Jeremy ch5 / pedo Fb / Janus

Please note: All characters in this story are fictitious, any similarity to persons living or dead is purely coincidental. The author does not necessarily condone or endorse any of the activities detailed in this story, some of which are dangerous or illegal.

Please keep in mind the difference between fantasy and reality.

“So who’s your favorite Star Wars character, Pam?” Jeremy asked. They were walking back from a trip to the convenience store several blocks from the Praters’ house. Or, more accurately, Pam was strolling and Jeremy was zipping around on his Ripstick. They were both grateful that the weather had finally turned warm enough to wear tank tops. Jeremy’s hair fluttered in the wind as he sped up and down the street.

It had been precisely two weeks since they had played Go Fish. Neither of them brought it up the last time she babysat him and the same was true for today. There seemed to be an unspoken agreement to move on from what had transpired. Pam was relieved. Mostly.

“Are you talking about the original trilogy or the prequel?” Pam asked. “Because that makes a difference.”

He cruised past her on his Ripstick, wagging his hips in a spastic manner. Pam couldn’t figure out the mechanics behind the device but kids seemed to love it. “Um, both,” he answered. “Who’s your favorite from the original?”

“I like Luke best,” Jeremy said. They had gone to the convenience store to buy some candy. Jeremy was eating Starbursts as he navigated the empty suburban street. Every so often, he would stop to unwrap one, pop it in his mouth, and then hand the wrapper to Pam. It only took three blocks until her pocket was overflowing with wrappers. She could have told him to take care of his own trash, but Pam figured she should just be happy that he wasn’t littering.

“What about the prequel?” Jeremy inquired. “Who’s your favorite character from that?”

“Anakin was probably the coolest,” said Pam. She herself was working on a small bag of peanut M&Ms. Had she known Jeremy would repeatedly poke her and hold out his hand, she would have bought a bigger bag. “But not until Revenge of the Sith. He was just a dork before that.”

“My parents won’t let me see that one,” Jeremy grumbled. “They think I’m not old enou- whoa!” He had been skating straight toward a curb at full speed. Hopping nimbly off the Ripstick, Jeremy tumbled onto the grass in a pile of limbs.

“Only losers wear helmets,” Jeremy declared. He got up and dusted himself off. A moment later, he was careening down the street again. “Oh yeah,” he remembered. “My parents don’t think I’m old enough to watch Revenge of the Sith. My dad went on this long talk about how I ‘wouldn’t be able to handle it responsibly,’ or something like that.” Jeremy rolled his eyes.

“Um, yeah,” Pam said. A pang of guilt nagged at the back of her mind. Jeremy’s parents wouldn’t let him see a PG-13 movie, but little did they know that their ten year old son had played Strip Go Fish with his babysitter. “Hey, are you happy that summer vacation is almost here?” she asked, changing the subject. “Only a few more weeks of school.”

“Yeah.” Jeremy leap-frogged a pothole in the street. He sailed over it, but the Ripstick got caught in a scrape of plastic on asphalt. Undeterred, Jeremy retrieved the board and began rolling again. “I’m getting so sick of school."

“How did your science project at school go?” she asked. He had spent the last few weeks nurturing some seedlings under a grow light in the basement.

“Oh, it was fine,” Jeremy said ambiguously. “I guess. I didn’t get first prize or anything.”

“Kristin did. Her project was so stupid. She made some sort of antique telephone talking thing. Everyone could tell her mom helped her with it.”

“Wait,” Pam said, remembering. “Isn’t Kristin the girl that you…” But before she could finish, Jeremy rolled up to her and punched her in the arm.

“Ow! Jeremy, that really hurt!” They stopped in the middle of the street. Pam rolled up the short sleeve of her t-shirt to examine her arm. “Ow. I bet there will be a bruise tomorrow.”

“Sorry,” he said, suddenly contrite. He peered closely at her arm, rubbing the spot with a finger. “I don’t see a bruise yet at least. I didn’t mean to hit you that hard.”

“Sorry,” he said again. He fished in his bag of Starbursts. “Here’s a red one. Do you want it?” Pam accepted his peace offering.

They turned into the cul-de-sac where Jeremy’s house was. To Pam’s surprise, the Praters' car was in the driveway. She hadn’t expected them home for at least another hour. “Looks like your parents got home early,” she observed. Someone emerged from the garage. It was Kate. She spotted them immediately and waved.

“Oh, it wasn’t so great.” Kate laughed dryly. “William got a migraine before we even got to the entrees. So we came home early.”

“Hey, what’s that?” Jeremy said, pointing to a package waiting on the porch.

“Hmm? Oh, just a second, Jeremy…” his mom said. But he had already rushed to inspect the package before she could stop him.

“Hey!” Jeremy crowed. “It’s a package from grandma! And it’s addressed to me!”

But he wasn’t listening. “It’s from the Dick’s Sporting Goods,” he reported, reading the packaging. “It says… it’s a tent? Grandma got me a tent? Sweet!”

The front door opened. William appeared, massaging his temples. His wife gave him an icy look. “Will, you were supposed to hide that in the basement,” she said crossly. “Not just leave it on the porch for Jeremy to find.”

William sighed. “I don’t see why your mom insists on sending birthday presents a month early anyway,” he complained. “Couldn’t she just have waited?”

“No, you may not,” his mom said firmly. “Your birthday is five weeks away. You have to wait.”

“Oh, just let him open it,” his dad said. “What’s the big deal? He’s already seen it. No need to torture the boy.”

Kate narrowed her eyes at her husband. “Fine. You can go set it up for him right now. Headache and all.”

“Fine,” he said, calling her bluff. He picked up the package. “Come on, Jeremy. Grab that end. We’ll set it up in the backyard.”

