The Invitation

I am looking at my husband and recognize that look. After twenty-six years of marriage, I know him very well. That slight crook in his lips and sparkle in his green eyes tells me he received some very good news, but hasn't told me yet. The last time he had that look in his eyes was when he got promoted. I know it can't be another promotion, unless Leo Simpson is retiring and leaving the company to him. I highly doubt that to be the case, since the man loves his company more than his family.

I am prodding him again, since he has the annoying habit of making me do this. "Just tell me, Dennis."

The crook in his lip lifts a little. "You'll have to wait, Susan. I want to wait for Beth to get home. Trust me, she'll want to hear this."

I have five wonderful children, three sons and two daughters, and all were the result of natural childbirth. Beth is our youngest at eighteen years and the only one still living with us. I know she will be leaving soon and can't believe I'm on the verge of having a house free from the noise. I wish I could wind the clock of time back and hear the laughter of children, but I know that cannot happen. At least, not until they start having kids of their own and then I would have to wait for them to visit.

I scowl, but my brown eyes reveal the truth. "She's out on a date and won't be back for a while. Just tell me."

His other lip lifts to a grin and I know he is having fun. "Patience is a virtue."

I let out a grown. "To hell with patience. Tell me now."

I hear a car pull into the driveway and know the date did not end well. She is home way too early and I know she won't want to talk about it. At least, not right away. I know she is going to want to go to her room and close the door, but I can't let that happen. He's going to play this out until the bitter end and leave me suffering.

My daughter walks in and closes the door as if nothing is wrong, but her brown eyes tell me differently. She looks over at us and nods to prevent herself from having to talk. Beth starts to walk to her bedroom to be alone and I have to stop her. I can't wait any longer to pry the news out of my husband.

I catch her as she turns away from us. "Beth, your father has something he needs to tell us."

She turns back and I can tell she is fighting to avoid anyone at the moment. "Can't you tell me later, mom. I'm not in the mood to talk right now."

I walk over and rub her shoulders. "Beth, you know your father. He won't tell me unless your here."

She shakes her head a little and her long hair appears to float back and forth across her back. "I just need a little time."

I use the most soothing voice I possess. "I know you want to be alone right now, but he has something really important to say."

She is still for a moment, then starts to slowly turn towards me. "Fine, mom." Her eyes move up to her father. "Can you make this quick, dad. I'm sure you have good news, but I don't really want to be cheered up."

I turn towards my husband and place an arm over her shoulder for support. "Well, Dennis, what is it?"

He is practically bouncing as the excitement builds. "Susan, Beth, Mr. Simpson is doing something truly wonderful for us."

He holds off and I jump in. "Damn it, just tell us already. Neither of us are in the mood for your games."

He is grinning broadly and I know he is determined to play the game. "I can't believe he's doing this for us. Oh, you two are going to be thrilled. It's the best news I've heard in a long time." His eyes move slowly between the two of us as he continues to drag this out. "You just won't believe it." The anticipation is killing me as he plays his damned game. "He said I have been doing a great job and wants to do something special for us." I am on the verge of killing him. "He says I deserve a vacation and wants to send us someplace nice."

I hide a shudder, since I am well aware of Leo Simpson's idea of someplace nice. These New England winters are hard enough, but he loves going up to northern Maine to spend time in his hunting cabin. The man has more money than we'll ever see in a lifetime and he chooses to rough it as often as possible. Northern Maine is beautiful many months out of the year, but the man loves to go in the heart of winter.

I can't hide the grimace as the thought of freezing to death creeps into my mind. "Let me guess, his hunting cabin. I'll pass. I have no interest in dealing with anything colder right now."

His grin widens considerably as he shakes his head. "Not the cabin. His island."

I didn't know he owned an island. "Let me guess. It's off the coast of Canada."

He is practically jumping out of his skin. "Not Canada. The Bahamas."

There is no way I could have heard him right. The man she had grown to know quite well hated warmer climates. It must have something to do with his Nordic ancestry. I may share the same pale complexion, me and everyone else living in New England, but I don't share his love of the brutal cold.

I shake my head and feel the change in my daughter at the news. "What did you say, Dennis."

He looks me right in the eyes and there is nothing remotely close to deception in his voice. "The Bahamas. Some small island close to Port Nelson."

Beth and I are giddy over the news, which causes us to jump in our skin. That bastard knows I've been wanting to go to the Bahamas for decades and he just had to drag it out like this. If I weren't so thrilled I would probably be throttling him right now.

Beth showed a slight doubt in her excited voice. "Please tell me I get to go, dad?"

He looks into her eyes and smiles. "Of course, Beth." His eyes move to mine. "And you know how you've been wanting to get everyone together."

I can't believe this day just got better. "You mean..."

