged knowing that once again we failed to resolve anything and not really caring that we hadn't.

She stayed for a week until the limited space and my new work hours got under her skin. I dropped her off at South Station and with a quick goodbye she was off again this time heading towards New York. I don't why she chose New York she just did.

I threw myself into my new career, passed the bar exam on the first try and began my life as a lawyer. When you begin your law career you start at the very bottom. Which was fine by me. I got to learn a lot and it gave me time to expand my investigation into Ginny's case. Every once in awhile the airport in New York was fogged in and Sonya was rerouted to Boston. I enjoyed Sonya and her adventurous spirit yet I was growing tired of it. My time with Sonya often left me feeling vacant. I knew that the day I would be suddenly unavailable for one of her impromptu visits was nearing.

TBC

Return to the Academy

Send comments to findingmavis@comcast.net

For updates & previews join my egroup at yomavis-subscribe@yahoogroups.com