Chapter 7: May Flowers

Mom immediately picked up on my sour mood when I got home Thursday afternoon. While she was obviously excited to tell me about her and Jim's negotiation trip, she contained herself long enough to ask me what was wrong.

I told her and then sat down heavily at the kitchen table and shook my head. "Maybe dating Jeryl is a bad idea. I had no idea she would be so jealous."

Mom sat down next to me and patted my arm. "Paul, you've always been mature for your years. You can't expect everyone your age to have the same world view you have. You've told me about Jim and Lisa. Do they have lunch together all the time?"

"Of course."

"Do they share classes together?"

"You know they do."

"Does that make them closer or do they get on each other's nerves?"

"Closer."

"Now think about you and Jeryl. You talk on the phone a bit most nights, and see each other on the weekends while all of her friends are probably acting more like Jim and Lisa. Jealousy is usually based on insecurities more than a belief that you are doing something. She doesn't have the daily interaction other girls do with their boyfriends and that probably makes her insecure."

I nodded my head. My own insecurities were buffered by an additional fifty years of experience. It made sense. "But what can I do about it, Mom?"

"Well, first of all you have to decide if Jeryl and your relationship with her is worth the effort. You're young, Paul. You'll have a lot of opportunity to meet other women and find love. I know you don't want to hear that right now, but you know it is true. Then, if you decide it is worth it, you have to figure out ways to spend more time with her and remove her insecurities."

I nodded and gave Mom a quick one-armed hug. "You're right. I need to decide." I wanted to head to my room or out to the shed to start that thinking, but could tell Mom still wanted to talk. "So, how was the trip with Jim?" She actually blushed.

"It was nice. We met with the lawyers for GM on Wednesday. We went back and forth on the patent they were most interested in and they were getting pretty close to settling on decent terms for licensing it. Then Jim let slip your other seven filings and the fact that you were going to revolutionize the auto industry with the work you were doing and had on the drawing board. You could see that they were caught by surprise. They had not looked at the other filings you had. They asked for a break for lunch and we did not get back with them until after two. By the time we broke at seven, they were looking at terms for licensing PT Innovations' portfolio of patents for a heck of a lot more than we discussed in the morning." She gave me a hug. "Paul, you really are a genius."

"So we have a deal?"

"Not yet. They want to see the car and have a longer review of the other patent applications before settling on a value. Jim and I think it is going to be a pretty big offer once they finish their review. He pulled some information from his State Farm contacts. The savings in insurance rates can make these ideas of yours worth a premium price on the cars with the savings offsetting the price in less than two years. Jim is certain we can get more than fifty dollars a car."

"Wow." I was pretty sure GM was making over 1.5 million cars a year.

"Wow indeed."

"So, you and Jim spent all that time working? No nice dinners or anything?"

Her blush returned. "Don't you worry about your old Mom, Paul."

"I'm not worried about you. I just want to make sure you are taking a little time to enjoy yourself. This is a windfall for both of us."

"I know that, Paul, but I also don't want us to forget who we are just because we suddenly have some money."

"So do you like Jim? You certainly act like it."

"That's none of your business, young man."

"Will you at least tell me if it gets serious?"

My mother nodded. "That much, I can agree to. Now, why don't you run out and take care of chores and then we'll go into town for dinner?"

"Call me (call me) on the line

Call me, call me any, anytime

Call me (call me) oh love

When you're ready we can share the wine

Call me..."

I snapped the radio off and taped the last splice of speaker wire together. The stereo was in and I could stop listening to Blondie belt out the anthem from American Gigolo. It seemed the only FM radio station we could get at the farm had to play it a couple of times an hour. Given the lack of any calls to or from Jeryl, I did not need to hear it again.

I wiped my hands off and looked at my checklist. I was getting close to being finished. It was the one good feeling I had. I sat down on a work stool and thought about my situation. I was on the cusp of having enough capital to bring forward my fusion research in a big way and give the United States the energy independence it needed to avoid the turmoil of the next few decades. I was pretty certain I was going to change things enough to keep my mother alive past her prior time, and it looked like she would not face the future alone as she had the first time through. And all I could think about was a slim brunette with hazel eyes and how I had let her down.

"Man, my priorities are all fucked up," I muttered to myself. I grabbed the set of breadboard circuits from the workbench and then went back to the car. Concentrating on finishing the wiring for the five gauges for the central control cluster was much easier work than trying to fathom the female mind, I decided. Soon I had the driver's seat pulled off its mounting and was lying under the dash with a light lying by my head and a small screwdriver in my hand.

