Escape to Europe

by

Gary Beck

For two weeks, it was the most relaxed time in Ted’s entire life. With the certain knowledge he was going to Europe and not going back to school, he didn’t worry about anything. His friend Kevin showed up and they cruised the Mineola bars and Nassau Community College, picking up working class girls who were dazzled by their upper middle class lifestyle. Between Kevin’s BMW and Ted’s father's boat, the girls, liberally plied with pot and tales of Yale, gratefully shared their bodies and made a minimum of fuss when they were discarded. Ted, assisted by Kevin, who had grown up on sailboats on the Connecticut side of the Sound, took his father and his golfing buddies out on the boat several times. James planned a big boat bash for the weekend before Ted left for Europe and wasn’t deterred when the Coast Guard boarded ‘Arlene’s Quest’ and gave him a summons for excessive use of liquor.

Ted's mother, Arlene, was burdened as usual by her massive case load, but she took a weekday afternoon off to spend with Ted. They went to the Heckscher Museum in Huntington and she enjoyed herself, even though Ted was only going through the motions of being interested in art. He later admitted to himself he liked looking at some of the ancient Egyptian artifacts. They had dinner at a French restaurant in Glen Cove James had been telling her about for years. Later they joined James at the Oak Glades Country Club for cocktails and dancing. Ted stayed long enough to dance a clumsy foxtrot with Arlene then he fled before the unappealing, pampered daughters of the over-moneyed and overweight members of the club could summon him for escort duties. Ted never seemed to get along with girls from his supposed peer group. They lacked intensity and were always preoccupied with material things.

Kevin had been waiting for Ted on the boat with two of Mineola’s willing, nubile daughters, Evelyn and Mary. As soon as Ted arrived, they shoved off for a night of clear skies, fair seas, pot and sex. They had learned a lesson from the Coast Guard bust and kept the music down and the pot conveniently placed to be jettisoned if they were boarded. They took turns using the cabin and at one point Ted had sex with his girl, Evelyn, a tall, slim, dark-haired girl, who demonstrated athletic ability on the captain’s chair. He discovered she became more aroused when he revved the engines, and he carefully steered her to a loud climax. Her yelps drew the attention of the crew of a fishing boat and they put a spotlight on the source of the obvious sexual outcries. When the crew saw the couple locked together, they yelled good-natured bawdy comments that were taken in good spirit. Evelyn even laughed at being called ‘the catch of the day’.

Just before dawn they brought the boat back to the dock very quietly and drove the girls home with vague assurances about calling them soon. They stopped for breakfast at an all-night diner on route 25A and consumed large portions of waffles and eggs. Ted hadn’t been to the diner for several years. He noticed there were fewer truck drivers and other blue collar types than he remembered. There were more immigrants, eating a meager breakfast before heading for day-labor jobs. Most of the diners stared morosely at their plates, intent on their food, not inclined to talk to their neighbors. The few lethargic conversations going on were about sports, without the usual energy that characterized the most widely discussed topic in America.

On the way back to the house, Ted asked wonderingly: "Why didn’t we pick up townie girls in New Haven? I bet they’re just as ripe and willing as Mineola girls."

Kevin launched into a lengthy explanation of the differences between the two locales. He droned on and mumbled: "The socio-economic divisions between ethno-centric population groups, posits New Haven townie girls representing the resentful lower orders resisting Yale as the feudal bastion of capitalism."

Ted cracked up with laughter and asked: "Are you still stoned?"

Kevin cheerfully nodded yes with a big grin. Before Ted could say anything else, they arrived at his house just as James came out the door on his way to the city. He asked if they were just getting home. Ted thought quickly. "When we took the boat out last night the engine was running a bit rough, so we went to Barney’s Marine supply store and asked if we needed to check it. They told us how to adjust the fuel mixture. I wanted to be sure the boat was fine for your outing this weekend, Dad."

James, completely mollified, waved jauntily and drove off to the train station for the commute to Manhattan.

Arlene had left for the city before James, so the house was quiet. Ted and Kevin went to their rooms, fell asleep with their clothes on and didn’t wake up until mid-afternoon.

