Incest/Taboo Lady in Red

"Okay, I admit it. Happy? Is this about me or about how you've always had a crush on Steve and never dared act on it?" asked Diane. "I know that you undid your own buttons before you came out of the laundry room yesterday. Maybe you should try sitting in a hot tub with the guy and see how it feels. I've never cheated on your father and I never will, but I'm a woman, and it's nice to be appreciated as one now and then."

"I did try it, ... last night," revealed Stephanie.

"You were in a hot tub with Steve?" repeated a surprised Diane. "Were you wearing a swimsuit at least?"

"Mother, I'm 23 years old. I was naked with Steve and I'll get naked with him anytime I want. If you don't like it, I'll move out. I can afford my own place quite easily now."

Steve moved ahead slightly and was about to speak when Gwen nudged him in the side with her elbow. When he glanced her way, Gwen shook her head slightly. Steve knew immediately that he was expected to remain silent.

Diane glared at Stephanie and then at Steve. Everyone could see the emotions wash across her face. Then she suddenly broke into a big smile.

"Tell me all about it. How did he behave? I bet he loved your figure. My little girl is really growing up. I wish I felt comfortable enough to tell you about the hot tub thing I had with Steve, but you were too young then. I just never felt comfortable about telling you. You're so lucky to not have to keep it a deep secret.

"Gwen, I hope that you knew about this before just now," added Diane. "I'm afraid that we take your willingness to share Steve for granted at times. I'm sure that Stephanie won't be getting naked with Steve anytime she wants, as she so bluntly put it."

"Gwen was there for a lot of it. She explained the 'rules of engagement' with the guys to me last night. Lisa was there, too. She's the one that mentioned that Steve's seen numerous mother/daughter combinations, like you and me, Lisa and Theresa, Paula and all three of her daughters, as well as Jordan and her mom," summarized Stephanie. "Steve's going to work on getting Grandmother into the hot tub with him."

"How did Mom and I get dragged into this somewhat perverse and strangely erotic conversation?" asked Jordan. "It's no secret that I've been naked with Steve a few times, but I didn't know Mom's escapades were so well known. I didn't think Steve would tell stories out of school."

"Paula and I watched and listened to Steve with your mother that morning," revealed Diane. "Steve never would've mentioned it, but Paula and I were so impressed with his defense of you, as well as his praise of you and Paula, that we kind of let people know how amazing it was."

"So he really did tell Mom how perfect I look and how nice my figure is? You heard him do it?" beamed Jordan as she hugged Steve and kissed him quickly on the lips. "Now that we've determined that Steve has seen all of us naked, and probably will again, let's get to work on our routines. I'm pretty excited to be singing and dancing at the Oscars!"

About that time, Will, still wearing his pajamas, staggered into the kitchen and dropped tiredly into a chair. Steve slapped his shoulder lightly and chuckled. "I hope you're able to get some rest today while I'm dancing with your wife, holding her in my arms, and ..."

"Never mind!" groaned Will. "Why don't you go save a small nation or something and leave Diane alone?"

Steve, Gwen, and Stephanie all broke into laughter while Jordan, Diane, and Charlie looked totally bewildered.

"What's the matter, Dad? Getting too old to keep up with Mom?" goaded Stephanie gently. "She looks relaxed and happy as a clam. I bet after a day of watching these buff younger men with their washboard abs and rugged good looks, Mom'll want a repeat performance tonight."

"What are you talking about?" demanded Diane. "Did you hear us last night? What's going on?"

"That's what I've been wondering," admitted Jordan. "You, Charlie, and I are not in on this little joke, whatever it is. It'll help me to understand better if you tell me what Stephanie heard last night."

"Nothing, ...well, nothing that unusual," corrected Diane. "Will was in a romantic mood last night and we may have made enough noise for Stephanie to hear us."

"May have?" repeated Stephanie. "The whole house was shaking!"

"While interesting, and great for you, Diane, I don't see how Steve could have had any direct influence on your activities. I still don't understand why Stephanie is blaming, or crediting, Steve for your ardor," puzzled Jordan.

"That makes no sense," responded Diane. "The last I saw Steve was at Paula's house before we went out. Stephanie saw a lot more of him last night than I did, and I mean that literally."

"Let's get our routines down," interjected Steve to direct the conversation away from the activities of the previous evening. "We really don't have all that much time."