My concept was simple in theory, but highly dependent on having a microprocessor feeding information to the four chrome-rimmed gauges that flanked the central speedometer. Each gauge had a small push button stem to one side that incremented a two-bit counter. Collectively, I had eight-bits that set a unique computer value to determine what data was fed to the gauge cluster, or 256 possible configurations. Since that was too much variability to keep clear in my own head, I also had four pre-set configurations that I could cycle through from a rocker button on the steering wheel. With those pre-sets, I could easily cycle through and monitor amps, voltages, temperature, and RPMs of each wheel motor.

I also had a small LED beneath each gauge to show its setting so I could know what was being displayed. I had already done a much more elaborate control layout design, but the displays were not yet available, so dull red seven-segment LEDs would have to do for now. Oh, how I wished for a bit-mapped LCD display.

Finally, the last screw for the control box lid was in place and I slipped out of the car. I was re-installing the seat when I saw a flash of light as the machine shed door opened. I finished tightening a bolt before standing to see who was there.

"Hi, Paul," Kelly said. She was in jeans and a loose blue top. Her hair was loose and flowing and she had that fresh just-washed look to her that I had always thought attractive. She had a briefcase in her hand instead of a purse.

"Hey, Kelly. Here to check up on the progress of the Beast?"

"I think that car is more beauty than beast, and no, I'm not here just to check on progress. I wanted to see how you were doing. Last time I was up here, things did not look good for you."

It had been over a week.

I shook my head. "Well, they haven't gotten any better. But school is almost over, my car is almost done, my birthday is just around the corner, and it looks like our company will be making a fortune soon, so I can't really complain, can I?"

Kelly patted my arm. "I wish there was something I could do. I feel like your girl problems are my fault."

"I appreciate the thought. I suppose if I told her all the details of why you are here and what I'm trying to do, it might help, but then I wouldn't know if Jeryl cared about me or about the money we are going to have soon. If we can't work things out without me spilling all of my plans, how can I know she cares about me?"

"Why don't you want to tell her?" Kelly asked. "Do you really think she is motivated by money?"

I thought about that for a minute. Based on what I knew from my first life, I did not think any of the Salaways were that concerned with material wealth, though they had always seemed to not want for much. Other women had scarred me from wanting my money or property, but I had no reason to believe Jeryl would. Maybe they had more money than I thought, given how they were threatened with being "cut-off" if they lost their virginity. "No, I don't really think so."

"So why not tell her?"

"I don't know how, now that she wants nothing to do with me."

Kelly stared at me and shook her head. "Well, while you figure it out, how about we go over this new patent application. Dad had a few questions before we send it in."

I cleared off my workbench and she pulled a file out of her briefcase and we got to work.

An hour later, I waved goodbye to her and walked into the house for dinner. I found a note on the table from my Mom. She was meeting Jim for dinner. If I had known, I'd have invited Kelly to share leftovers, but she probably had plans for Saturday night anyway. As I heated up some spaghetti in the microwave, I wondered if I should go to church tomorrow and try to talk to Jeryl. I had skipped church last Sunday, not wanting to face her. It's not like I believed my soul was at stake.

Did I really want to date Jeryl?

I pondered the question as I ate.

It was obvious that I was not in the relationship for sex, since we hardly had a steady sexual relationship. I was strongly attracted to her, but was there more than that? Was she something I had lusted after in my past and now was afraid to let go of?

And if I did want a relationship, what could I do to address the issues Mom had raised? Her insecurity was a result of my unavailability. At least part of it was, anyway. What could I do about that?

I heated another bowl of spaghetti and continued to think about it.

Of course, I knew there were a hundred ways I could show her I cared and make her more central to my life, especially once I had my car and license. The real question was whether it was worth the effort. I knew of only one couple that had stayed together after high school and actually ended up married, let alone happy. What were the odds that we were the soul mates everyone always talked about? It was probably best if I put my boyhood fantasies and desires aside and focused on the future.

But something kept drawing me back to her. I kept thinking of her easy, shy smile. I dreamed of her sweet scent and warm laugh. I longed to hold her in my arms; it made me feel complete in a way I had never felt with anyone else, including Wendy who I knew I had loved.

A knock on the door interrupted my thinking. I was surprised to see it was dark out. I went to the door, flipped on the porch light and was shocked to see Jeryl standing outside, fidgeting and shifting her weight from one foot to the other.

I opened the door. "Jeryl, I didn't think..."

She threw herself at me and quieted my question with a kiss.