"Cool!” Jeremy did a short victory dance before helping his dad pick up the large box. With tentative steps, they disappeared around the corner of the house. Pam, an outsider to the family, had remained tactfully quiet during the entire exchange. Kate slammed the car door in frustration.

“Sorry about that, Pam,” she said tightly. “Thanks for babysitting tonight.” She opened her purse to find her wallet.

Kate handed her three twenties. “Sorry again that you had to see that,” she sighed. “I wish I could say you’d never have to see it again but we all know that’s a lie.” A bitter smile tugged at the corners of her mouth.

“Don’t worry about it,” said Pam. The tone in Kate’s voice troubled her. Perhaps Jeremy was right to worry about the state of his parents’ relationship. Pam headed for her car. “Just call me if you need me,” she said. Kate waved and went into the house.

When she told Kate to call if needed, Pam had not expected her to call her the very next afternoon. She saw right away that it was the Praters’ number when the phone rang, which was odd since it was a Friday. Neither Kate nor William liked to go out on Friday nights due to the excessive crowds. Weekend nights were usually reserved for family movie night.

“Oh. Uh, hi Jeremy,” Pam said, surprised. They had never spoken on the phone before. “What’s up?”

“Will you come over tonight and camp with me in my tent?” Jeremy asked. “My mom said she’ll pay you the regular babysitting rate.”

Pam could clearly hear his mom in the background. “Jeremy, no,” she said, the exasperation clearly evident in her voice. “I didn’t mean you should ask Pam tonight. Give me the phone.”

“What? Why?” Jeremy said defensively. “What’s the big-“ he was cut off as there was a brief struggle for the phone.

“Don’t worry, you don’t have to come over tonight,” Kate reassured her. “It’s just that Jeremy has his tent set up in the backyard and he won’t stop pestering us to sleep out there with him. William and I aren’t really up to spending a night in a tent so Jeremy wanted to ask you.”

“Oh, that sounds fun,” Pam said. “It’s been a while since I camped. Are you sure you don’t want me to come over tonight?”

“Oh, not tonight, Pam,” said Kate. “You were just here yesterday. You should have a night off.” Pam could hear Jeremy in the background, unintelligible, but the disappointed tone of his voice was clear enough.

“No, really,” Pam said. “I didn’t have any plans this weekend anyway. This is probably a better option than me sitting around and eating ice cream.”

“Well, if you’re sure,” Kate said. “I guess I wouldn’t mind a quiet night myself away from my hyperactive child.”

There was a loud whine from Jeremy in the background. Pam laughed. “I’ll be over in about an hour. Will that work?”

She hung up. Pam opened a closet and began searching for her long-since forgotten camping gear. Her sleeping bag, wedged into the corner at the very back of her closet, was a bit dusty but it smelled clean. An inflatable sleeping pad was resurrected from another closet. Finally, she packed an overnight bag with some toiletries, a sweatshirt, and a flashlight. As she loaded the car, Pam tried to think of anything she might have forgotten.

During the drive over to the Praters’ house, Pam tried to focus on the present. But the past kept rearing its head. Despite the fact that she had two “normal” babysitting sessions, Pam often thought about what had transpired between her and Jeremy. During private moments, certain scenes replayed over and over in her mind. These memories had been initially accompanied by great feelings of self-doubt and guilt, but lately Pam found herself feeling more neutral toward everything that had happened. Perhaps this was a good sign. Perhaps it meant she was moving on.

William answered when she rang the doorbell. “Hi there!” he greeted her. He gestured at the sleeping bag slung over her shoulder. “All ready for camping, I see. Let me take that for you.”

“I think Jeremy is already out back,” he said, glancing in the direction of the quiet den. “I guess I should just be grateful that he’s not playing video games all day.” They went to the kitchen where Kate was chopping up vegetables.

“Hi Pam,” she smiled. “Thanks again for playing along with this. I would have gone crazy if Jeremy asked me to hang out in the tent with him again.”

“Is he already out there?” Pam asked, peering through a window to the backyard.

“Where else?” Kate sighed. “We practically had to drag him into the house last night. And then this morning he took his breakfast out there to eat. He only comes back to ask for snacks and and the bathroom. At least he’s obsessing about something other than his damn video games.”

“Poor kid probably just needs someone to spend time with him,” William commented. Pam saw Kate’s eyes narrow at this remark.

“Maybe you could take a few nights off of work,” Kate suggested. She didn’t take her eyes from the cutting board but Pam heard an edge to her voice. “Jeremy would love to spend more time with you.”

Instead of taking the bait, William just shrugged. “Too bad Ashton is out of town. We’d all be off the hook then.”

“It’s great that you think spending time with your son means you’re ‘on the hook,’” Kate shot back.

William glanced at Pam but she pretended to be studying the headline from a newspaper lying on the counter. He opened the door to the backyard. “Ready to head out into the wild, Pam?”

“I’m making some beef stew for dinner,” Kate called after them. “Although Jeremy wanted to roast some hot dogs on a fire too. You’re more than welcome to have whatever you’d like, Pam.”

The Praters’ backyard was an oversized suburban lot shaded by several tall trees. She hurried to catch up with William. “The thing is,” he said, “if I’m not working late, then she is. I guess we should both be making an effort to be around Jeremy more. But it really bugs me when she makes it sound like it’s all my fault.”

They walked in silence for a bit. Pam wasn’t sure what to say. “Well, I’m always around if you ever need me,” she offered. “I don’t mind hanging out with Jeremy.”

“I know,” William told her. “I think he might have a crush on you, by the way.”

“For sure. When we were setting up the tent, he wouldn’t stop talking about you. Like how he really wanted you to see the tent. And how fun it would be to play cowboys and indians with you back here.”