They showered, put on clean clothes, snacked on James’ ample leftovers and phoned their two close school friends, who were also their partners-to-be in their future software venture. Philippe Van Truong affectionately nicknamed ‘Pill’ for his hypochondriacal consumption of over-the-counter remedies for imaginary illnesses, was the son of an exiled Vietnamese General and a French mother. They lived on a large estate on the shore near Westport, Connecticut. Pill was the most peculiar person Ted had ever met. Pill almost never slept and spent most of his nights discussing his symptoms in long medical telephone chats. He was tall, slim, dark haired, incredibly handsome, with Eurasian features, and hard as bamboo. He practiced karate daily with his companion/bodyguard Khiem, who accompanied him almost everywhere.

When Pill didn’t answer, Ted left a message then called Lisa. Lisa Swayne, nicknamed Lys, was the daughter of a Cincinnati surgeon father and psychiatrist mother. Lys was five feet tall, slender, shapely, with blonde hair, blue eyes and a lovely face that displayed sweet innocence. She had been exiled from Cincinnati when her lesbian preferences were discovered in her senior year in high school. Her mother suggested hormone treatments at a Swiss clinic. Her father urged a pre-frontal lobotomy. She met the three young men one night at the beginning of freshman year in 1993 when she was resisting unwanted advances from a stoned frat-brat, who wouldn’t take no for an answer and they came to her rescue. Pill offered to teach her karate, and Ted and Kevin joined them. She insisted they all learn French, so they could converse with Khiem who refused to speak English. When she sympathized with Pill’s ailments, a special bond was formed between them.

Pill was already confirmed for the trip to Europe and Lys was still working on her parents. She answered the phone with a bubbly voice that alerted Ted. "Hi, Lys. You sound cheerful. What’s up?"

"The threat to come home to the family nest really worked. They’ll pay for my trip, as long as I stay away."

"That’s great. Why don’t you come stay with us ‘til we leave? It must be boring as hell in New Haven."

"I’d love to. How’re the girls around there?"

"You’ll have to be cool about it, but you should do alright. Collect Pill and bring him with you."

"Yeah. Do your folks have room for all of us?"

"Sure. If there’s any problem, we’ll check into a hotel."

"Cool. I’ll pick up Pill and be there tonight, about eight."

"Great. See you later, Lys."

Ted immediately called his father at his office and asked if he could invite his friends from school to stay with them for a few days. James was too busy to discuss anything, growled yes, and hung up. Ted told their illegal Guatemalan housekeeper, Inez, in pigeon Spanish, to prepare two more guest rooms.

Kevin was almost jumping out of his shoes with excitement. "I’m going to call Mary and ask her to get some of her friends for Pill and Lys. Can we take them out on the boat tomorrow night?"

"Sure. Are you going to tell her about Lys?"

"Why not? The worst she could do is freak out and say no. I guess I also better tell her about Pill and Khiem."

Ted grinned. "Tell her Pill’s a Hong Kong movie star and Khiem’s his bodyguard. I bet she gets off on that."

Kevin phoned Mary and she either acted very cool about the lesbian solicitation, or pretended well, because she promised to bring two more friends. Kevin couldn’t help smiling when Mary asked: "Should I bring a girl for the bodyguard?"

"No thanks," Kevin answered. "He just likes to watch."

"That’s kinky," she said. She squealed with delight when Kevin told her he’d send a car for them the next night, at seven o’clock.

Ted nodded approvingly and added: "Let’s send a limo for them. They’ll cream their panties and be very cooperative later. We should also get some gourmet snacks and champagne to serve on the boat. That’ll put them in the mood."

Kevin grinned. "Should we have Khiem do a body search when they come aboard?" They both cracked up with laughter.

"I don’t think so, Kev, but it would be funny."