"So, Gwen, how was Steve last night? Was he able to take you to those places most of us can only dream about?" kidded Stephanie to her cousin. "I'm curious to know if you owe me a 'thank you' for my part in getting Steve in the mood."

"He's always in the mood," laughed Gwen. "But he brought his A-game last night. That's for sure! We visited those places to which you just referred several times. I guess I do owe you a lunch or something."

"What's going on around here?" demanded Jordan. "Is there some sort of sex cult or ritual going on that no one mentioned to me? I may want to join since it's working so well for Diane and Gwen."

"You're already a member in good standing," assured Gwen to her friend. "I'll explain it later. Right now, we need to get to work."

After a strenuous morning working on their routines for the Oscars, the friends joined up with the rest of their group at the LiR studios to make the commercials. Before shooting was scheduled to begin, Stephanie asked that Lisa, Kate, Jordan, Gwen, Charlie, and Steve meet with her in private.

"I've been working on a few projects that I believe will benefit the company. I don't believe that we've been marketing your popularity like we should and I plan to change that," announced Stephanie. "To that end, I have several projects I want to implement, unless you guys tell me not to.

"The first is a quarterly magazine. It'll be 'Lady in Red', aptly enough. We'll shoot the first cover for it today and it'll feature all six of you. This will be like a journal of your lives. Each of you will have space for a blog, opinion, events... pretty much whatever you care to reveal to the public.

"I'll have people trying to get candid pictures of you guys as you go about your lives and I'll expect you to take some of your own to use in your stories. The first issue will be a recap of how this company was born and grew. It will cover everything right up to the present and it will be out in late May

"We'll advertise every aspect of the business in the magazine. You guys and your good friends will be the models for the clothes and perfumes, so we'll need lots of pictures today, and I'll be asking you all to stop in to pose for more every now and then for future issues. Your movies will be featured along with any interesting developments that happen during filming.

"We'll accept some advertising from other companies, but we don't want the magazine clogged with annoying ads that detract from our goal of promoting you and LiR. We'll charge at least double what other magazines ask for advertising to limit the exposure of any other company in our magazine.

"Your music will be featured a great deal. Your good deeds will be discussed at length. Gwen's experiences in Congress will be covered. Jason and Lisa's efforts to help people in emergencies as well as the homeless shelter that Ashley first started will be included.

"The specials you did for Christmas and New Years Eve were huge successes. I'm getting requests to commit to doing it again. I plan on negotiating a lot more money for them and perhaps adding a few more specials. I'm also looking into pay-per-view for the concerts you give, even if they always seem to be free for the people that watch them live.

"I'm going to ask Jordan and Charlie to make more movies since they are out of school and have more time than the rest of you. They are extremely popular now and we need to take advantage of it. I want to get Lisa and Jason appearing in more films since they look so good and are naturals in front of the camera. Of course, whenever Steve and Gwen can make a movie, we'll do everything possible to work around their commitments. Kate's busy in law school, but she and Chip and the rest of your friends will be worked into more films as well. There's increased interest in Naomi since she did so incredibly well in your last movie, but her Naval career will restrict how much she can film.

"Becky is in greater demand all the time. She's very good and people love how she's not letting the loss of a hand hold her back in any way. She's making money for the company as well as for herself. We'll start working Pete into some movies when we can. He's a good looking guy, and if he can act, he'll do well.

"I've hired some people to write some animated movies featuring you guys. Once we get some scripts and the animation done, you'll have to stop in to do the voices of your characters.

"I think I should point out that Jordan and Charlie have been bringing in the most revenue lately. They share in the success of the movie, and sell a lot of music and do a lot of concerts. They also pull in a lot of money with the royalties from the songs they write. Is everyone fine with that?" asked Stephanie.

"If they need a bigger cut or something, I sure won't complain," stated Kate quickly. "I haven't contributed much to this business, yet, but I hope to in the future."

"Jordan and I are extremely happy with the way things are right now. Between us, we own a third of a wonderful company with some great people. We'd never be here if it weren't for Gwen and Steve. You'll hear no complaints from us," insisted Charlie as Jordan beamed her agreement.

"I'm glad to hear that because we're in this together," stated Steve as he looked around the room at his friends. "Each of us will do what we can and that will be enough for all of us. There's no ledger being kept to determine who's doing what. We're partners, friends and family, and I want us to stay that way."

