Chapter 157: Foppa XII

A/N: The OIL is all Jad! hehehe....

Chapter 157: Foppa XII—Can’t Live With ‘Em....

 

 

            He wasn’t recovered yet; he was far from recovered. And if he still felt a haunting pain in his chest, in his gut, then Peter knew that it had to be ten times worse for Josefina. A man could never know the feeling of nursing a life inside his body like a woman did. He didn't want such a privilege either, but he knew it was something powerful. Even if it was only for a brief spell, as was their situation before it was lost, he knew that it would hurt for awhile yet.

            He felt an intense affection for Debbie, Mimi and Coco. It seemed that they were the only women that Josefina felt comfortable with, and initially she had only told Debbie and Mimi about her condition. She was receiving a lot of cards and phone calls from all the women in the hen pen but it was only those three that came by regularly with smiles and hugs. Peter was grateful for that. There were things he couldn’t do for Jo’s crying and spells of helplessness other than hug her and kiss her. Coco always rubbed her back and spoke to her in that way only women could when they comforted, sending within Peter a sharp longing for his own mother. Mimi was always bright as a star and sparkling, flattering Jo and making her laugh loud and long and Peter could only marvel at the deep wells of vivacity in the Frenchwoman. And Debbie, she was simply sweet and quiet, listening and nodding, holding her hands and being a best friend.

            What would they have done without them?

            It made Peter feel a sense of shame in a way. Of course he knew the concept of women being more than sex objects. He knew that there were some women who were just untouchable. Up until that point, however, he never truly understood it.

            The wives of Joe, Patty and Pierre were just such women. He could sit in the room with them as they played cards with Jo or munched on popcorn with her, and not feel the urgent need to figure out how to get them all naked and giggling. They were friends now, they were Jo’s friends, and in being so, they were his friends.

            Jo was smiling now and crying less and so was he. They had been given permission to enjoy life by these three pretty little women, and perhaps without them, they might have let themselves whither away in grief for those first few, crucial days and in doing so, let the bloom of their own feelings for each other crumble.

                Peter was coming out of his bedroom, he could hear Debbie, Coco and Josefina giggling about something, there was also giggles that sounded like they were coming from children, and he saw Patrick’s wife washing her hands in the bathroom. He paused in the hallway, watching her, the golden strands of hair falling out of the clip, resting at the back of her neck. “Hey,” he said quietly, not getting a startle from her but a pause and a smile. She looked at him with sparkling blue eyes, a smile soft and red.

            “Hello, Peter,” she said, “Out of bed finally?”

            Peter nodded and smiled at her. “Yeah.” He noted with amusement that her eyes briefly scanned over his body, unashamedly and quite brazenly. He was only in his boxers and probably should get a robe. But why deprive a married mother a quick glimpse of something if she enjoyed it?

            “Bon,” she said in that pleasant French accent. “Is a busy day today, yes? Rest is good.”

            Peter frowned. “Sure?”

            Mimi dried her hands and giggled. “We’re having a little breakfast here, then I take the children to a birthday party and leave them there. Meanwhile, you men have an important photo shoot today!” She was wagging her finger at him in a chiding manner. “Or have you forgotten silly puppy?”

            Peter’s eyes widened, “Oh shit!” he gasped. “The Better Halves Poster! I forgot all about that!”

            “Oooh,” Mimi cooed, “but we didn’t.”

            Peter closed his eyes. “What’s the theme this year? Please just give me a hint?”

            He heard Mimi’s giggle. “What you’re wearing now is very close to it, my love. Now get a robe on before you scar my Jana’s eyes for life.”

            The women kept looking at him and giggling and he kept getting looks of what looked like pity from Jonathan. This could not be good! What could those harlots have planned for him and the team this year? When he tried to discreetly ask Jonathan what the poster theme would be, the boy merely smiled at him and told him to be prepared.

            Mimi left with the children after they had eaten a delicious breakfast of crepes and pancakes made by Coco. Debbie and Coco left soon afterwards and Peter couldn’t take his eyes off Josefina. She was smiling like a cat and trailing her finger over her plate that still had colored syrup on it. The way she slid her finger into her mouth, sucking off the syrup ignited Peter’s desire but he knew that he shouldn’t try anything with her now.

            “Come on!” he said when she made eye contact with him. “What is it?”

            Jo smiled. “I’m to take you to the Apex Center, and from there...”        

            Apex? “Uh oh..” Peter said slowly. “Jo...”

            Her smile was gorgeous and she nodded. “Mimi said that they have a nice swimming pool set up there? You know where it is right?”

            “Swimming pool?” Peter said and it hit him. He fell back against the couch and groaned. “You women are evil!”

            He could hear her putting the plate down and he felt her press her body against his on the couch, her cheek against his shoulder. “I think it’s my fault too Peter,” she whispered. “They were dying for ideas and I said “shirtless”.... Do ya hate me?”

            Peter laughed and looked into her dark eyes. “Nah!” he kissed her.

 

            “I hate her I really, hate her!” Peter exclaimed, as he stood naked in the Apex Center locker room holding up a pair of shiny, short, royal blue swim trunks. “This is humiliating!”

            Why did women who allegedly loved them love to torture them? Why did they sit around their cozy kitchen tables, nibbling on crumb cake, sipping at coffee and giggle? And what were they giggling about? It sure as hell wasn’t the weather! No! They were giggling about how they were going to make their loved ones suffer! That’s what they were doing. In this case it was swim trunks!

            “At least the heat is turned up!” Danny Hinote said perkily as he dropped his pants, “Small comforts, eh Peter?”

            “Heh heh, and it looks like you need it,” Drury said in a low voice, raising an eyebrow at Danny.