When James got home that evening, Ted cleverly offered his and Kevin’s services in the preparation of the meal. He figured if they cooked together, James would be more amenable when Pill, Khiem and Lys arrived. James was in an excellent mood, kindled by selling several very large blocs of stock of a California energy company. He dipped into his freezer and defrosted a big pot of bouillabaisse, along with a few other dishes that became a very pleasant French dinner. Arlene came home a bit earlier than usual and they ate together for a change. James approved of Kevin because his family was wealthy, and there were no family tensions that night, so the atmosphere was cordial. After they finished eating, James left food on the stove for the expected guests. Ted and Kevin scraped the leftovers into the disposal unit, put the dirty dishes into the dishwasher, turned on the machine and left it for Inez to deal with in the morning.

Arlene and James had met Pill and Lys once on a visit to Yale, but they didn’t know much about them, so Ted told them a little about their guests-to-be. James was dubious about Lys traveling Europe with three young men, but Arlene raised her hackles of feminism and defended the female right to independence. Ted mentioned that both Lys’s parents were doctors, which automatically made them well-to-do and respectable to James, who assessed everyone as potential clients. He was positively delighted to learn that Pill’s father was an ex South Vietnamese General.

"He was probably one of those corrupt Generals, who exploited the people then got out of the country with all that American loot," Arlene commented.

James knew the Vietnam war era wasn’t a period where Arlene thought he acquitted himself nobly, so he quickly dismissed her complaint. "You don’t know what happened. Besides, the son isn’t responsible for his father’s actions."

Further discussion of a delicate topic was interrupted by the doorbell and Ted let their guests in. Arlene and James watched in surprise, when Khiem, after being introduced, bowed, then abruptly made a security check of the house. James trailed behind him, observing Khiem’s actions and asking questions, which were ignored. As Khiem started up the stairs to the second floor, James asked Pill: "Why doesn’t he answer me?"

"He doesn’t speak English, Mr. Donovan," Pill explained.

"Well, I don’t speak Vietnamese."

"That’s alright, Dad," Ted interjected. "He speaks French."

Reassured, James rushed upstairs and a few moments later he was interrogating Khiem about security procedures and the newest electronic devices. Arlene led the others into the eat-in kitchen. "James left a late night supper for you. I hope you’ll be comfortable eating here. We only use the dining room on weekends, or when more than three of us are eating together."

Lys put on her sweet, innocent act and made a friend when she commented: "It’s a lot nicer than we’re used to at school, Mrs. Donovan."

Khiem finished his inspection of the house and joined the others in the kitchen, followed by James who remarked: "He doesn’t talk much, does he?"

"He’s a Buddhist, Mr. Donovan, and he practices self-control," Pill responded politely.

James watched in surprise while Pill served Khiem food. "I thought he was your bodyguard?" James asked.

"He’s much more than that, Mr. Donovan. He was my father’s adjutant in Vietnam and he’s taken care of me since I was born."

James nodded then asked: "Does he mind that we’re speaking English?"

"Oh, no," Pill answered. "He understands English. He just won’t speak it."

"Why not?" Arlene asked.

"He believes that the Americans betrayed his country," Pill explained. "Even though he’s been here for twenty years, he refuses to speak the language."

She smiled approvingly at Khiem. "I can understand that. Ted, show our guests to their rooms. Please make yourselves at home. We’re delighted to have you here."

The newcomers unpacked then made their way to Ted’s room, where they quickly brought each other up to date on recent developments. They all had the most satisfying feeling about going to Europe together, with no specific time limit. Pill’s mother had arranged for them to use her large Paris house, just off the Rue de Rivoli. They were looking forward to setting up residence in the fabled city without any supervision or restriction on their activities. Pill suggested that Lys shouldn’t go off on her own until she was familiar with the city and she took it in the spirit it was meant. Pill lit a joint and they passed it around then started to play Doom. Khiem drifted downstairs and joined James who was watching the daily tribulation of O.J. Simpson. James explained the background of the case and Khiem was immediately fascinated by the unique trial. Hours later, when Pill came downstairs for a late night snack, Khiem was still sitting in front of the TV, transfixed by the strange fate of an American icon.