I reveled in the feel of her lips against mine. The soft warmth pressed tight as she wrapped her arms around my neck and clung to me. "I'm so sorry, Paul. Can you forgive my childish behavior?" She pulled back far enough for me to see the tears on her cheeks and the pleading in her hazel eyes.

"Of course, kitten." There was no way I could do anything else. "I'm sorry I made you feel jealous. Nothing is going on between Kelly and me."

"I know," she said as she hugged me again and rested her head against my shoulder. "She told me."

"What?"

It was then that I saw someone else at the end of the sidewalk to the porch. Kelly was standing just out of the shadows, smiling. Jeryl saw my look and turned and waved Kelly up.

"Kelly stopped by this evening and made me listen to her."

"And how did she do that?" I asked as Kelly climbed up to the porch.

Kelly laughed. "I told her mother and older sister that if she didn't listen to me, I'd be forced to actually give her a reason to be jealous. She was close enough to hear that and came out to give me an earful, but eventually she listened."

"And just what did you say to make her change her mind?"

Jeryl looked back up at me. "She told me that I was being a juvenile fool for running away from one of the smartest, kindest and most generous young men she had ever known. Then she told me why she was out at your farm last week and how important your car and work was to not just yourself, but to the whole country."

I arched an eyebrow at Kelly.

"She also told me that she was possibly risking thousands of dollars by telling me, but she refused to worry about money and fees if she was the cause of us breaking up. Then she went on to tell me about how she had treated you when you first met her but how you had forgiven her."

"So much for client-attorney privilege," I muttered.

"I'm not your attorney, my dad is." Kelly said with a smirk. "And if I was, I would drop you so I could get you two straightened out. Nothing we have said to each other in the past week was in the presence of your attorney, so privilege doesn't apply."

Kelly put a hand on each of our shoulders and looked us each in the eye in turn. "Everybody your age makes mistakes with their feelings and first relationships. God knows I did. As you get a little older, you realize that when you make a mistake, you try to make it right and at the worst, learn from it. I made a mistake by kissing your cheek last week, so I needed to make it right."

"And I made a mistake when I ran away instead of asking what was going on," Jeryl said. "That's why I had to come and apologize and beg you to forgive me."

I sighed. "And I made a mistake when I didn't tell you what was really going on with my car, so I guess I had better correct that mistake too. Can you both come in for a little bit?"

Soon we were in the kitchen. I got them drinks of iced tea and quickly cleaned up my dishes as I tried to decide how to start. Finally, I couldn't put it off any longer and just jumped into it.

"I've got some ideas on how to really make a difference in how cars are built and how safe they can be, Jeryl. That's what my car is really about. It's to prove out ideas and designs that I can patent. Last week Mom and Kelly's dad Jim were meeting with lawyers representing GM. They are interested in licensing some of my ideas."

"Really?" Her questioning look darted between Kelly and me.

"Really," Kelly said.

I nodded. "At the low end, I'll probably get at least a dollar a car that uses one of my ideas."

Kelly snorted and I looked at her. "In for a penny, Paul?"

I shook my head. "The low end is probably too low," I admitted. "The last number mentioned in the negotiations was closer to fifty bucks a car."

"But how many cars could use your ideas?"

"Most likely all of them. GM made just under two million cars last year."

"Two million?" She was a little shocked.

"Yes. And that was just GM. We haven't even begun talking to any of the other manufacturers."

"So you're going to be a millionaire, as a sophomore in high school?"

"Probably. That's one of the reasons I didn't want to tell you. I don't want friends or you to like me for my money. In fact, I'd like to keep it as quiet as possible."

Jeryl leaped from her chair and pushed her way onto my lap. "You silly boy. I'd love you even if you were poor. You captured my heart, which is why, when I thought you were doing something with her, I was so hurt." She kissed me again.

I replayed her words in my head. She loved me. I kissed her back passionately. When we finally broke for air, Kelly laughed.

"You too had better invite me to the wedding in six or seven years," she said.

We both blushed. "We'll see," I finally said before kissing Jeryl again.

This time when we stopped, Kelly was smirking and shaking her head. "Jeryl, I'm glad I could play a small role in getting you two talking again, but I'm going to have to get going soon and I promised your Mom I'd drive you home."

Jeryl smiled and asked if she could use our phone. I pointed it out to her. A minute later she was talking to her mother.

"Mom, Paul and I need to talk some things over. Is it alright if I stay out a little while?"

She frowned. "I know Mom, but this is important. Jordan or Jyl can pick me up when they get home, or Paul's Mom may be able to give me a lift home. Please."

She listened again for a minute.