"I'm extremely impressed with Stephanie's plans for the company," praised Gwen. "If we keep giving away hundreds of millions of dollars at a time, we'd better be sure we keep money coming in. I thank each of you for being so generous with your time and talent to make our company a successful, yet compassionate enterprise. I'm very proud of all of you."

"Okay, since there are no questions or objections, I'm going to pursue these ideas," declared Stephanie as she headed for the door. "Now let's go make the sexiest, most interesting commercials any Super Bowl has ever seen!"

As the afternoon wore on, Steve found himself watching Paula when he wasn't actively filming or posing for ads. He couldn't help but notice how great she looked, but how miserable she was being to Ted. Unable to watch and listen any longer, he decided to speak to her.

"Paula, would you please step into the conference room with me?" asked Steve to a surprised Paula.

She concealed her shock and followed Steve into a small conference room. As he closed the door, Steve noticed that Gwen and Lisa had been watching him take their mother aside.

"Paula, you've been all over Ted's case this afternoon. Can you tell me why you feel it's necessary to be so tough on him?"

"My relationship with my husband really isn't any business of yours," replied Paula somewhat curtly. "I have my reasons for keeping a close eye on Ted. They don't concern you, however."

"That simply isn't true," replied Steve firmly as he stepped closer to Paula. "I've been listening to, and watching how you're treating him today. We're pretty much family. I love you like I've never loved any other woman. You're part mother, part fantasy, part hero, and part very good friend. This family is my business. I respect and admire Ted. Frankly, I think he deserves better from you."

"Maybe you haven't noticed how he looks at those young women in there!" snapped Paula. "It's embarrassing to have a husband that's pushing fifty behave like a hormonal teen. He needs to act his age."

"That's it?" asked a stunned Steve. "Ted is looking at the some of the most beautiful women in the world, and most of the time they're in swim suits or lingerie, and you think there's something wrong with him?

"Did you think you married a eunuch or something? Do you see any of the girls complaining about it? They'd be a lot more hurt if he didn't look. What's really going on here?"

"It's just that Ted and I have been married almost thirty years. I can't compete with those young women. After looking at them all the time, he'll have no interest in me anymore. Our sex life has slowed down lately. I know he's probably wishing he had a younger, hotter wife."

"What have you been smoking?" demanded Steve. "The guy adores you. Things slow down for everyone, and they pick back up. You must know that by now. Being around the other guys and all these beautiful women helps Ted feel younger. The girls respect him a lot. They enjoy teasing him and getting a reaction from him, or at least they did until you started hammering him. He's a good looking man around some very beautiful women. Let him enjoy it! He'll be hornier than ever if you just let up and allow him to relax a little and enjoy the day."

"You think I'm just being petty and Ted's behaving like a normal almost fifty year old man?" questioned Paula.

"Yes!" laughed Steve. "The key word you used is 'man' and Ted is that. When he no longer looks, take him out and shoot him. What you need to do is borrow a page from Will's play book. Have the girls flirt with him! Tell them it's a favor to you. They'll understand and be glad to do it. They think the world of Ted."

"Will's play book? What does that mean? Does he get the girls to flirt with him so he'll be more romantic toward Diane? You expect me to believe that Will flirting with those young girls is a good thing for Diane?" scoffed Paula.

"That isn't exactly what he does and I probably shouldn't have mentioned it. He doesn't interact too much with the girls. He's even more introverted than Ted," responded Steve carefully.

"You're the one that brought this up. Exactly what is Will's so-called playbook?"

"I'm not very good at keeping secrets like this, am I?" chuckled Steve. "Over a period of time, Will has observed that Diane is more romantically inclined after she has interacted with some of the guys in our group. Will encourages some contact and sexual banter knowing that he'll be the benefactor later that evening."

"Do I understand you correctly? Will likes you to get Diane all hot and bothered for him, like you're doing the foreplay and he's getting the main event? That's ridiculous!" insisted Paula.

"Not really. You saw how Diane was when she left the laundry room yesterday? Now check how she's smiling today while Will is dragging his butt around. The proof is right in front of you," assured Steve.

"You were doing something in that room with Diane! You undid her buttons, didn't you? She was awfully smug when we went out last night, but she insisted nothing happened in that room. What did you do to her?" questioned Paula.

"It's easier to show you, unless you're not as daring as your sister," grinned Steve. "Diane is a very responsive, sensual woman."

"Diane? She'd never do anything crazy, except for getting into that hot tub with you when she found out she was pregnant with Billy. That was just her hormones raging out of control."