The next day, Ted and his friends went shopping for laptops. Khiem drove them to Manhattan in the Mercedes limousine Pill’s father had given him when he left for Yale. It was a beautiful spring day, traffic was light, the air was almost breathable and the ozone layer still protected all but the fair from serious ultra violet rays. They quickly passed the wealthy communities of Long Island on route 25A and took Northern Boulevard through Queens. Like most well-to-do Americans, they didn’t notice the change as they drove past middle class houses, then blue collar neighborhoods, then poverty areas. The youngsters had that particular gift of not seeing what they weren’t interested in, and they weren’t concerned with the plight of the poor or the squalor of a decaying city.

They crossed the 59^th Street Bridge and barely noticed the Manhattan skyline that represented the greatest human architectural achievement in the construction of skyscrapers. They were too busy discussing what they would see first in Paris. Midtown traffic was surprisingly light and soon Khiem let them off on 5^th Avenue and 38^th Street, reminding Pill to phone him when they were ready to leave. They were greeted in the laptop department by a young salesman, who immediately proclaimed his credentials as an ex-teen hacker and not too subtly ogled Lys. He showed them several machines and kept pushing a cheap laptop, advising them it was the best buy for the money. They finally sent the obnoxious salesman away, and Kevin selected a top of the line IBM model. Ted and Pill also picked the same machine and Pill bought one for Lys, who had limited funds. Pill bought a batch of accessories, software and extra batteries for all of them then they headed home, electronically sated.

Instead of calling a limo service to pick up the girls in Mineola, they sent Khiem in the Mercedes. The girls had met at Mary’s house and were waiting when Khiem arrived. They weren’t knowledgeable enough about limousines to appreciate the luxury of the Mercedes, their only experience occurring on high school prom night, but they were impressed with Khiem, who wore his inscrutable look and only spoke Vietnamese. Khiem offered champagne and pot, which the girls eagerly accepted while attempting to appear sophisticated. It was a short ride to the Donovan‘s house in Great Neck, facilitated by drink and smoke. When they arrived, Khiem led the girls, already sailing, to the boat. James was at the country club and Arlene was working late in the city, so no family contact was necessary. Kevin acted as host, met the girls on the dock and welcomed them.

It was still light when they climbed aboard, on a warm spring evening, with a mild breeze that barely rippled the water of the Sound, which looked as tranquil as a sheltered lake. The sun was just beginning to sink behind Manhattan Island and the girls chattered like sparrows at evening yak time. Kevin introduced Pill and Lys, and Mary introduced Donna and Patty. Donna was 5’6", svelte, dark haired and dark eyed, with a swarthy complexion set off by a bright red blaze of lipstick on her fleshy lips. Patty was 5’2", slightly plump, with light brown hair, brown eyes and a shy, insecure manner. It wasn’t clear which girl was for Pill or Lys, so Kevin ignored the problem and served the champagne, which immediately relaxed the newcomers. Ted started the engines, asked Kevin to untie the lines, then slowly pulled away from the dock and headed out of Manhasset Bay to the Sound.

 Evelyn plastered herself next to Ted on the captain’s chair. Mary attached herself to Kevin and appointed herself hostess, pouring refills for everyone. Khiem took a glass of champagne and went forward where he sat near the bow, looking off in the distance, brooding over lost memories of the South China Sea. Pill and Lys led Donna and Patty below to the aft cabin, where turkey and roast beef sandwiches were laid out in the galley, along with pate de foie gras and Sevruga caviar. Pill informed the girls about pate and caviar. By the time he finished his educational lecture Donna was hanging on his every word and Lys was coaxing Patty to taste the caviar. Pill continued the tour and showed the girls the forward cabins with couches that converted to beds then he showed them the heads and demonstrated how to use them. When they come back on deck, they were comfortably paired off, Donna with Pill and Patty, though unsure of herself, with Lys.

Mary asked Kevin to put on some music and they went below to turn on the portable radio and make a selection. They didn’t reappear right away, and Donna yelled: "What are you guys doing down there? Let’s have some music."

"I think they’re busy at the moment," Pill remarked quietly.

"Why don’t we join Ted and Evelyn? Ted can show you how the boat runs."

Donna squealed with delight. "That’ll be great. Do you know how to drive the boat?"

"Yes. I grew up with boats. My family keeps a boat on the Connecticut side of the Sound."