"Mom, I'm not going to do anything stupid. Two hours ago I was so mad at him that I didn't want to even speak to him. If we are going to go out again, we need to talk and sort some things out."

The next pause was longer.

Finally, "You know I will. Thanks Mom. I love you." She hung up the phone and turned to me with a beaming smile.

"Kelly, thanks for the ride over and the straightening out of my head. I really appreciate it. I'm fine for a ride." She gave Kelly a hug and then walked her back to the door. I joined her on the front porch as Kelly pulled out of the yard.

Jeryl gave me a quick kiss and then we headed back into the house and ended up in the living room. I flipped the TV on out of nervous habit and sat on the couch as she curled up next to me. I was wondering what we were to talk about when she took the bull by the horns.

"Paul, I was serious when I told my Mom we needed to talk. I'm sorry I was such a baby the past couple of weeks. I don't know why I was so jealous. You never really gave me any reason to be."

"But I did," I said. Before she could get mad again, I hurried to explain what my Mom had told me. "So, by not spending enough time with you, I did give you a reason to feel insecure," I concluded.

She looked up at me with a serious expression. "You mother is scary smart. Is that where you get your brains from?"

I chuckled. "At least partially. She tells me my father was pretty smart, too. I get my urge to tinker with things from him evidently."

Her look turned mischievous as the corners of her mouth twitched like she was fighting a smile. "Maybe you can tinker with me a little later, if we can lay some ground rules."

I gave her a quick kiss. "Like what?"

"I think we need to see each other at least once a week during the week. Mom is pretty strict about homework time, but I don't have much. With no cheerleading practice, I usually get it done right after school. I do have choir practice with my sisters on Wednesdays, but we take a break over the summer. What about you?"

"Little homework. My last track meet of the year is Friday, so once that is done I'll be free most evenings. I do need to finish the car, but that should be done this week. Kelly is going to drive it to the inspection station for me next Saturday."

"Why Kelly?"

"I promised her she could do it if the car was ready before my birthday. Looks like I'll be done a week early. If I get the car licensed, I can take my driving test in it. That would be cool."

"God, I wish I didn't have to wait another six months to get my license," Jeryl said. "Okay, so in the next couple of weeks, we should be able to see a lot more of each other. That will be nice, but I don't want to just have us spend time together. I really enjoyed going out with you and John and Ann last fall. I know you haven't stayed close to many of our classmates, but I'd like you to spend time with some of them as well as with me."

"Okay, but I want you to spend time with my new friends as well. Lisa and Jim really like you, by the way."

Her smile lit the room again. "I like them too. Lisa is funny. She reminds me so much of Jordan, though they look nothing alike."

"I think it's their manner of knowing what they want and having a clear path to getting it."

Jeryl nodded. "I wish I knew what I wanted with that much clarity. How do you manage it?"

I was surprised. "Me? You think I do that too?"

"Definitely. Look at how you decided to go out for football. Look at how you focused on your car over the past nine months. Look at how you swayed my parents to let me go out with you again. You know what you want and you don't let anything get in your way. It's one of the qualities I really like about you."

I was dumbfounded. I had never thought of myself as being that focused. "Well, what do you want? Maybe I can help you get there," I finally said.

"I want to be a good daughter and a good friend and a good cheerleader and a good volleyball player and a good student and a good girlfriend."

"That's a lot to be good at. What do you want to be great at?"

The question brought her up short. She started to speak and then stopped. She rested her head on my shoulder for a minute and then looked up again. "I don't know, but I think I'd like to be a great girlfriend."

"Why?" I knew focus came from the why, not the what.

Jeryl blushed and put her hand on my chest. "You'll think I'm silly."

"Nope. I just want to know why being a great girlfriend is what you want to focus on."

"Jordan wants to be a pharmacist. Jyl wants to be a doctor. I just want to be a good wife and mother. I have no real desire to change the world, but I want to be part of someone's life that is that driven; like you are. Helping you change the world is what I want to do."

I gave her a hug. "I don't know that I'll change the world, but I think I understand."

"You will. Kelly told me you're coming up with more and more ideas. You're going to change how America thinks about cars. American thinking will change the world. I know I'm supposed to want to drive similar changes, but that's not what will make me happy. I at least know myself well enough to know that much."

I kissed the top of her head. "Then it's easy. You just need to spend ten percent more time on doing that than you do on anything else."

"What do you mean?"