"So she didn't let me pull her close, like this, and undo her buttons while I explained how we may do a love scene together in our next movie? She didn't want to hear just how I'd uncover her breasts and caress them during those scenes? She didn't visualize being naked in my arms while we keep trying to get the scene right, through countless rehearsals and numerous takes? Her nipples didn't get all hard when she saw me looking down her bra at them? She wasn't smiling when she went out with the girls later, and she certainly didn't give Will some extra lovin' later last night?" whispered Steve as he moved his face very close to Paula's.

"I know what you're trying to do to me, and it's working," blushed Paula as she searched Steve's face with her eyes. "That's another problem I have with Ted's behavior. I know how I feel about you, and how wrong it is. What if Jordan and Naomi and the others make Ted feel the same about them?"

"Paula, they probably have already! But that isn't a bad thing. You know I respect you and will never hurt you. Ted knows the bro code, as Gwen and the girls call it. We don't do anything inappropriate with other ladies, especially those of our friends. Ted won't be doing anything wrong with the girls and they all know it. That's one reason they're so relaxed with him. He respects them and he respects you. You need to trust him like he trusts you."

"He has some idea of how much I care for you. He's been good about it, but he can't be happy that I'm so fond of you, can he?" worried Paula.

"When you go back in there, give him a hug and a kiss. He'll be over the moon. I'm pretty sure that he knows how we feel about each other, just as Gwen does. I guess everyone has a pretty good idea, but we respect the boundaries. That's what makes it all work so well."

"Just exactly how do you feel about me?" managed Paula as she leaned even closer to Steve.

"Paula, you already know the answer to that question," whispered Steve as he smiled down at Gwen's mother. "Everyone in the other room knows how I feel about you. I've never denied it.

"Getting back on topic, Ted is a wonderful father, and a really great guy. He's also totally in love with you. Please let him behave like a man. Let him drag his knuckles and beat his chest a little. The more you trust him, the more he'll repay you with love and affection."

"So he won't mind my wrinkles and my sagging breasts after he's been around those beautiful young women?" worried Paula.

"I have no idea what wrinkles and sags you're talking about, but Ted will be all over you tonight it you give him some room with the girls today. I'm sure of that," insisted Steve. "In fact, I'm going to suggest to Naomi and Jordan that they give Ted some extra attention. I want you to be fine with it. You'll be glad you were, believe me."

"Okay, I'll try it," allowed Paula somewhat reluctantly. "I'm taking your word that Ted won't do anything foolish with those girls."

"And I'll mention to the guys that you won't be upset if they happen to stare a little at your ass or your cleavage, and that they should compliment you on your lovely figure," continued Steve. "You, Diane, Cindy, and Julia are fantasy material for those disturbingly sick puppies in the other room. Now let's go back out there and face the music. Your daughters will be insisting that you tell them what we did and said when we were alone in here."

"I doubt they even noticed we left," scoffed Paula as she stepped through the door Steve held for her. "They were quite busy posing and changing outfits."

When she stepped into the main room, Paula was stunned to see everyone standing around, staring at her. It was very obvious that they were extremely curious about what had transpired in the meeting room.

"I think we've reached an understanding," stated Paula to the room in general as she raised both hands to her breasts and made a big show of adjusting them.

Kate was the first to break into laughter, but soon she was joined by everyone in the room. "That's sure a relief, Mom! We were afraid you were arguing or something. I guess we needn't have worried. Steve doesn't argue with women. It's more like he molds them into what he wants them to be. It looks like you've just been molded and enjoyed every minute of it."

"He does have a way about him," grinned Paula. "Now, don't we have work to do?"

Gwen gave Steve a look and he immediately moved over to join her off to the side. When he neared her, Gwen simply looked at him without speaking. It was indicative of how well the lovers had come to understand each other. Steve easily understood Gwen's unspoken question and answered it immediately.

"I thought your mom was being pretty tough on your dad, so I asked her about it. She was worried that he was too old to be chatting to the girls like he does and she also feared that he'd no longer find her attractive after being around all of these firm young female bodies. I told her to never doubt Ted and that she should let him be a regular guy. The girls all like and respect him, as do all of us guys."

"I noticed that she seemed to be hard on Dad today. He wasn't bothering anyone. All the girls think he's pretty cool. When he went to Iraq with us, and he was even wounded, he sealed his position as a great dad and a pretty brave man. Mom's still beautiful, but shouldn't feel like she is competing with anyone. I hope you convinced her to lighten up a little."