            There were more than a few snickers in the locker room and Peter couldn’t help but glance at Danny’s little Noter as the kid blushed and quickly tugged on his pair of short black swim trunks. The kid’s not so bad, Peter thought charitably and he glanced down at himself just to make sure, but it looked like perhaps they were close to the same size. As far as Peter knew, no girl had complained about him yet...

            “As many crazy ideas those girls come up with,” Joe said, “I’m surprised that they haven’t come up with this sooner.” He then unbuttoned his shirt. It fell away from his body and to Peter it looked as if it were coming off in slow motion. Gorgeously sculpted chest, soft hair upon it, glowing skin. Peter looked quickly away.

            He could hear Joe walk away into another part of the locker room.

            No! He thought. There was no way he was gonna be starting this shit again! He sighed and rolled his eyes. Of course it would be Josefina who would suggest they be shirtless.

            “You OK?” Patty asked, an overly contemplative expression on his face.

            “Sure,” Peter replied. “Yeah, why do ya ask?”

            Patrick grimaced and shrugged as he pulled off his shirt, yawning. “You looked spooked for a moment there.”

            “It’s not so bad,” Blake said with a half grin already in full costume in a pair of bright orange, knee length swim trunks, a foam floatie board under one arm and a whistle around his neck. “Whistles are cool!” With that, he slipped the whistle in his mouth and he leaned over and blew it at full blast into Patty’s right ear.

            “Aaaaa!” Patty cried and he fell to the ground with a hand over his ear. “Shit head!” he yelled. “I’m deaf now!”

            Peter couldn’t help smiling and he crumpled the swim trunks in his hand, squatting down next to Patty. “Can you hear me?” he said loudly.

            Only one eye was open and Patty glared at him. “NO!” he yelled.

            Peter looked at Rob. “Captain! Robbie just made Patty deaf! We don’t have a goalie for tonight!”

            “You better be kidding,” Joe said from a stall. “Seriously.”

            Blake’s face paled. “Hey look I was just fooling around, honest. I bet Patty’s just shitting with us, he can hear. Can’t you Patty?”

            Patty was just sitting there glaring at them rubbing at his ear. “WHAT?” he yelled.

            Peter felt some worry now. If Patty was really deaf, this couldn’t be good. Rob jut out his bottom lip and leaned next to Patty’s ear. “I’m gonna LICK YOUR EYE NOW! If you can’t hear me you’re gonna let me do it if you’re just faking you’ll duck.”

            “WHAT?” Patty barked.

            Robbie shrugged and grabbing Patty’s face firmly in his hands he shot out his long tongue and licked the deaf goalie’s right eyelid. Peter burst out laughing and the guys watching did too.

            “SHITHEAD!” Patrick yelled and he shoved Blake off him.

            Blake grinned. “Well guys, I guess he’s deaf!”

 

            By the time everyone was dressed and the makeup crew had promptly powdered not only their faces, but the bruises marking all over their bodies Patty seemed to have regained his hearing and all was well with his world. Peter was relieved about that, he didn’t really want to be on the time clearly labeled as with that deaf goalie.

            “OK guys,” Joe barked in his captain’s voice. “Let’s make this quick cause we still got practice later today. Just do whatever the photographer tells us to do, no questions asked and it’ll make it a smooth ride.”

            There was a collective deep breath and they walked out of the locker room and into the swimming area to the loud applause of the wives and girlfriends. Peter narrowed his eyes at Josefina but as soon as she whistled at him he couldn’t stay mad at her. In fact he felt suddenly aware of how desirable a specimen he was, shit even Patrick’s wife was scoping him just that morning. Yeah, he could deal with this!

            Posing and snapping, arranging and ordering. These photographers had to be Nazi descendants! Nothing seemed to be right! Either someone was standing to close to someone or someone was standing too far away. It was a nightmare! But they all obeyed Joe’s original orders and they smiled, and did as they were told. But the catcalls! They wouldn’t stop! Debbie kept whispering things to other ladies who would blush and giggle and Mimi wouldn’t stop whistling and yelling things in French that weren’t very dainty.

            “Hold still!” The photographer barked, “SMILE! You save LIVES and you’re PROUD of it! I WANT TO SEE ARROGANCE!”

            POOF! FLASH!

            “PERFECT!”

            Peter blinked and his vision cleared. Perfect? “Are we done?” he asked hopefully.

            “Yes,” the photographer said, “Go on with your lives! Your job is done!”

            Peter sighed in relief and all the guys wandered out of position as the women met them at the poolside, laughing and congratulating them on their good behavior. Josefina hugged him, kissing the side of his neck.  “You look great!” she whispered.

            “Oooo!” he heard Mimi Roy purr in a low voice, he turned around, Josefina giggled in his ear as Debbie was hanging on her half naked husband, and Mimi was standing in front of them. “We made  a huge mistake, Debbie, you know this?”

            Debbie grinned. “What mistake?”

            Mimi reached over and ran her nails up Patrick’s naked back causing a stir in Peter. Patty trembled and Mimi said, “We should have had them... oiled!”

            Debbie burst out laughing. “OILED?” she exclaimed and Joe rolled his eyes.

            “Oui!” Mimi said and this time she ran her hand quickly over Joe’s chest. “Oiled!”

            “Mimi!” Joe snapped and Michele pulled her hand away from him as if burned. Debbie laughed even louder.

            “Just a thought,” she purred, “Just a thought.” Within the moment she leaned over to Tangers and poked him in the belly button. “Who’s gotta BUTTON!” she exclaimed.

            “Oof!” Tangers huffed. “MIMI!”

            Peter looked soberly at Josefina who looked brilliantly glowing and happy. “You have weird friends, you know that?”

            Jo shrugged. “They’re married to your friends.”