"Let's use my car as an example. I spend forty hours in school, which is my biggest focus after my car. That means, if it is the most important thing to me, I should spend ten percent more time on it, or forty-four hours. Of course, I don't view school as a whole thing. I've got seven classes in eight hours a day, so if any one class were the focus, it would be about six hours a week plus a couple hours for homework for that class, so let's call it eight hours. That means I should put at least nine hours a week into my car or patents. That's actually less than what I do, but it is a good comparison. To make sure I keep it top of mind, when anything starts taking more than eight or so hours a week, I ask myself if I'm making the right choices of where I spend my time."

"Wow. How would I put nine hours a week into you, boyfriend? That's a lot of dates."

"Nothing wrong with that," I said with a kiss. "But you can do things to be a better girlfriend or caregiver than that. If you think about it, I'm sure you can come up with tons of ideas that would bring us closer together and make me appreciate you even more."

She was quiet for a few minutes. I stroked her hair and drank in her sweet smell.

"What if I offered to help you type up your patent notes? I'm a pretty good typist," She finally said.

I kissed her. "Only if you let the company pay you. It would be very helpful, but I couldn't let you do that for free."

"How much would you pay?" The twinkle was back in her eye.

"I don't know. How about a kiss a word?" I paid her in advance, quickly.

"How about five dollars an hour?" She asked.

"Only if Kelly and Jim tell me that is an adequate rate for a typist." I kissed her again. "It would probably help out quite a bit in the patent filing process though if my working notes were typed and cataloged. Sooner or later someone is going to challenge one and it's my understanding that good working papers can help defend a patent."

Jeryl shifted around on the couch and straddled my legs. She took my head in her hands and looked in my eyes. "Would it really help you?" She asked. "Or are you just trying to make me happy."

"Yes," I said sincerely.

"Which?"

"Both. It would be very helpful and if it will make you happy, I can't think of a better person to do it."

She pulled my head forward and kissed me thoroughly. Then she jumped off my lap.

"Okay, so where are the notes so I can get started tomorrow?"

I laughed and led her to my room to get the file folders of loose papers that had some of my notes in them. I was half-way through showing her my goofy notations when my Mom got home. She was surprised to find Jeryl with me alone, in my room. She was probably more surprised to see us working on technical notes instead of fooling around.

"Uncle Ben, thanks for taking me to get my license today. It was quite a surprise." I had been called to the office to get out of school early and Uncle Ben had taken me to get my license. I originally wanted to take my own car, but was just as happy to spend a little time with my surrogate father as well.

"Paul, it was my pleasure. How is your car coming?" We were about a mile from the farm.

"Great. It's all done." I could hardly wait to take it for a legal drive.

"That's good. I'll be counting on you putting as much effort into farm work this summer as you did last year. I'd hate for you to be distracted by worrying about your car."

I grinned. "No need for that, but I think you and Mom and I should sit down and talk a little about the summer."

"Why? You got another job lined up already?"

"No, sir. But I am going to have some commitments and well I'd like to take Mom on a little vacation."

"Vacation? Where?"

"Europe."

"How in the hell are you going to take her to Europe? Are you doing drugs?"

I laughed. "No, sir. That's why we need to talk. I think I'm going to come into some money in the next thirty days."

"From what?"

"My car."

"Ah." I could tell he had jumped to a wrong conclusion. "You're going to sell that junker and use the money..."

"Nope. I'm going to get paid by GM to use some of the ideas I've built in that junker."

"What?" He looked at me long enough to drift to the edge of the blacktop.

I explained after he jerked the wheel to get us back straight on the road. By the time we pulled into our yard, he was dumbfounded.

"Let's go talk it over with Mom," I said as we climbed out of the car. "I think we'll be able to help you and Aunt Carol a bit as well. You've always looked after us. I'd like to help pay off some of that debt."

"Paul, that's very mature of you, but helping family is no debt."

"I know sir, so I hope you remember that when we want to help you."

He laughed and shook his head as we walked up to the house. "I should know better than that. You were bound to use my own words against me."

Soon, I had explained to Mom what I wanted to have her and Uncle Ben discuss. Her reaction to his resistance was much the same. "Ben, don't be prideful," she chided. "If Paul wants to help you out, let him. Lord knows you've given he and I plenty of help over the years. With two boys getting ready to start school, I know you must be feeling pinched."

Uncle Ben finally nodded. "Okay, let's get into the nitty-gritty details and figure out what you can help do. A couple thousand bucks would help ease my cash flow with their tuition."

I bit my tongue, but Mom laughed. "Ben, I'm pretty sure Paul is thinking of a lot more than a couple thousand dollars." I nodded. "What did you have in mind Paul?"

"Well, we need to discuss it with Jim, but I was thinking of a stock grant and then asking the board to issue a dividend once we got the first payment from GM. If they make an initial down payment of five, we could do a dividend of several thousand dollars a share."