He cuts me off. "That's right, Susan. He's flying the entire family out. He says the house is more than big enough for all of us. Do you think the kids want to go the Bahamas with us?"

I'd slap him if I weren't absolutely thrilled. "I think they can clear their schedules for this. Finally, a break from the cold."

His smile dies down just a little. "I'm sure they will. I asked if they could bring anyone with them and was turned down. I think William may have a hard time convincing his wife to let him go without her, but he'll find a way."

Beth's voice has more excitement than I have heard in a long time. "I don't doubt it one bit. It's funny, dad. When they were living here, I couldn't stand to be in the same room with any of them. Now that they're all gone, I kind of miss them."

I hold her close. "I know just how you feel."

The calls start immediately, since this is something that has to be done the right way. An email or text can't really convey what we want it to. They all sound excited and William assures me he'll find a way to make it happen. Dennis calls Leo Simpson to share the good news and the man sounds thrilled from what I can hear.

It has been a long day and Beth has finally gone to her room. It is time to reward my husband, since it's the least I can do for getting us my dream trip. I know it has been far too long for him, but our sex life hasn't been great in a long time. I know he has never strayed, regardless of the lack of sex, and I have never strayed from him.

I guide him to our bedroom quietly, since Beth is still very much awake, and close our bedroom door. Our lips reach out for each other and his tongue gains entry with no fight from me. My hands start to strip him out of his clothes and he is doing the same. Our lips separate just long enough to remove shirts, but that is short lived. Despite everything else, I still love the way his kisses make my knees weak.

We are both a little overweight, which is just fine by us. Neither has ever been into exercise, but it isn't like we've completely let ourselves go. His hands caress my cheeks and I pull them away to guide him to the bed. I do enjoy the touch of his hands on that part of my body, but he never stops there. He likes to rub my asshole, which I hate. I know he wants to try anal, but that will never happen.

I close my eyes as I feel the weight of his body on mine and he clumsily starts to search for the spot. It's a little frustrating, but I don't say anything. I feel a little pleasure as his six inches enter me and my hands move to his cheeks to help make his pace something far better than he wants. My eyes are not closed to fantasize about another man, since that has been tried and failed each time. The simple fact is, I don't want to stare into his sweaty face while we have sex.

I hear his moans turn to grunts and am grateful it is almost over. Just once, I wish he would try something new, but he is every bit as set in his ways as I am. I feel his release enter me and do get some pleasure when it hits something inside of me. The part that is most enjoyable for me is over far too quickly and I feel him pull out.

I don't need to open my eyes to know he is laying next to me and on the verge of sleep. I get out of bed and throw on a nightgown, which makes feel a little sexy as I feel him drip out of me. I turn to see his face on the verge of sleep and I join him. I do love him and willing to do almost anything for him, but sex is not one of those things. The next time it happens will be in the Bahamas, but I don't think it will ruin anything about paradise.

*****

The boat is bringing us closer to the wonderful island. There is a massive white house that can be seen in a clearing of palm trees. The white sand looks amazing and my face looks up to the sun and love the feel of the heat on my skin. I'm not worried about a sunburn, not with the stuff we're using. I turn my head back to the island and see Leo waving at us from the private dock. He looks strange wearing a suit in this paradise, but he is a creature of habit and I have never know him to not wear one.

The only thing we can see is water and the island, which is just fine for me and the kids don't seem all that concerned about being away from civilization. Their excitement has grown every bit as much as my own and not one of us has stopped grinning. The boat pulls up next to the dock and one of the deck hands jumps out to tie it off.

Leo is beaming. "I can't tell you how happy I am that you're all here. I think you're going to enjoy my island."

Dennis matches Leo's beaming. "Thank you so much for this, Mr. Simpson."

He reaches out his hands. "Don't mention it, Dennis." His eyes move over all of us. "And don't worry about your luggage. The crew will take care of everything. Follow me. I know you are all going to love the house."

As we follow behind him, the house becomes more beautiful with each step. It is all the same shade of white to match the sand, except for the windows. They are all blacked out and I assume it is to prevent the sun from shining through so brightly. I didn't realize just how hot it was until I started to walk away from the shore. I can feel the ocean breeze at my back, but it is not nearly enough. I hope there is air conditioning inside.

The door opens and we all pile in to get out of the heat, which is leaving me soaked in sweat. The cold air hits my body and it feels wonderful. I look around as Leo closes the door and am very confused by what I see. I've heard of open plan houses before, but this is taking things way too far. The only other room I see is a large shower with several spigots and it is behind clear glass. The toilets are not hidden at all and there will be no privacy for even the action that requires the dignity a closed door brings.

There is a kitchen that lines one wall, but all other walls have mirrors. Most of the floor is comfortable looking carpeting, but there is a mix of tile where water might be a problem. The ceiling is every bit as mirrored as the walls and I am worried. There are two large beds, but no covers at all. I can see one phone, but there are no other signs of civilization inside this large house.

