Liz's confused head flailed around from side to side at the sound of strange disembodied voices. Oh, God, was she going mad? Was this new passion she had let erupt in her last night already driving her crazy? Her eyes caught on the open bedroom door, and she quickly crossed the room, her eyes sweeping frantically through the mess of boxes piled on boxes. Her heart followed her gaze to the corner of the room where a mattress was hooped on the floor between the wall and the boxes. She didn't know how long she stood there too stunned to cry, but a good deal of time had passed, and she had seen enough to last her a lifetime. She was certain she would never forget the naked forms of Tom and Natalie as they tossed and heaved in the curved mattress. She turned and left, leaving the door as open as it had been when she came.

As soon as the movers had left, Tom had started opening crates. The way his daughter-in-law brushed against him and teased him, she was either a Goddamned cock tease or she really meant business. He knew the kids nowadays were for a real open sex time and that swapping was for the older folks who believed, like himself. These kids just took what they wanted. They didn't worry about evening out the tricks. If hubby got it, then wifey got it at the same time, that was swapping. Now each partner just took whatever he or she pleased without interference or expectations of equality. Well, it looked like he might have a live-wire son. He never thought he would have with Liz raising the boy, but hot blood will not be squelched, he mused.

Natalie had filled a pan with hot sudsy water. Now wordlessly, she pulled off his shirt. "Into the water you go," she giggled. She was emptying a crate of dishes and stacking each piece on the sideboard as she removed the newspaper wrapping.

"You want me to wash those?" he asked, grinning. He was wondering if next she would remove his pants and trying to decide what to do if she did. She was a cute little minx. She made him feel as young as Kevin again. If he could be as young as Kevin and as wise as he was now, he would have married someone like her. She mumbled some answer just before she turned with more dishes for the stack.