It was Mom's turn to nod. "I can give Jim a call about it tonight and see what his thoughts are," she said.

Uncle Ben looked at us both like we had two heads. "Just how much money are you two talking about? Total?"

I stood up and looked at Mom. "Why don't you two adults discuss it? I just got my license, and would really like to drive my car over to my girlfriend's and take her into town for some ice cream."

Mom laughed and nodded as I headed to the door. "Be home for dinner at seven. You can bring Jeryl if you'd like."

"Thanks, Mom."

I left them to talk and headed out to the machine shed and my car. I could not help but have a rush of pride as I pulled out of the shed and headed for the road. My car was running smoothly. It was quieter than a high-end luxury car but handled like a sports car thanks to the drive by wire system. I also believed it was one of the safest cars on the road. I accelerated down the blacktop and was soon pulling into the Salaway's drive.

Jyl was on the porch reading as I pulled up.

"So this is your incredible car?" she asked as I climbed out.

"Sure is. What do you think?"

She set her book down and came down to inspect it. "I've never seen anything like it. Did you really build it all?"

"Sure did. Is Jeryl home?"

"Of course. It is still a school night, you know. Jeryl!" she yelled toward the house.

A minute later Jeryl was outside and jumped off the porch and into my arms. After a brief kiss, she actually managed to say "Hi."

"Would you like to come over for dinner? Mom is cooking something for my Birthday tonight."

"Of course I would. Let me ask Mom." She dragged me inside by the hand. "Mom, can I go over to Paul's for dinner. It's his birthday."

Mrs. Salaway was in the kitchen by the sink. She smiled at me as she wiped off her hands. "Happy birthday, Paul. That looks like quite a car you've got."

"Thank you, ma'am."

"Is your homework done, Jeryl?"

She nodded her head. "Okay, you can go to dinner, but I want you home by ten."

"Thanks, Mom." Jeryl gave her mother a hug and then told me to wait for a minute and ran further into the house. I fidgeted under Mrs. Salaway's smile for a moment before Jeryl returned with her purse and a medium brown bag.

"What's in the bag?" I asked.

"Can't go to a birthday dinner without a gift for the birthday boy," she said with a grin. I began to suspect my arrival was not as much of a surprise as I had planned. A couple of minutes later I was holding the car door open for her and then running around to the driver's side of my car. She reached across to hold my hand as soon as we were on the road.

"This is nice, having a boyfriend who can come pick me up instead of us having to find rides."

I agreed and turned at the corner to head into town. My first inclination was to drive to Minonk, but thought about Jeryl and my old school friends and turned toward Standard instead. I flipped on the radio and stepped down on the accelerator as we cruised into town. Soon, I slowed and turned onto Main Street.

"So, why didn't you put a bench seat in front," Jeryl asked as I pulled into a gas station to turn and head back down the main drag of town. "It would be nice if I could scoot closer to you."

"These are safer. A lot of my patent ideas are around safety items, so I wanted to make the car itself as safe as possible." I leaned over the thin console I had installed and gave her a light kiss. "You're still close enough for a quick kiss though." As I sat back in my seat, I gave her knee a gentle squeeze and then returned my attention to driving.

A couple of trips up and down Main Street were enough. Jeryl decided against any ice cream, and soon we were headed back out to the farm. There were a lot more cars in the drive when I pulled in.

"And what would all these people be here for?" I asked Jeryl.

She grinned at me. "How would I know? Let's go inside and see."

Obviously, it was not a jump out from behind furniture surprise party, but it was still a surprise. Uncle Ben, Aunt Carol, John and Ryan were there. Jim and Kelly were there. Lisa and Jim were there. Even Jyl and Jordan were there. My cousins had the grill going on the patio and everyone had a drink in their hand.

I made sure to thank everyone for coming as I made the rounds between burgers. After eating, I was immediately asked for rides in my car. I was more than happy to pile people into the beast and take them on a quick spin around the section. Jeryl took the opportunity to ride with Kelly and Lisa. Uncle Ben and Aunt Carol were amazed at how comfortable the back seat was, as were Jim, John and Ryan.

All in all, it was a fun evening. I got lots of well wishes as people finally began heading home. Jeryl and I helped Mom clean up, and soon it was time to take Jeryl home. "I'm glad you let me stay and help clean up," she said as she followed me taking the trash out to the dumpster by the barn.

"Well, I didn't actually want you riding home with your sisters, you know." I threw the bag of trash away and then gave her a quick kiss in the shadow by the barn.