"I'm going to ask the guys to pay a little more attention to her, and all of the mothers, from now on. They all think the moms are beautiful, but don't want to seem too weird by flirting too much with mothers of friends and girlfriends. I think these ladies can handle a few leers and suggestive comments, don't you" asked Steve as he looked at Gwen for her opinion.

"Are you kidding? Julia Wilson is no shrinking violet. Jordan's mom lives to be noticed and appreciated and Mom and Diane seem to enjoy the admiring glances of men far more than I ever realized while growing up. Maybe they've changed as the situation has changed, but yes. Do tell the guys to be sure to compliment our lovely, mature ladies here today," agreed Gwen.

"I was just thinking. We're doing photos for the new magazine, as well as ads for it today. Do we expect women in their forty's to wear our swim suits and lingerie? It seems like we would. A lot of women that age still go to the beach and still like to look sexy for boyfriends and husbands. Do we have any ads with ladies like your mom, Julia, Diane, and Cindy in them?" questioned Steve.

"That's a great idea! Why haven't we done that before this? We've concentrated totally on the twenty-somethings and forgot everyone else. We need to have teen agers as well as mature women and men in our ads. We've been missing the boat!" exclaimed Gwen. "Let me go talk to Stephanie."

It took some persuading but Gwen convinced her parents, Diane and Will, Julia and Jeff Wilson, and Cindy Quick to model swim and formal attire. The younger people in the room teased and joked with them between poses and everyone had a lot of fun with it.

"Mrs. Anderson, you make me feel like buying that suit!" exclaimed Billy when Paula emerged from the changing area wearing a low cut one piece suit that flattered her figure perfectly.

"Wow, Mr. A! You look just like James Bond!" announced Naomi when Ted appeared in a very stylish tuxedo.

Before they were done, the photographers had the parents pose with their children in formal wear and swimsuits. Then Billy asked to be in a picture with the mothers surrounding him. He blushed when the ladies all moved in tight to his body with their ample bosoms pressed against him.

"Hey, that's my mother you're squeezing," complained Naomi, but with a big smile.

"Yeah, Mom, don't get too close to that perv," warned Jordan. "He's not well!"

"He seems to be a very nice young man with a very healthy reaction to some seriously hot women," responded Cindy Quick as she made a production of looking down at Billy's swim trunks.

After a productive and enjoyable afternoon, the entire group naturally gravitated to Marsh's for a small celebration of sorts. Gwen told everyone, "Tomorrow morning, we'll work on our routines for the Oscars and then finish up with the ads for the Super Bowl. I want to thank everyone for their hard work and good humor. I think it's been a great weekend."

"I'm sure Dad will agree with you," chuckled Stephanie. "If he survives, that is. We did get some great video and stills for the commercials and the magazine. Every other advertiser has spent the last year on their commercials. They hire writers, actors, and even animals, to make their commercials months in advance."

"Yeah, but we're going to prove that less is more, especially if we're talking about the bikinis and gowns that the girls wore for their commercials. I'm pretty sure all my fellow football fans will love the ads," offered Chip.

"If you liked that, you should really love tomorrow when Gwen and Jordan wiggle into some tiny little underthings," predicted Stephanie. "It's going to be a teaser for the Oscars, where we'll also have some commercials, along with Gwen and Jordan and their two sidekicks doing the hosting duties. Their first dance routine will set the place on fire. You just wait!"

"We had a great time today, but didn't we want some teenage girls for some ads?" Lisa reminded the group. "We have everything set up for tomorrow, so are we going to fly in some anorexic teen models from some faraway place, or maybe go down to the basketball game at the high school tonight and scout the local talent?"

"That's a good idea!" responded Kate. "We don't need to import kids for the ads. We have plenty of attractive teens right here in Sparta. We can round up five or six decent looking kids and hire them for tomorrow. They'll love it. I'd suggest that we only use kids that are eighteen or older, just to avoid any legal issues."

Locals were surprised and delighted when Gwen, Jordan, Steve, Charlie and their friends entered the gym half an hour before the game was to begin. They had to pass through one of several detectors were been setup by the entrance. This was a change instituted after the attack on the school. Gwen was inside the gym for less than a minute when she realized how tightly she was gripping Steve's arm.

"I thought I was past reacting to the scene of the shooting, but it's bothering me more now than it did when we were still in school."