“Ha,” Pam said with great effort. She was desperate to talk about something else. “I never knew how big your backyard is. Where’s the tent anyhow?”

“Over there,” he said, pointing. The maroon tent was barely visible at the back of the property line, nestled in a grove of pines. “He wanted it as far from the house as possible,” William explained. “And he wanted to roast marshmallows too so I had to dig up the firepit from the shed.”

The telltale scent of a campfire greeted Pam’s nostrils. As they came closer, Pam could see the remains of a smoldering campfire in a rock-lined pit. Two blue camping chairs were positioned around it. The branches snapping under their feet must have announced their arrival because there was a whooshing noise as the tent flap unzipped and a head poked out.

“Hi Pam!” Jeremy’s face lit up into a smile as soon as he saw her. His eyes settled on the sleeping bag in her hand. “Are you really going to camp with me? This is so cool!” He put on a coonskin cap before getting out of the tent. The sight of the bushy-tailed monstrosity on his head was amusing, but not as funny as the too-small Boy Scout uniform that he was wearing.

“It’s my dad’s,” Jeremy said at the same time. “He used to be a Boy Scout. Look at how old this is! It’s, like, from the 60s.” Made of a heavy canvas-like material, the faded-green uniform was composed of a collared button-down shirt and battered trousers. Colorful merit badges lined the breast.

“It’s a little small on me,” Jeremy said, ignoring him. “But I got it to work.” His arms stuck out awkwardly from the too-small sleeves that were rolled up to his elbows. The pants, several inches too short, left a gap between the trouser cuffs and his red Converse shoes.

“Well, sure,” Jeremy said, demonstrating. He appeared to have limited mobility though, Pam noticed. Even his arms moved stiffly as he walked.

“As long as you’re comfortable, I guess,” Pam said, exchanging a glance with William, who sighed and made a “what can you do?” gesture with his arms.

“Come on, want to see the inside of the tent?” Jeremy asked, taking her hand.

William began heading back to the house. “Dinner will be ready in about an hour,” he told them.

“I was talking to Pam,” his informed him. “Just in case she wanted a civilized meal inside a house with real tableware.”

“I’ll be fine,” Pam waved to him. She followed Jeremy into the maroon tent. “Should I take off my shoes?” she asked.

“Never mind,” Pam told him. She looked around. His grandma had gifted him with a family-sized tent that almost had a new car smell. Spacious enough for six people, the tent was just high enough for her to stand in at the center. A large mesh window provided a nice view of the wooded forest beyond the house. A few milk crates served as makeshift tables. In one corner, Jeremy had set up his brown sleeping bag on which Whiskers was curled into a ball and napping. Pam set down her sleeping bag next to his.

Though roomy compared to most tents, the space was still quite compact. Pam suddenly felt funny about being with Jeremy in such a small, enclosed space. Despite the mesh windows, the tent interior exuded a sensation of extreme privacy. When he smiled at her, she couldn’t help but think of how his father said Jeremy had a crush on her. She cleared her throat nervously. “Nice pad,” she told him.

“Thanks,” answered Jeremy, very pleased that she liked the tent. Playing the part of a polite host, he cleared some books and his sketchbook off a milk crate so she could sit down. Pam watched with bemusement as he did his best to clean up. “Uh, hold on,” Jeremy said, retrieving a browned banana peel and apple core from the tent floor. He unzipped the tent flap and tossed them outside.

He sat down on the milk crate next to her. “Want some beef jerky?” he asked, rummaging in a knapsack. “Or trail mix? I asked my mom to bake some cornbread but she wouldn’t do it.”

“I’m not hungry now,” Pam declined. “Thanks though.” Her hands were fidgety. It was as if she were alone with a boy in his room for the first time. Their eyes met, lingering for a moment. Pam felt as if she should say something, but she didn’t know what. She picked up his open sketchbook which had a partially completed drawing of a wood thrush and cardinal. “This is pretty good,” she complimented him.

“Thanks. My dad found his old scouting manual and it has a section about bird watching. It was kind of cool. I drew that without tracing at all.”

“You should draw something for me,” Pam suggested. She handed the sketchbook back to him.

“Hmm,” Jeremy thought, picking up his pencil. He spied the necklace that she was wearing. “That’s a cool necklace. Want me to draw a picture of it?”

“Sure,” Pam agreed, though it wasn’t quite what she had in mind. The necklace, a gift from a friend, was a shiny red apple on a simple silver chain.

“I need to move closer so I can see it,” Jeremy said, scooting his milk crate closer to hers. They were facing each other now, their legs touching. Jeremy reached forward to hold her necklace but it still wasn’t close enough for his liking. He moved his face closer to examine the necklace until his forehead was mere inches from her chin.

Pam felt her pulse quickening from his close proximity. Had Jeremy been older, he would have perhaps better understood the complexity of the sexes. Perhaps he would have known that it was odd to be sitting this close to a girl, so close that her knees almost touched his crotch. The fuzzy coonskin cap on his head was terribly distracting, but she could smell the faint scent of shampoo on the hair that tumbled out from under it..

He began drawing in his sketchbook, his attention completely focused on her necklace. Pam did her best to sit still. He looked remarkably endearing in his undersized Boy Scout uniform. He had deliberately left the top buttons undone in order to make shirt fit and now Pam found herself staring at the untanned skin of his chest. With a flash of guilt, Pam thought of Jeremy sitting in the Fosters’ jacuzzi, his hands covering his crotch. She felt her face getting hot. Jeremy continued innocently drawing, completely oblivious to her conundrum.

“Um, Jeremy?” she began. “I’m starting to get a crick in my neck from sitting like this. Maybe you could draw my necklace some other time?”