"Oh, and why's that?" she asked as she pressed her body against me.

"Because, I wanted the pleasure of taking you home, of course."

"Well, if we are done cleaning up, we have fifty-five minutes before I have to be home. I think that might give us enough time to see if you designed that back seat correctly for a little snuggling."

I could not have agreed more with her plan. Ten minutes later we were parked in a lane to a field along a row of trees. The windows were cracked to let a little breeze in and Jeryl was in my arms in the back seat with her lips pressed against mine.

"Oh Paul, I've been waiting for us to be able to be alone since spring break," she moaned as I nibbled on her neck and ear.

I dropped one hand from her hair to stoke her thigh just above her knee. Her skin was smooth and warm below the hem of her khaki shorts. Her own hands held my head tight and guided my lips back to hers. Our kiss deepened as she pressed her tongue into my mouth and moaned softly.

I sat back for a moment to catch my breath. Jeryl leaned back as well and scooted forward on the broad back seat as she spread her legs. I continued to stroke her thigh, now slipping my fingers inside the hem of her shorts and stroking steadily higher. I could feel the heat radiating from her pussy as I leaned in to kiss her again.

I carefully moved my hand from her leg to her waist and then pulled it higher until I was able to cup her breast through her shirt and bra. Her nipple was hard before my fingers circled it. "That feels wonderful, but I think it would be even better without so much cloth in the way," she said throatily. She pushed my hand away and quickly lifted the hem of her shirt up and over her head.

I pulled her into my arms and began kissing my way down her neck as I flipped open the clasp on the back of her bra. She shrugged her shoulders and I pulled her bra off just in time to tongue her nipples, alternating from one small breast to the other. She was a B-cup at best, but I was never going to complain. In the dim light of the rising moon, she was a vision of beauty.

As I sucked her nipples softly, I slipped one hand back to her legs and began stroking them again. She dropped her own hands to her waist and pulled open her shorts. "I want you so bad," she whispered as she lifted her hips and slipped her shorts and panties down. I began kissing my way lower, pausing at her belly button before dropping to the strip of soft brown hair leading to her swollen pussy lips.

Jeryl slid down to lay on the seat as I pulled her to my mouth, one firm thigh against each of my ears. Soon she was moaning loudly. "Oh, God that feels so good." I smiled to myself and reached my hands lower to cup her delicious bum and squeeze her cheeks in time with my tonguing of her wet slit.

"Oh, Paul, you are amazing. Make me come with your tongue and I'll do the same." I continued licking as her breathing got shorter. I slipped a finger into the opening of her pussy and gently probed as I lapped her clit with the flat of my tongue.

"Argh!" Her heels hit my back as she first arched her back and then tightened her stomach in a rhythmic orgasm. I slowed my licking, but didn't stop until she began pushing my head away. "Shit, Paul you could kill me like that and I'd die happy."

I grinned at her as she pulled me up for a quick, sloppy kiss before pushing me against the seat back and attacking the buckle of my belt. Soon my shirt was on the seat beside us and my pants were pooled on the floor next to her shorts and she was kneeling between my legs with my dick in her hands.

"I really liked bringing you off this way in March. I've been thinking about finding a time and place to do it again." She bobbed her head down and took my head in her mouth. It felt wonderful as she applied just a little suction before sliding up and off.

"Now that you have a car, time and place should not be a problem." She bobbed down taking more of me in her mouth and holding me longer this time. Her tongue swirled around my shaft and head as she took my balls in her hand and rubbed them gently. My breathing deepened before she pulled off again.

She looked up at me. She smiled. It was an incredibly erotic image. "I want you to come for me, Paul. I want to feel you shoot your load down my throat. Don't hold back." Her mouth returned to my dick taking me almost all the way into her this time. I felt myself push against the back of her throat. She slowly began bobbing up and down, sucking me lovingly.

I put my hands on her shoulders even though I desperately wanted to pull her head down on me. Instead, I encouraged her with gentle pressure and moaned as she took me deeper in the mouth. She took me to the back of her throat and held me there for a second before coming up for a breath. I was close. Down she went again, but this time as she paused, she pushed down just a little further. I felt a constriction around the head of my cock and knew she was actually deep throating me. She pulled up and then went down again.

"God, that feels incredible," I managed to moan. She rolled my balls between her fingers and bobbed up and down again. Suddenly, it was time. She was lowering her head when I lost track of thinking and felt my balls roil as my own orgasm hit.

"Ungh," I grunted as the first spurt shot directly into her throat. She started to pull up, but my hips followed for the second spurt. She managed to pull back enough to catch the next couple of shots in her mouth as she swallowed quickly.