"I know what you mean," agreed Jared as he nodded toward the bleachers where they had been seated the day of the terrorist attack. "Those seats still give me chills and it's been over six years, and I've even been in combat. The memories haven't dulled at all with the years."

Steve was only half listening to his friends as he recalled the events of that fateful day. He still saw the four armed men turn in his direction and open fire at him. He still remembered how the bullet felt like a sledge hammer had smashed into his shoulder, and how Gwen had rushed to him so quickly. She immediately disarmed the bombs and applied life saving first aid to his wounds.

"I remember a beautiful young woman demonstrating incredible courage and poise as she worked to save my life," managed Steve as the others watched him.

He hadn't realized that he had stopped at the very spot he had been kneeling when he killed four men and was seriously wounded by their bullets. "Sorry, everyone. I didn't think this would be so emotional. Have I mentioned that I love you, Gwen?"

"Come on. We need to find some seats and then start looking for possible models," urged Gwen as she tugged Steve's arm, hoping to disrupt the memories that she, Steve, and some of the others were experiencing.

"Hello!" greeted a very pretty blonde girl dressed in a cheerleader uniform. "We're all really excited to have you at our game tonight. People still talk about that day Steve killed those terrorists and ..."

"Heather, isn't it?" interrupted Steve before the girl could get any further. "We're happy to be back in Sparta and in the old high school. Could I ask how old you are?"

"You remembered me! I turned eighteen last month, but why are you asking? Gwen Anderson is still your girlfriend, isn't she?"

"I certainly am," responded Gwen with a smile. "We're looking for some attractive kids that are at least eighteen to do some modeling for us tomorrow. It appears that Steve feels you'd fit the bill, if you're interested."

"Model? With you, Jordan Quick, Charlie Burns, and Steve Hammer? I'd love it! Where and when do you want me? This is so exciting!" babbled the pretty blonde.

Stephanie moved in and handed the girl a business card. "Here's my card. Call me tomorrow morning around eight and we'll set it up for later in the morning. Get lots of sleep tonight, and no sex!"

"I don't, I mean, I wasn't..." responded the flustered girl as Stephanie broke into laughter.

"That was just a joke," explained Stephanie. "But do get a good night's sleep."

As Stephanie handed the girl her card, Steve took Gwen's hand and pulled her toward the bleachers. Cheryl Baxter was sitting three rows back with several other girls. Her eyes widened when she realized that Steve and Gwen were looking directly at her.

The people sitting in the bleachers in the general vicinity suddenly became very quiet as Steve spoke. "Cheryl, it's great to see you again! You remember us, right? We met in Washington at Gwen's inaugural."

"Of course I remember you!" responded the red-faced girl. "You're the most famous people on the planet."

"I have a big favor to ask. We're looking for some pretty teen girls, eighteen or older, to do some modeling in swim suits and gowns tomorrow. Naturally, you're the first girl that came to mind. We'd pay you very well. You don't mind modeling with older people like Gwen and me, do you?"

"Me? Why would you want me? I'm not popular or pretty. There are lots of girls more popular than me," deferred Cheryl.

"You aren't suggesting that Steve doesn't know a pretty girl when he sees one, are you?" teased Gwen.

"No! I mean he's with you and you're the most beautiful woman in the world, so he must know something about pretty girls. It's just that even Steve Hammer can make a mistake. I'm just not very attractive," replied the blushing girl as she realized that dozens of people were listening to her exchange with Gwen and Steve.

"Cheryl, would you be willing to sit between Steve and me tonight during the game, if your friends wouldn't mind? We can discuss this at our leisure, and we can get to know you better," suggested Gwen.

"You want me to sit with you? Sure! These guys will understand. Thanks for being so nice to me. I don't understand it, but I really do appreciate it," replied Cheryl as she stood and climbed down to join Gwen and Steve as the people that had been sitting around her suddenly began chatting quite animatedly.

Steve led Gwen and Cheryl toward Jared, who was chatting with Coach Watkins. "Coach is the new athletic director here! He's going to get us the best seats in the house."

"I didn't say that," laughed Coach Watkins. "Laura just took the baby for a quick change. When she gets back, I'd be pleased if you'd all sit in this section with us. It's usually reserved for faculty and employees of the district. If it gets to be game time and the seats aren't full, the students and general public can use them. To be honest, our basketball team isn't all that good, so there are usually a lot of empty seats.