“Oh,” he said, disappointed. “Why don’t you take it off? Then I can just draw it while you do something else.”

“I don’t know… This necklace is really hard to take off,” Pam told him. “I usually need a mirror to see what I’m doing if I want to take it off.”

“I bet I could get it off,” Jeremy said confidently. He moved to stand behind her. With just the tiniest hint of misgiving, Pam coiled her hair in her hands and lifted it so he could access the necklace clasp. Jeremy’s fingers touched the nape of her neck. The feeling was so electric that it made her shiver.

“Um, no,” Pam said. “It’s fine.” He touched her neck again. This time she felt a very warm feeling flow from her lower spine all the way to the back of her head. Pam’s heart was beating very quickly now. His mere presence so close behind her was making her lightheaded. His fingers fumbled with the clasp. The warm sensation was now flowing from her neck all the way down her chest.

Briefly, Pam wondered if her hormone levels were out of check. A few weeks ago, Jeremy had helped her clasp her bra and the episode sent her to the moon. Him removing her necklace was tame compared to that, but yet here she was floating near Saturn. Every inch of her skin felt hypersensitive. Pam felt that she could be pushed over the edge if the ten year old boy so much as brushed her collarbone. “Got it!” he said triumphantly. Pam felt the silver chain slip from her neck. Jeremy returned to his milk crate, holding the pendant in one hand while sketching with the other. Pam was glad he didn’t notice how red her face was. She picked up the Boy Scout manual and pretended to read. “Why do I feel this way?” Pam wondered miserably. “This never used to happen before.” She used to go down slides at the playground with Jeremy practically in her lap. But now, every bit of incidental contact was sending shivers up her spine. Pam squeezed her knees together.

“So your parents said you’ve been spending a lot of time out here,” Pam said conversationally.

“Uh huh,” he said, still drawing. “It’s kind of nice to have a place away from the house. Especially since they’ve been fighting so much.”

Pam remembered the other night when she came to babysit at the last minute. “Really? Still?”

“Yeah,” Jeremy shrugged. “Sometimes they wait until I’m in bed. But I can still hear them.”

He didn’t answer though. “I’m almost done,” Jeremy told her, not taking his eyes off the page. The coonskin tail on his cap must have been bothering him because he constantly pushed it away from his neck as he drew. “… I’m done!” He thrust the sketchbook into Pam’s lap.

“Wow, that’s really nice,” Pam said sincerely. Having little artistic skills herself, she nonetheless admired the delicate shading he had given the apple as well as the jaunty flourish of the unfurling silver chain.

“Um, sure,” Pam said, lifting her hair out of the way again. She sat primly as he stood behind her again.

Jeremy swept at the nape of her neck. “There’s still some hair in the way,” he told her.

“Okay,” was all Pam could say. The feel of his hand brushing against her was heavenly. His hand looped beneath her chin, pulling the silver chain around her neck. The pendant, still warm from his hand, rested against the small hollow of her throat. Once again, she felt his fingers fumbling with the clasp.

“Hmm, this is a lot harder to put on,” Jeremy observed. He leaned closer until she could feel his breath on the back of her neck. Pam closed her eyes, not wanting the moment to end. This was completely harmless. Completely innocent. Was it so wrong to wish it could go on forever? She imagined how it would feel if he threw her arms around her shoulders, holding her tight as he stood behind her. 

"Got it,” Jeremy said, dashing her hopes. Pam reluctantly let her hair down. “Hey, are you all right?” he asked her. “Your face seems really pink.”

“I can open these ventilation windows to let some air in,” Jeremy said. He unzipped a panel on the side of the tent. He picked up a pillow and used it to fan her. “Does that help?”

“Much better, thank you,” Pam said gratefully. The fresh pine air was truly refreshing. She could feel her heart slowly returning to normal. Tired of sitting on the hard milk crate, Pam unrolled her sleeping bag and laid down on it. Copying her, Jeremy stretched out on his sleeping bag as well. They laid side-by-side for a quiet moment. The dappled evening light was streaming through the trees, throwing interesting shadows across the roof of the tent, but all Pam could think of was how Jeremy was laying mere inches from her.

The sound of twigs snapping underfoot snapped her out of her reverie. Someone was approaching outside the tent. They both turned their heads in unison toward the source of the noise. “Hey you two,” a voice called out. It was Jeremy’s dad. “Are you ready for dinner yet?”

Sitting up, Jeremy hurried to unzip the tent flap. “What are we having?” he asked, poking his head out.

An acute sense of disappointment washed over Pam as she ruefully sat up. “We’re having hot dogs,” she heard William say. Jeremy gave a small cheer and bounded out of the tent. She slowly followed him, her mind reeling with “what if” scenarios. What if William hadn’t come for another twenty minutes? What if she had scooted closer until their shoulders were touching?

Pam sighed inwardly. “I’ve got to be good,” she reminded herself. “I’ve got to stop playing with fire.” Outside the tent, William was arranging some extra camp chairs around the fire. In the distance, she could see Kate carrying a sturdy yellow dutch oven with oven mitts.

“Okay,” his father answered. “But you’ll have to help me fetch some firewood first. Come on.” They both headed off in the direction of the woodpile.

“I talked William into having a camp meal,” Kate said to Pam. “He’s usually so prim and proper so I figured it was good to make him eat outside with his hands.”

“Did he bring out a picnic basket?” she replied. “There should be some bowls and spoons in it, I think.” She set down the heavy pot on a tree stump. Pam found the bowls and they began ladling steaming spoonfuls of beef stew into them. William and Jeremy returned, both carrying armfuls of logs.