"Is it as big as this?"

"It’s a little bigger," Pill answered modestly, not mentioning they owned a 55’ Hatteras.

"Do you think Ted’ll let me steer?" Donna asked.

"I’m sure he will. Let’s ask him."

Lys and Patty were alone at the back of the boat, seated next to each other on deck chairs. This was the first time that Lys had actually gone along with the guys on an arranged date. She didn’t want to cause them any problems, so she proceeded cautiously with Patty. Lys asked Patty about herself and Patty rambled on about school, starting at Nassau Community College in the fall, and her job at a Mineola candy distributing company. Within a few minutes, they were comfortably chatting away and Lys was very careful to make her feel at ease. Lys patted her reassuringly while they talked and some of the touches became subtle caresses. Patty’s skin was a little flushed and her body was very warm. Lys recognized the signs of arousal and added to it by putting her face close to Patty’s and whispering intimately to her, brushing Patty’s cheek with her lips.

Everyone was getting along beautifully and when Kevin and Mary came up on deck, Pill suggested they smoke some hashish. The girls admitted they smoked pot, but had never tried hash. Pill told them hash was smoother and much nicer than pot and the girls were eager to try it. Pill called Khiem in Vietnamese and asked him to bring a pipe and some hash. Khiem came aft, lit a pipe, took a deep puff then passed it to Pill, who took a puff then passed it around. Between the champagne and the hash, a floating feeling of euphoria began to affect them. Khiem passed the pipe around once more then disappeared to the forward deck again. Pill led Donna below to the forward cabin and Kevin and Mary followed them a few minutes later. They left the aft cabin for Lys and Patty to use alone, since they expected them to be in a more delicate situation.

Ted shut off the deck lights and except for the eerie glow of the instrument panel, they were concealed by the gathering darkness. Evelyn got on top of Ted on the captain’s chair and the sounds of their activity washed over Lys and Patty. Lys was stroking Patty more openly and Patty was trembling with excitement. When Lys caressed her breasts and softly squeezed her erect nipples, Patty sighed and gave herself up to what was happening. Lys pulled away and asked: "Do you want to go below with me?"

"I don’t know what to do," Patty answered shyly.

"Don’t worry. I’ll show you." Lys took her hand and led her below, feeling her way in the dark, pausing to let Patty rub against her, adding to their mutual excitement.

Lys shut the cabin door behind them and guided Patty to the bed. Lys kissed her and gently stroked the trembling girl, while she undressed her. Lys moved her hand down Patty’s belly, across the soft patch of hair then touched her clitoris, which was standing up between her damp lips. Patty moaned with pleasure and she began to breathe heavily. Lys paused and took her clothes off, then pressed her taut, hot body against Patty, who held her tightly. Lys took Patty’s hand, guided it between her legs and slowly showed her how to touch another woman. They lay there, locked together, stroking each other faster and faster, until they came in a rush that left them sweating and panting. When their breathing subsided, Lys kissed her way down Patty’s body, placing her mouth on her clitoris then licked her until Patty came with spasms that left her breathless. She held Lys tightly then whispered: "I don’t know if I could do that to you."

"Don’t worry," Lys whispered back. "You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to."

Kevin and Mary finished their second sexual encounter and started to dress, courteously ignoring Pill and Donna across the cabin. Mary turned the radio volume way up so they could hear it on deck, but Kevin quickly turned it down. When Mary objected, he explained: "Sound carries a long way across water, especially at night when it’s quieter. We’ve been drinking and smoking hash. We don’t want to attract the Coast Guard by making too much noise."

"Gee. I’m sorry," Mary said. "I don’t want to cause any trouble."

"No harm done. Let’s go on deck and leave our friends here to their pleasure." They groped their way forward and as Kevin started up the steps, Mary scratched on the aft cabin door and whispered: "Are you alright in there, Patty?"

Kevin reached back for her. "Don’t worry. You’ll know if she has any problems."