"Here's Laura and Sterling," continued Coach Watkins. "Laura's father is named Sterling, so don't give me any crap about the name unless you want to argue with her."

"I think it's a beautiful name for a beautiful little boy," cooed Gwen as she accepted the baby from Laura and held him against her ample bosom. "Thanks for sending all of those photos, Laura. With my schedule, I don't have much time to visit my friends."

"Hey, I went through med school, too. I know what it's like," replied Laura. "Toss in the fact that you're our Congresswoman, and it's amazing that you have any time at all. But I hear you're making time for the Academy Awards in a few weeks. I bet you guys will do great! I can hardly wait to watch it."

"Thanks, Laura," responded Jordan as she joined in the conversation. "We're going to push the envelope a little. I think people will really enjoy the show and will be talking about it the next day. Steve and Gwen are amazing, and Charlie's become a real good performer, too.

"Naomi's a favorite to win for supporting actress and I wouldn't bet against Gwen winning best actress. Charlie's talent has placed us in the running for best soundtrack and song. This could be a big night for us, but win or lose; we're going to give the viewers their money's worth!" finished Jordan.

When the game began, the crowd was about half of the capacity of the gym. By halftime, the building was packed. Students in attendance had posted pictures of Steve, Gwen, Jordan, Charlie, and their friends all over social media. Just before the start of the second half, the school superintendent appeared with several board members.

They made a bee line directly for Sparta's most famous alumni where the superintendent made a request. "Thanks so much for coming to the game. There's a dance afterward and we'd consider it a great honor if you'd stay for it. If Congresswoman Anderson would care to address the students and faculty before the dance begins, we'd be especially honored."

Gwen looked at her friends before responding. They were all grinning and nodding for her to do it. "I'd be the one that would be honored. I don't have anything planned, but I'd be happy to address everyone for a couple of minutes. Would we be allowed to stay for the dance, even though we're no longer students? I remember that there used to be a rule about not allowing people out of school to attend these dances."

"I assure you that we'd love to have you all stay for the dance," replied the pleased superintendent. "That rule was to prevent problems with college age kids coming back to hassle the kids in high school. You and your friends would be attending as my guests. There will be no problem at all.

"Did you read the plaque on the wall near the south door? It's dedicated to those killed and injured that horrible day of the attack. It was placed there two years ago because the students wanted to be certain that it was never forgotten."

Gwen had never been informed of the plaque, and it soon became apparent that none of her friends had either. When the buzzer sounded to end the third quarter, they all made their way over to it. Billy, Jared, and Steve blinked to hold back their emotions as they listened to Charlotte read the plaque to the rest of the group.

"Rather than end our way of life, the heinous, cowardly attack by armed extremists that cold January day gave birth to a new and reinvigorated Sparta. We will never forget those that were killed or injured, nor shall we ever forget the courage and strength of the Spartan Nation that defeated terror here, in this very school. We proudly proclaim that we are the Spartan Nation!"

"It lists the names of the kids that died and Ralph, the maintenance man, and then all of the kids that were injured. This is extremely well done and it makes me feel like crying!" sobbed Charlotte as she went silent.

As the group struggled with their emotions, they suddenly became aware of applause. Everyone in attendance, including the fans of the visiting team, was standing, clapping, and cheering! Gwen took Steve's hand and waved to the crowd as she walked back to her seat. Charlotte followed suit with Billy and Naomi waved as she made her way back with Jared while the applause simply increased. All of the friends stood by their seats and waved in appreciation. It was several minutes before it quieted enough for the game to resume.

"That was amazing!" observed Cheryl to Gwen as the game began the final quarter. "You were so brave that day. I don't think anyone else could have done what you did."

"That's where you're wrong," replied Gwen immediately. "I think that any number of students, including you, would have done the same. I just happened to be there. I was totally in love with Steve, and I trusted him completely. There's only one guy like Steve Hammer, but Jared and Billy stepped up big time to save Charlotte and me. Some people have the capacity to give everything to help another person. All of the guys with us tonight are that way. They're the cream of the crop as far as we women are concerned.

"We do want you to model for us tomorrow, so plan on being there. You will be paid and you won't be asked to do anything that makes you uncomfortable, but I think Steve really wants to be in some ads with you, so think it over.