I laid back in a daze as she continued to suck me gently and then made sure I was totally clean. Finally, still between my legs, she let my depleted member escape her lips and smiled up at me. "Happy birthday, Paul."

"Thank you, ma'am. That was the most incredible birthday present I've ever gotten." I pulled her up to my lap and kissed her gently but deeply. She shivered as I wrapped my arms around her. "What's wrong? Cold?"

"No." She swung her legs over my left leg so she was literally sitting in my lap with her arms around my neck. "I love the feel of our bodies together. Skin touching like this. "I'd like to do a lot more than just blow you."

I kissed her and tightened my hug. "I would too, but we don't have to hurry anything. I love just being with you, even when we have clothes on."

She pulled back and looked into my eyes. "You love me?"

"Of course I do. I've loved you for a long time, but haven't ever had the guts to tell you how I really feel."

She got a silly grin and kissed me before saying. "I love you, too."

We cuddled for a few minutes, kissing each other before Jeryl started feeling a reminder of my feelings for her poking her backside. "Well, someone has woken back up," she joked.

"Maybe he just likes being kissed goodnight."

"Well, I don't know that we have time for another full good night kiss."

As soon as she mentioned time, I glanced at the dashboard clock. "We've got fifteen minutes to get you home."

"Shoot." We both began getting our clothes back on. Jeryl was quicker getting her bra and shirt back on and then grinned wickedly as she picked up her panties from the floor. "Should I give these to you as part of your present? First panties lost in your new car?"

I laughed and snatched them out of her hand.

"Paul," she shrieked playfully. "I was joking."

I pretended to ignore her. "Better hurry up and get your shorts on, or you'll be late getting home."

She punched my arm and then grabbed my boxers and slipped them on. "I guess these will have to do," she said with her own grin.

I laughed and then reached under the seat to open one of the small storage compartments I'd built there. I tossed her panties in as I pulled out a small towel. "Now you'll have a spare set in the car if you need them."

She laughed and took the towel from me to wipe her face and then wiped the leather seats as I climbed out of the car and pulled on my jeans, sans underwear. A few minutes later, we were both back in the front seat and Jeryl ran a brush through her hair as I started the car up.

"I think the back seat is sized perfectly, by the way." Jeryl said as she put her brush back in her purse.

"I'm glad you like it."

"And I appreciated the padded carpet."

I laughed as I turned onto her road.

We pulled into her yard and I parked the car. Jeryl waved at the porch window as the curtain there moved, and then deliberately leaned over to give me a kiss. I enjoyed it for longer than I probably should have and then disengaged and hopped out of the car to come around and open the door for her.

"Why thank you, sir." Jeryl said with a grin as she took my hand and stepped out of the car.

"It's the least I can do after such a wonderful birthday."

Jeryl stepped close and gave me a quick kiss. "I almost forgot your other gift. It's still in your trunk."

"I can grab it and open it now," I volunteered.

She grabbed my hand as I started to turn away. "No, you need to open it in private. My Mom thinks it's just a shirt, but there are a couple of other things in the box for you."

"Really?"

She nodded as we turned to the house and I walked her toward the door. "It's a surprise."

I got her to the door and she turned and put her arms around my neck. "I hope you did have a great birthday Paul. You made me feel like it was my birthday, how good you made me feel."

I kissed her deeply, enjoying the feel of her body pressed up against mine.

"I love you," I whispered.

"I love you, too." She replied.

We broke apart and she reached for the door. Before she opened it, she looked back over her shoulder with a smile. "Thanks for the new boxers, by the way. I'm sure my Mom will wonder about them when she does laundry."

Before I could respond, she opened the door and darted inside. I laughed and headed back to my car and home.

I backed into the machine shed and parked my car. I left the engine and lights on until I could flip the overhead lights on. I shut down the car and then finally opened the trunk to get Jeryl's other present out.

I opened the nicely wrapped box and admired the dark blue polo shirt folded inside it. A card rested on top of the shirt. It was a pretty standard card, but the polaroid picture inside it, of Jeryl in her natural, naked beauty was hardly standard. The handwritten message on the photo read, "May all your birthday wishes come true." I slipped the picture into my pocket and then noticed the other small box inside the shirt box. It was wrapped separately. There was also a towel under the shirt. I pulled the towel out and then unwrapped the smaller box.

Inside was a tube of lubricant. It was cherry flavored.

I put the lube inside the towel and then tucked both into the storage compartment under the back seat, along with Jeryl's panties. It looked like my relationship was taking a turn toward an interesting future.