A few minutes later Pill and Donna came up on deck, and they all had another round of champagne. Khiem came back and sat with them and they conversed quietly, soothed by wine, hash and a calming spring night that was warm, with a mild breeze that felt delicious. Kevin took the wheel for a while and Ted relaxed, sprawling in a deck chair. He gazed at the thousands of stars, shining in the clear sky and for once didn’t feel like talking. A mood of ease pervaded the boat and the others gradually fell silent, enjoying the tranquil night. When Lys and Patty came on deck, they immediately responded to the mood and quietly joined the others. They all felt comfortable as the boat cut through the water that was so still the boat barely rocked and the engines purred without strain.
After a while, Ted took the wheel and steered for home. There were almost no boats out, but Ted kept the speed down and ignored Donna’s request to show them how fast the boat could go. The shore lights came closer and when they turned into Manhasset Bay, Ted called softly: "Kevin. Organize the cleaning up of food and drinks, please. There are plastic bags in the galley for the garbage. Give the rest of the food to the girls. You can leave the wine in the refrigerator for the next time we go out."

"Will you take us out again?" Evelyn asked hopefully.

"Sure," Ted answered. "We’ll be here for another week or so. We’ll go out again before we leave."

"Oh, I didn’t know you were going somewhere," she said, a note of disappointment in her voice.

"The four of us are going to Europe next week," Ted explained.

The girls were quiet for the rest of the way back. When they pulled into the dock, Kevin tied the lines, Pill and Lys stowed the deck chairs, and Ted shut down the engines. They said goodnight to the girls, who left reluctantly with Khiem for the ride home, while Ted hosed down the deck.

James got up a bit earlier than usual the next morning to check on the condition of the boat. He knew Ted and his friends took girls out on several occasions. With his big party coming up on the weekend, he wanted everything to be perfect, especially the boat. He was pleasantly surprised to find things ship-shape, and he even noticed there was a full tank of gas. That really impressed him, because Ted generally left the tank almost empty when he used the boat, so James would pay for refueling the 50 gallon tank, which, courtesy of OPEC, cost more than $100.00 to fill. James didn’t realize Ted was displaying model behavior, at least until he got to Paris at James’ expense.

Friday night, while James struggled with the cleaning crew and the caterer, Ted and his friends took the girls out for one last boat ride. They were leaving for Paris Monday morning on the Concorde, and they had a lot of technical data to organize before then, so this would be their formal farewell to the girls. Without any specific discussion, the night followed the same pattern as their last excursion, champagne, smoke, sex. The only difference was Patty had become wildly infatuated with Lys and was an active sex partner, eager to try anything. She also asked Lys to take her with them to Paris. Lys explained patiently they were going to Europe to work and it just wasn’t possible, but Patty was disconsolate. When they made their farewells at the dock, the other Mineola girls followed Khiem to the limousine. Patty lingered as long as she could, reluctantly tearing herself away only when her friends insisted she leave.

James invited three of his senior partners to stay overnight on Saturday and he asked Ted’s friends if they could double up for the night. Kevin said he’d be glad to bunk with Ted, but Pill said he’d take Khiem and Lys to a hotel for the night. James offered to pay, but Pill assured him it wasn’t necessary and booked a suite at an exclusive tennis resort nearby. Inez had been drafted for the weekend and she brought another girl, Felicia, to help her. James promised Inez a large bonus to work late Saturday night and to come in early Sunday morning. He arranged for a car service to pick her up and take her home.

On Saturday, the house was ready by 2:00 P.M. and the caterer was set up for the arrival of guests at 3:00 P.M. Fortunately, it was a beautiful June day and the caterer set up a pavilion and chairs on the lawn behind the house. Food and drink tables were in the pavilion, along with a well-stocked bar and an alert bartender. James had the pool service come in early in the morning, remove the cover and treat the water. A cabana boy from the country club was hired for the day as a lifeguard.