“Yum for beef stew,” William said, adding several logs to the firepit. Pam sat down in a chair and gratefully took the bowl of stew that Kate handed to her. Before taking his bowl, Jeremy moved his chair so that he was sitting next to her.

“Oh Jeremy,” his mom said. “Can’t you give Pam a break for just a minute?”

Jeremy began digging into this stew. “Huh? What’s the big deal?” he asked, his mouth full. “What did I do?”

“Never mind. Are you sure you want to sleep out here tonight?” his dad asked. “I know we’ve had an unseasonably warm May so far but the forecast says it will get as low as 55 degrees tonight.”

“Well, sure,” Jeremy said. “It’s an all-weather tent. The manual says it’s rated to 10 degrees.”

“I’ll be fine,” she answered. “I’ve camped in much colder weather than this.” A tidy fire was roaring pleasantly by the time they finished eating the stew. William unwrapped a package of real all-beef hot dogs while Kate located the bag of buns in the wicker basket. Pam passed out the long metal skewers meant for roasting hot dogs.

“Maybe you shouldn’t hold yours too close to the fire,” she told Jeremy. His hot dog was rapidly turning black.

“That’s the way I like it,” he insisted. When he deemed it ready, Pam held open a bun for him as Jeremy tried to maneuver the hot dog into it. It wasn’t exactly wise to entrust Jeremy with a red-hot, sharp skewer so close to her face, but they managed to successfully get his hot dog into the bun.

“You’re dripping mustard onto your shirt,” Jeremy pointed out as they began eating.

“What?” Pam asked. She looked at her shirt but didn’t see anything. “Where?”

“Right here,” Jeremy said, taking his napkin and swiping at her chest. He was brushing directly against her breast, scrubbing away with the napkin as if it were perfectly normal. Pam nervously glanced at William and Kate but they didn’t seem to notice.

“Okay, okay, I got it, thanks,” she said, taking the napkin from him. She dabbed at the mustard stain on her shirt. It was hard to see in the fading light. She saw Jeremy watching her out of the corner of his eye. He was interested in a lot more than the mustard, she realized.

Once everyone finished their hot dogs, a bag of marshmallows was produced from the basket. Predictably, Jeremy set fire to his marshmallow, greatly amused by the flaming puff on his metal skewer. Pam enjoyed several browned marshmallows herself, resulting in that familiar sticky feeling on her fingers from the melted sugar. It was starting to get dark out by the time the fire reduced to embers.

“All right, you two,” William said. He stood up and stretched, yawning as he did so. “It’s getting close enough to bedtime. Decision time: are you really sleeping out here?”

“Yes!” Jeremy shouted, pumping his fist. The motion made his chair tip backwards but Pam caught him in time.

“Then you better get ready for bed now,” his mom advised. “Brush your teeth and wash your face. I don’t want to wash any dried marshmallow bits off your pillowcase.”

“Hooray! We’re camping!” Jeremy dashed off to the house to get ready, the tail of his coonskin camp flopping in the waning light. It reminded Pam of how his erection had bobbed that one day they played Strip Go Fish when she persuaded him to do naked jumping jacks.

“Hmm?” Pam was startled from the memory. “Oh. Sure. I bet he’s so tired that he’ll fall right asleep.” She was glad the orange light of the fire hid her reddened ears. Had Jeremy’s parents possessed the power to read minds, they would have instantly called the cops on her.

William yawned again. “As long as as he doesn't burn down the woods in the middle of the night, we’ll be happy,” he told her, smiling. “Matter of fact, I’m going to go check on Jeremy right now to make sure he hasn’t somehow flooded the basement.” He shuffled off to the house.

“I guess I better go get ready for bed too,” Pam said. “Do you need any help with this stuff, Kate?” They began gathering the bowls and spoons.

“So nice of the men to help us clean up,” Kate grumbled. She appeared to be smiling but Pam could tell she was only half-joking.

Pam deposited a bunch of hot dog roasting sticks in the picnic basket. “Well, at least you and William will have a nice and quiet Friday night,” she commented. “You should do something fun.”

Kate gave a short laugh. “William is going bowling with some friends from work,” she said shortly. “I’m not sure what I’m doing yet. Maybe I’ll call up some friends and go out for a drink.”

Pam thought about how Jeremy was worried that his parents were fighting so much. She had assumed it was just little disagreements, but perhaps there was something more beneath the surface. Pam silently carried the dutch oven back to the house while Kate followed with the wicker picnic basket. By the time they got to the house, Jeremy was already putting his shoes back on to return to the tent.

“That was fast,” his mom remarked. She began unloading the dishes in the sink.

“Jeremy,” his mom said. There was a tone of warning in her voice. “Why don’t you help me with the dishes while Pam gets ready?” Jeremy groaned. Kate winked at Pam. She headed for the guest bathroom.

Fifteen minutes later, Pam returned to the kitchen. She had changed into a sweatshirt and a comfortable pair of shorts that she could sleep in. Kate was making some tea and Jeremy was waiting by the backdoor, still in his Boy Scout uniform. “Wait, you’re not really going to sleep in that, are you?” Pam asked him.

“Of course,” he answered, as if it were obvious. “Scouts always sleep in their uniform.”

“Come on, let’s go,” he said, ignoring her question. He grabbed her hand and began pulling her in the direction of the backyard. They were almost out the door when he stopped, remembering something. He hurried back to the kitchen table to retrieve his coonskin cap. Kate and Pam exchanged a look as he put it on.

“I didn’t say anything,” Pam told him. He took her hand again. “Good night, Kate,” Pam said over her shoulder.

“Good night, Pam. Good night, Jeremy. Have fun out there,” Kate called after them. “The door will be unlocked if you decide the ground is too hard or if it gets too cold.”