"The other thing I wanted to speak to you about is the possibility of you being my intern after you graduate and before you go to college. It pays very well and you'll learn a great deal. Plus you'll help me with my extremely busy schedule. It will include gathering information on pending legislation, going with me to speak with other members of Congress, helping me when I'm filming this summer's movie, and at a couple of concerts we have planned for Russia and Ukraine. Would you be interested?" asked Gwen with a smile as Cheryl's jaw dropped to her knees.

"Go to Washington, Russia, Ukraine, and see you make movies and give concerts?" repeated Cheryl. "I'm in! I'll talk to my parents tonight, but I'm sure they'll be good with it. I'm eighteen and have never given them any trouble. They trust me and they trust you and Steve. We've talked a lot about you two since we met at your inauguration. My family thinks you're the best!"

"Understand that I'll expect you to spend a fair amount of time researching legislation and keeping me informed about issues. It won't be all travel and movie sets. You'll be working every day," cautioned Gwen.

"I won't let you down!" exclaimed Cheryl. "I'm very organized and a hard worker. I'll do a good job for you. I promise!"

Once the game was over and the teams left the floor, Gwen grabbed Steve's hand and pulled him with her as she started for the visitors' bleachers.

"These folks are in my district. It would be rude to not speak to them before they all leave," offered Gwen as she led Steve across the floor. Soon Gwen and Steve were engaged in conversations with many of the fans from Montoursville. It was quite apparent that they were very pleased that their Congresswoman and her famous boyfriend came to spend time with them.

"Do you see how easily they speak to people?" asked Charlotte of Cheryl. "Even after you've been around them a long time, you'll still be impressed with how they make everyone feel like their friends. They do the same thing with world leaders. I've seen it, and it's amazing."

Before the dance began, the superintendent introduced Gwen and asked her to say a few words. "I haven't been in office very long, but I want all of you to know that I care about our area and our country. I need all of you to help make this world a better place. Please be involved in community. Take an interest in legislation and let me know how you feel, and why. Each of us can make a difference. I have some very good friends that have demonstrated that many times over. Be interested, be involved, be honest, and do your very best. Thank you!"

Of course Steve and Gwen were asked to perform their Lady in Red dance to begin things. They graciously agreed and hundreds of phones and cameras were trained on them as they performed their signature dance. Many of the teenage girls had tears streaming down their cheeks by the end.

Steve and Gwen split their time between their friends and the students, faculty, and parents that waned to dance with them. Jordan and Charlie were beseeched with dance requests while Jared was amazed at how many kids wanted his autograph, along with Naomi's.

By the end of the evening, they had selected eight students to model for the ads being done the next day. Two of the kids were actually from Montoursville. They were an attractive couple that Stephanie felt would be perfect for what they had in mind. The two kids agreed to return to Sparta the following day for the photography session.

Sunday was a busy one. It was obvious early on that the kids needed some help in relaxing and posing so they looked natural. Gwen actually took Cheryl into a dressing room with several swim suits. She emerged about ten minutes later with a big grin.

"If anyone harbored any doubts about Steve's ability to select well built, attractive females, what you see next should dispel those doubts. I never suspected that Cheryl had such an amazing figure under all of those clothes," admitted Gwen. "But Steve did. Wait until you see her. I had to persuade her to wear a modest bikini. She should be out any minute."

The door opened a short time later and Cheryl nervously stepped into the main room. She was wearing a bright green bikini that covered all the important parts, but she still caused a few surprised gasps.

"Cheryl, you're amazing!" stated Kate. "You'll look great in the ads. I guess Steve does have an eye for beauty."

Heather had previously emerged in the smallest bikini she could find that was available for the teens. She had been doing her best to be seen and noticed by everyone, especially Steve. She appeared to be the person most surprised by Cheryl's appearance.

"Holy cow, Cheryl! You do look great! I never dreamed you had such an incredible figure. You even have great abs and toned legs. How come no one ever got to see how good you look?" questioned Heather with obvious admiration.

Cheryl simply blushed at Heather's question. Steve stepped between the two girls and wrapped an arm around each. "Heather, I'm really happy that you were so complimentary to Cheryl. I wasn't sure if you were a truly nice person, or were just pretending to be. You sure passed that test.

"Cheryl, you really are lovely. You two may get some more modeling gigs out of this. Right now, I'd like you to try to put the other kids at ease. You're the leaders of the group today, so spend some time with them. Try to get them to relax. We need natural looking poses and they can't be all stiff and nervous. Can you help them out?"

"Sure!" replied Heather as she grabbed Cheryl's hand. "Let's go loosen them up."
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