Guests started arriving about 2:30 P.M. and they were directed to the rear lawn. By 3:30, at least ten of James’ upper echelon corporate guests had shown up with their families, which pleased his partners, who subtly circulated, making new friends. Arlene encouraged the wives and children to use the pool and play lawn games, like badminton and croquet. Ted and Kevin took small groups of guests out for short boat trips, carefully monitoring their safety, especially the children. Some of James’ neighbors and friends from the country club stopped by and they effortlessly fit in with the prosperous gathering. At 7:00, dinner was served in the pavilion. The horde was ravenous by now and took their platters of swordfish steaks, or broiled shrimp to small tables on the lawn. There were hamburgers and hot dogs for the children, or for anyone who didn’t want fish. The catering staff served beverages and when the guests finished the entrée, they were served dessert and coffee.

The sated guests began to depart around 8:00P.M.  James and Arlene made the formal goodbyes.  James’ partners made sure to exchange cards and invitations for lunch with their newfound friends. By 8:30, the last guests were gone. The caterer and his staff efficiently removed everything then thoroughly policed the lawn. James instructed the caterer to donate the remaining hamburgers, franks, rice and salad to a Mineola homeless shelter, but he kept the swordfish and shrimp for storage in his large freezer. The caterer left, happy with his large fee and the bonus for the shelter delivery. It was completely dark and the night was suddenly silent. James asked Ted if he would take him and his partners out on the boat.

"Sure, Dad. I’ll get Kevin to help."

"No, son. This is a special trip and I need you to promise that you’ll keep it secret."

Although mystified, Ted agreed. "Sure, Dad."

Ted got the boat ready, and a few minutes later when the men came aboard and they shoved off. As soon as they were out of sight of the house, James made a call on his cell phone. Then he instructed Ted to go to the other side of Manhasset Bay to Port Washington and described where to find a dock. He had no idea what was going on, but complied. Just before they reached the dock, James reminded him this was confidential and must be kept totally secret. A few moments later it all became clear. Ted pulled into the dock and saw four great-looking, chic, obviously expensive call-girls, ready and waiting to go. James ushered the girls aboard and got them comfortably seated then signaled Ted they were ready to shove off. He leaned close to Ted. "Take us out a ways, where it’s quiet and we won’t be disturbed. Maybe one of those places where you have your orgies."

Ted grinned conspiratorially: "Sure, Dad."

As soon as they left the dock, James served champagne and soon the conversation became lively. Ted took them to a spot off Hart Island that was dark and quiet. When he dropped anchor, the boat rocked gently in the calm water. James passed little trays of coke around and for a few minutes, sniffing was the loudest sound on the boat. The men and girls paired off in a process Ted couldn’t identify. He was trying to watch everything, albeit discreetly. Ted was fascinated by the girls, who looked like models or starlets, and he compared them, deciding the redhead with the most senior partner was the hottest. Two of the men, apparently according to seniority, led two girls below, one couple forward, one aft. Ted grinned to himself at the muffled cries that didn’t go on for very long. He concluded either the girls were very efficient, or the men’s needs were very limited, or both, because they came on deck just a few minutes later.

James, letting his senior precede him, started to go below with a stunning brunette. He turned to Ted and whispered: "Do you want my girl when I’m through? I won’t be long."

Ted was sorely tempted, because the girl was stunning, but he felt awkward about it with his father and the other men there. "Thanks, Dad. I don’t think so," he answered reluctantly. "Dad?"

"Yes?"

"How much do these girls get for this trip?"

"A thousand each. If they stayed all night it would be $2,500.00."

"Are they worth it?"

"I’ll tell you, son. The company pays for it. They give great head. There’s no involvement. There’s no responsibility and there’s no aftermath. Yeah. They’re worth it."

Ted tried to compute the scale of value for excellent sexual services with no obligation other then fiscal but couldn’t resolve the question. He did make a note that if he ever made big bucks it might be a kick to hire a high- priced girl.

Ted was off in a fantasy about going to an expensive service and selecting several girls from a catalog then inspecting them before picking one. James tugged his arm, snapping him out of his reverie. "We’re ready to go back now, Ted. Are you sure you don’t want to try Lorna?" He gestured to the brunette, who gave Ted a dazzling smile.

The girl was almost irresistible, but Ted managed to mumble: "No thanks, Dad. I’ll just raise the anchor and we’ll get going." 