Pam turned on her flashlight to guide them back to the tent. Jeremy unzipped the flap to let them in, but Pam could tell something was strange the moment she entered the tent. An odd smell lingered faintly in the air. “Whew, what’s that?” Pam said, sniffing.

“Uh, I don’t know,” Jeremy said. “It smells like… oh no.” He was touching his sleeping bag. “It’s cat pee! Whiskers peed on my sleeping bag!”

She opened the tent flap. Whiskers darted out of the tent. Pam hoped she could find her way back to the house in the dark. “Well, I don’t think you’re going to want to use that sleeping bag,” Pam said. “Let’s just put it outside the tent for now.” She loosely rolled it up and set it just outside the tent door. The smell immediately subsided, letting her breathe normally again.

“Maybe we could sleep inside tonight?” Pam suggested hopefully. “Your mom can wash the sleeping bag tomorrow and we’ll camp out some other time.”

“Or… well, let’s see,” Pam said, thinking quickly. She rooted through her duffel bag. “I brought an old blanket just in case my sleeping bag wasn’t warm enough. Do you think you can sleep in that?”

“Yeah!” Jeremy said, his face brightening. “I read that Indians just slept in old buffalo hides. I’ll just pretend it’s a buffalo hide.” Pam settled into her sleeping bag while Jeremy wrapped himself up in her blanket. Whiskers had spared his pillow at least, so he was able to curl up with it.

“Uh huh,” Pam said, trying to muster her enthusiasm. “Are you ready? Can I turn off the light?”

She switched off her flashlight, plunging the tent into darkness. “Good night, Jeremy,” she said.

Her eyes slowly adjusted to the darkness until Pam could make out the nylon ceiling of the tent. A few crickets began chirping outside the tent. She tried to remember the last time she went camping. It must have been with college friends and that years ago.

Though tired, Pam found it difficult to fall asleep. Perhaps it was because she was sleeping outside in a tent. Or maybe it was the bright light of the waning full moon. Or it could be because she knew Jeremy was lying within arm’s reach of her. She tried not to think about it. He shifted position, moving from lying on his back to his side.

Pam was just about to fall asleep when Jeremy tossed and turned, rearranging himself noisily. A few minutes later, it happened again. She was drifting off when Jeremy sat up, fussed with the blanket, and laid down again. “Are you not comfortable?” Pam asked, trying to hide her exasperation.

“No, I’m fine,” Jeremy said. The tent remained still for a few minutes before he shifted positions again.

“Um, are you sure you’re not tossing and turning so much because of your Boy Scout uniform?” Pam asked as tactfully as possible.

“But I don’t have my pajamas or anything,” he pointed out. “Will you come back with me to the house so I can get them?”

“No, I will not,” Pam said wearily. “Can you just sleep in your underwear?”

“It’s way too dark out here if you’re worried that I’ll see you in your underwear,” Pam told him. Although it’s not like I haven’t seen a whole lot more, she thought to herself. After a moment, she heard him rustling about under the blanket. The Boy Scout uniform was unceremoniously tossed into the corner of the tent.

She dozed off in a light sleep, the kind that always seemed to accompany any attempt at sleep when camping. Pam soon woke up, feeling far too warm in her sleeping bag. A thin film of sweat covered her. She glanced at Jeremy. It was too dark to see his face but he appeared to be asleep. “Finally,” she thought to herself. Pam sat up and took off her sweatshirt. Underneath, she was wearing a loose cami. The lightweight fabric helped a little, but Pam still unzipped her sleeping bag and folded it back to her waist.

The cool, night air felt invigorating on her skin. Comforted, Pam closed her eyes again. She wasn’t sure if she fell asleep this time, but something stirred her mind back to consciousness. She sighed and shifted in her sleeping bag. Through her half-open eyes, she saw Jeremy sitting up on his elbows. The instant she turned to face him, however, he immediately laid back down.

“What was that about?” Pam wondered, lazily scratching her neck, half-awake. She was just about to fall asleep again when a light wind rustled the leaves in the trees. Pam felt the breeze filter through the tent’s windows, rushing across her skin. She realized with a start that her loose cami had shifted in her sleep until one of her breasts was fully uncovered.

Exposed. Pam’s mind leapt back to full consciousness. “So that’s what Jeremy was looking at,” she thought. A half-smile formed on her face even though her eyes remained closed. “Sneaky guy.” Keeping her eyes closed, Pam wriggled her shoulders in a sleepy stretch. The cami she was wearing was an old one that had gotten stretched out in the wash over its lifetime. She only wore it to bed because it was otherwise too revealing. In this situation, its looseness was an advantage though. She felt her other breast pop free through the arm sleeve.

Neither moving nor opening her eyes, Pam simply lay waiting. Her nipples prickled from the night air, stiffening. She heard Jeremy slowly sit up once again, the sound of rustling fabric giving him away. Pam wondered if there was enough moonlight for him to see. She hoped so. Still feigning sleep, she very casually stretched, pushing her arms and shoulders close to make her breasts squeeze together. There was no sound of movement so Jeremy was surely still watching her.

Being the center of attention for a ten year old boy made her feel very tingly inside. It wasn't easy to keep her eyes closed though. Remembering how much he liked it when they played Go Fish, Pam shifted and, still pretending to be asleep, let her fingers graze her hard nipple. She let her hand remain there, cupping her breast, in what was hopefully a slumbering gesture.

She lay like that for a long time. Unfortunately, feigning sleep gave way to real sleep as Pam drifted off again. When she awoke, she wasn't sure how long it had been but it must have been a substantial amount of time because the moonlight had shifted considerably inside the tent. Glancing at herself, Pam could see a bright shaft of it now illuminating her own body. Her breasts, she noted with approval, were flatteringly lit by a soft lunar glow, her nipples prominent atop her sensuous curves.

Beside her, Jeremy was huddled into a fetal position with his back to her and the blanket wrapped around his shoulders. He appeared to be sleeping, though his lower legs were uncovered. The blanket just wasn't big enough. His coonskin cap remained firmly pulled around his ears at least.

Thirsty, Pam reached into her duffel bag for her water bottle. She was taking a drink when she heard him ask, “Can I have some?”

“Sure.” She handed him the water bottle. “I didn't know you were awake.”

“You poor thing,” murmured Pam. She could see him shivering in the moonlight. Pam heard herself saying, “Why don’t you get in my sleeping bag? It’s nice and warm in here.” Her heart began pounding fast before the words left her mouth.

“In there?” Jeremy said. He was embarrassed again. “Um, it’s okay. I mean, I only have my underwear on so…” He trailed off.

“It’s okay,” Pam whispered. “I don't mind.” She unzipped her sleeping bag and held it open. With only a moment of hesitation, Jeremy climbed in with her. The zipper made a tidy sound as she closed it up again, sealing them together. Though there was only inches of space between them, Jeremy was keeping to the far side of the sleeping bag. They lay on their sides, shyly facing each other. “Um, let’s take this off, okay?” Pam said, gently pulling the coonskin cap from his head. An unruly shock of hair fell across his forehead, but she could still see his eyes glittering in the moonlight.

“Thanks for sharing your sleeping bag, Pam,” he said with sincere gratefulness.

He must have been colder than he let on. “You're welcome,” Pam said. Her hand grazed his bare arm. “Geez, your skin is freezing...” she observed. Her maternal instincts were suddenly competing with her hormones. But why choose one over the other? “Want to snuggle a little?” she offered. “To warm up?”

Jeremy scooted closer, positioning himself so she could spoon him. She could sense his hesitation as he tried not to lean into her chest. “It’s okay,” she said again. “It doesn’t bother me.” Timidly, he pressed a little closer until she could feel her hard nipples brushing his back through her thin cami. The feeling was electric. Pam put an arm around him, holding tight until her breasts were pressing fully against his back.

They laid like that for a long moment. With her arm crossed over his chest, she could feel his heart beating. “You feel really warm,” Jeremy whispered.

His words only made her hold him even tighter. Her face was buried in the back of his head, his hair fragrant in her nostrils. It was the scent of a boy who hadn't showered in a few days. Not that he was smelly. Far from it. Rather, it was so an intoxicating that she felt completely relaxed.

Still holding him, Pam dozed off but soon stirred awake. It was a rustling sound that gently tugged her from sleep. Scrape, scrape, scrape. As if a tree branch was brushing against the nylon tent. Pam tried to ignore it, but the noise became so irksome that she eventually became fully conscious. Jeremy was still cuddled against her in the same spooning position. She must not have been asleep for too long. But where was that rustling sound coming from?

She wanted to ask Jeremy but she couldn't see his face. He was perfectly still though, so she assumed he was asleep. In the air, she could smell an oddly familiar scent that was cloyingly sweet. But the rustling noise had ceased so Pam returned her head to the pillow. She had no sooner closed her eyes when the scraping began again.

This time she sensed the slightest movement in the sleeping bag. In her half-awake state, Pam realized Jeremy was moving his arm. He must have been scratching something. It must have been quite an itch, she thought, if he had been scratching for so long...

Her eyes snapped open. It all fell into place. The sweet scent in the air was Coppertone suntan lotion. The rustling noise was Jeremy's hand against the sleeping bag. And he wasn't scratching himself.

Pam couldn't believe his boldness. They were nestled together in her sleeping bag like two peas in a pod. She remembered how he had been watching her earlier while she slept, how her breasts had been exposed to his view by her loose cami. Those same breasts were now pressed so tightly against his back that Pam was worried he could feel her nipples hardening. Evidently, she had pushed the young boy into action.

The rustling continued. Pam lay perfectly still as she imagined Jeremy's hand rubbing against the sleeping bag while he pleasured himself. She was cuddled so close to him that she could have nibbled on his ear. Yet here he was masturbating as if he were in the privacy of his own room.

The rhythm of the scraping sound suddenly increased in tempo. Jeremy stiffened almost imperceptibly, his spine compacting into an arch as his shoulders pulled back. Pam felt a sweet ache between her legs that demanded her attention but she dared not move. Instead, she remained motionless, her breathing deep and even to give the illusion of sleep.

Jeremy's head tilted backward, pushing his hair against her face. She heard him inhale sharply and suddenly he quivered in her arms for one... two... three seconds. His legs went taut, pressing against her own limbs. Pam was beyond aroused now, the wetness soaking her panties as the ten year old boy climaxed in her arms.

She didn't want the moment to end, but his body soon went limp as a noodle. It was as if someone let the air out of the balloon. She could still hear him breathing heavily, but in less than a minute this transitioned into slow measured breaths. Then, just like that, Jeremy fell asleep in her arms.

Though her body demanded release, Pam remained motionless since she didn't want to disturb the sleeping boy. The aching between her legs felt like a sweet burden now, an anticipatory longing that was sharpened by what she had just experienced, but also blunted by her knowing that he was so satisfied. She was so close to him that her lips were grazing his ear. Allowing herself one small pleasure, she brushed her lips against his warm skin before giving his ear a little kiss. She wanted more, of course, but this would have to do for now.