The trip back to the Port Washington dock was uneventful and the girls disembarked, chattering away like a small flock of songbirds. The men were more restrained and casually waved goodbye as the girls clambered into a waiting limousine. The most senior partner, reeking of coke, champagne and contentment, murmured: "Home, James," which the others responded to as if it was hilariously funny. They laughed until the engines lulled them and they sat back quietly in the deck chairs for the short run to James’ dock.

James astonished Ted by hopping off the boat when they pulled into the dock and tying up the lines without being asked. As James led his partners to the house, Ted called: "Hey, Dad. If Kevin’s still awake, ask him to come out and give me a hand securing the boat." James waved in acknowledgment and went in, while Ted relaxed for a moment after what had been a demanding trip for him.

A few minutes later, Kevin sauntered out of the house and walked to the dock. "Ahoy, Captain. Permission to come aboard?"

Ted laughed. "Aye, matey. Step lively." They grinned companionably at each other then Kevin settled into a deck chair, took out a joint, lit it, took a drag and passed it to Ted.

"Try this, shipmate. It’ll splice your mainsail, or brace your halyards or something like that."

Ted took a deep drag, held it in, then slowly exhaled. "Thanks. I needed that."

"Rough voyage?"

"It was très strange."

"Tell me about it."

"I can’t. I’m sworn to secrecy. Help me clean the boat."

"Only if you’ll tell me what happened someday."

"Deal."

Everyone slept late on Sunday morning. By the time they straggled downstairs for brunch, Inez and Felicia had restored the house to reasonable order. After French toast, smoked salmon and Bloody Marys, James and his partners set out for the country club for a round of golf and financial scheming. Arlene heaved a sigh of relief that the hospitality activities were over and retired to her office to work on a brief. Ted and Kevin wandered outside and lolled by the pool, alternately sunning and swimming. Pill, Khiem and Lys came back mid-afternoon and joined them at the pool. They had been partying at a frantic pace for the last week or so and they just relaxed, lazing around, idly chatting about their departure for Paris in the morning.

James came back from the club completely satisfied with the events of the weekend. His partners had left for their respective homes, delighted with the weekends’ entertainment and the prospect of new business. Just before he got into his limousine, the most senior partner informed James that he could expect a sizable six figure bonus. This was the currency James lived for. He immediately started thinking about buying a larger boat, a 38 or 40-footer. He thanked Arlene for making the weekend so successful, thanked Kevin for helping on the boat excursions, then took Ted aside for a special talk. "You were a real partner this weekend, Ted, and I want you to know how much I appreciate it. We’ve disagreed about a lot of things in the past, but you’ve been showing a new maturity lately. For the first time I’m confident you’ll do something special."

Ted smiled appropriately at his fathers’ praise and repressed an impulse to make a smart-ass remark. He didn’t because he was leaving in the morning and could do without any last minute problems with dear old Dad’s checkbook.

He chose his words carefully. "I’m glad you recognize the changes in me, Dad. I think this trip will pay off big time down the road. The four of us have been working on a plan to start our own software business. Now that school won’t be a distraction, we’ll have time to put our ideas into action."

"That sounds good, son. But remember education is important and a college degree counts for something." James’ ridiculous pieties struck a discordant note in Ted and for a few moments his arrogant side popped out. "If I make mega bucks, no one’s going to care that I dropped out of Yale."

James was startled by this sudden aggressive attitude, but before he could react, Inez announced dinner and any retort was forgotten while everyone made their way to the dining room. Inez served swordfish and shrimp that hadn’t gone into the freezer the night before and the conversation was mostly about the youngsters’ preparations to get to Kennedy airport in the morning.

Pill had arranged with his father to have another one of their servants meet them at the airport and drive the limousine back to Westport. Since Khiem was going with him, Pill shipped most of his and Khiem’s luggage ahead to his mother’s house in Paris, so they had plenty of room for the rest of the luggage.

Arlene and James would be leaving in the morning before Ted and his friends, so they said their official goodbyes and asked Ted if they could speak to him privately. They made the traditional parental admonitions not to do anything wild, then Arlene kissed him, James gave him an American Express gold card and they said goodnight.