Not the least bit tired anymore, Pam continued holding him as if her life depended on it. Occassionally, he would startle her with a twitch, his entire body spasming against hers. Pam imagined him dreaming vivid adventures as she held him protectively in her arms. Outside the tent, the gentle sound of nighttime suburbia soothed her ears: chirping crickets, the whoosh of a passing car, the occasional hoot of an owl. This pleasant cacophony was soon joined by the faint sound of Jeremy’s snoring.

The sound of his even breathing was positively narcoleptic to her ears. Her heavy eyelids blinked sleepily until she could no longer keep her eyes open. A steady breeze was rippling through the tent, causing the rain fly to rustle over their heads and whisking away the scent of Coppertone that hung in the air. It was replaced with the boyish-yet-masculine scent of Jeremy’s sleeping form in her arms. Inching her neck forward, Pam buried her nose in his tangled hair and inhaled deeply.

She sighed. A feeling of satisfaction and confidence that she had not felt for a long time settled over Pam’s entire consciousness like a comfortable blanket. For the past several weeks, she had been mentally berating herself for thinking of a moment like this: cuddling Jeremy, feeling his warm skin against hers, listening to his breathing. But now that it was actually real, Pam found herself completely at peace. After so much self-doubt and guilt, Pam was now unexpectedly bathed in the forgotten sensation of utter contentedness. She slowly slipped into the most luxurious sleep she had ever known.

She dreamt. It was a hot summer day in which she was wearing an airy dress and idly walking through a grassy meadow. Her hands held a butterfly net. The tall grass tickled her bare legs as she followed a brilliantly colored butterfly. Its burnt and rusty red hues reminded her of something she couldn't quite place. Walking for what seemed to be miles, she patiently followed it. Despite the long distance over the hilly, treeless landscape, Pam never felt weary or fatigued, though the grass eventually grew so tall that it nearly reached her shoulders.

Cutting through the thick swath of tall grass was easy, although it felt funny brushing against her body. Pam suddenly realized that her summer dress had inexplicably disappeared and she was now walking naked through the grass, though her hands still carried the net. She readied it as the butterfly alighted on a blade of grass. As she stood poised, a light breeze caused the tall grass to casually brush against her breasts, causing her nipples to respond to their fleeting teases.

Pam awoke with a start. The dream slipped away like sand through her fingers as she heard a familiar voice calling. “Hey, you two. Rise and shine! Breakfast is ready so come inside.”

It was Jeremy's mom. Pam opened her eyes, disoriented. Where was she? Her back was sore, feeling as if she had been sleeping on stones. Blearily, her eyes focused on the peaked roof of a tent.

Camping. She suddenly became aware of a warm body next to hers. Surely she had she dreamt that as well?

Far from it. A rust colored shock of hair tickled her chin. Sometime in the night, her loose cami had slipped off again. Not only that, but Jeremy had turned over in his sleep so he was now facing her, the result being that the young boy's face was softly nestled between her bare breasts. His mom's voice must have awoken him as well, because Jeremy's eyes snapped open a split second after Pam's did. They now were staring at each other in surprise as Kate called out again.

“We'll... we'll be right out!” Pam called, stammering in nervous anxiety. If Kate had unzipped the tent door, she would have found her son nuzzling his babysitter's breasts, his lips so close that Pam could feel his breathing on her nipple. Jeremy was clearly shocked as well because his face had a deer-in-the-headlights look.

“Hurry up! Bacon is waiting!” They heard the sound of receding footsteps as Kate returned to the house.

Pam abruptly became aware of something hard pressing against her thigh. She realized what it was at the same moment as Jeremy, who swiftly pulled his hips backwards so he was no longer mashed up against her. Silently, they untangled their arms from each other. Pam unzipped the sleeping bag so they could both sit up. Her arm modestly covered her exposed breasts as she tugged her errant cami into place.

“Hey...” she said. Why did this feel like the morning after a one night stand? “Did you, um, sleep okay?” she asked him.

“Yeah, I did,” Jeremy said. He was getting dressed in his too-small scout uniform. Pam could easily discern the tent in his underwear, the same hardness that had been pressing against her leg just a few moments ago.

Trying not to think about it, she handed him his coonskin cap. “Don't forget this,” she reminded him.

Jeremy's eyes lit up at the sight of it. He immediately put it on his head. “I'm starving,” he declared. “I have to go the bathroom too. Are you ready?”

“You go ahead,” Pam told him. “I'll be there in a minute.” He unzipped the tent door and ran off, leaving the flap dangling in the morning sunshine.

Pam sighed. She was opening her sleeping bag to air it out when she remembered with startling clarity how Jeremy masturbated last night. The smell of his hair, the feel of his slim body pressed against hers, and, yes, the way he trembled in her arms when he finally came. Did he leave any trace of his furtive touching?

Guiltily, Pam's carefully examined the interior of her sleeping bag. Was this being creepy? Possibly. But she needed to know. Her hand brushed against the soft lining of the sleeping bag but found nothing. No stains. No discoloration. No crusty dry spots.

It was possible, she supposed, that Jeremy had masturbated with his hand inside his underwear. In which case, he would likely need a new pair now. Pam blushed. Why was it so alluring to picture him in his room now, changing his underwear and tossing the soiled pair into the hamper?

Then an even wilder thought followed: was Jeremy even old enough to ejaculate yet? It made her blush, pairing the words “Jeremy” and “ejaculate” in the same sentence, yet Pam felt her own body responding in a very non-embarrassed manner. Her mind raced. He was only ten years old after all. When did boys start being... what was the word?

“Oh my god... stop it,” Pam muttered to herself. She got to her feet and began briskly walking to the house. Even as she tried to stop thinking about Jeremy, it was obvious that their level of physical intimacy was ratcheting up with each passing week. Pam had a feeling that, sooner or later, she would find out if Jeremy was indeed “productive”.

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