I turn to look at Leo to ask what the hell is going on, but the boxes lined up on either side of the door causes me to stop. On one side, they are all labeled as sun block, which makes a lot of sense on an island in the Bahamas. The other side is far less understandable, since they are all labeled with some brand I've never heard of. I don't need to know the company, but the purpose of the lube is very clear.

We are all a little stunned and unable to speak, until Dennis snaps with more anger in his voice than I have ever heard. "What the fuck is this?"

Leo smiles and ignores the anger we are all feeling right now. "This, Dennis, is your reward. You know, you really should have stopped embezzling my company the moment I promoted you."

Dennis shouts back with all the fury he can muster. "I don't know what the fuck you're talking about. I haven't embezzled shit."

I see Leo nod and his smile fades. "Yes you have. I always suspected it was you, but never had the proof. That's why I promoted you."

My husband shakes his head in adamant denial and his voice changes from anger to fear. "Mr. Simpson, I've never stolen anything from you. If someone's embezzling, it isn't me. Please believe me, sir. I would never do anything like that."

Leo scowls and anger crosses his blue eyes. "I have proof, you greedy bastard."

I look over to Dennis and recognize the look of guilt. "What's he talking about, Dennis?"

He cannot bring himself to look me in the face. "Please, Mr. Simpson, let me explain."

Anger fills my body. "What the hell did you do, Dennis."

Leo smirks and there is an odd confidence to his voice. "Go ahead and tell her, Dennis. You have stolen close to a million dollars. Did you really think you'd get away with this?"

Dennis finally looks into my eyes and shakes his head. "Please, Susan, you have to understand."

I glare at him and remember my children are in the room with us. "What the hell were you thinking?"

He starts to shake. "What was I thinking, Susan? I was thinking how the hell am I going to pay for college. I was thinking how were we going to help William get his house. I was thinking how the hell am I going to pay all the bills that come in every month."

Leo snaps at him. "You could have asked for a raise. You could have worked extra hours to earn more. I would have given you the raise. All you needed to do was ask. I treated you like a son and you stole from me. You know how much I hate thieves."

Dennis drops to his knees. "I'm sorry, Mr. Simpson. I never intended it to get out of hand. I always intended to pay you back every cent."

Leo scowls as he stares down at my husband. "No you weren't. You may have told yourself that, but it was never going to happen. Thieves don't pay back shit. I came very close to calling the police. You know why I didn't?"

He looks up at him with sorrow in his eyes. "No, Mr. Simpson, I don't."

He looks around and his eyes stop on each of us. "Because of them. If you go to prison, they'll lose everything. I have a proposal for you and your family."

Dennis gets up and there is a glimmer of hope in his eyes. "Anything, Mr. Simpson. I'll do anything you ask."

It's a good thing Leo and my kids are still in the room, because I would have killed him. How the fuck can he risk our family like this. We are on the verge of losing everything and he wants to make a deal. How the fuck could he have put a price on our family.

Leo carefully looks each of us in the eyes. "You know I hate the heat? You know why I bought this place?" He waits to see our head shaking. "Business. I had this place built specially for certain politicians. There's a lot of hidden cameras all around you. It is very easy to convince politicians to give me beneficial deals, when I have proof of all their proclivities."

A sickening thought crosses my mind and my body shows. There can be only one reason he wants us all here in this place and I feel like I'm going to vomit. I don't want to believe Leo Simpson to be capable of what I think is about to be demanded of us, but I also know he hates thieves as much as politicians.

Leo's blue eyes pierce into his green eyes. "This isn't just a decision you need to make. This is something everyone here needs to accept. If one of you turns it down, he is going to prison and all of you will suffer. Everything will be lost, including the house. Coming up with a million dollars of restitution is not easy. There will be no more college for any of you. There will be no help to pay mortgage or rent. No more picking up the insurance. Susan has no job skills and will have to work for minimum wage."

There can be only one direction this is heading and my stomach turns. I hope I'm wrong, but I can think of no other reason to include my kids in this. I do my best to control my fear and scan the mirrors for my children's eyes. It doesn't look like any of them have caught on yet, but it won't be much longer.

Leo face moves from one of us to another, until everyone has seen the seriousness his face. "Listen carefully, because I am not going to repeat myself. You are all going to engage in incestuous acts. That phone will ring every morning and I'll tell you what I want you to do with each other. Don't think about calling anyone on it, since it is a direct line to me. You have five minutes to decide. Incest or the ruination of all your lives."

He opens the door and a blast of heat hits me. Five minutes is not much time and I already know my answer. Consequences be damned, there is no way I'm doing what he wants. I turn to look at my kids and control my desire to kill my husband. They all look nervous and scared, which is understandable.

Beth is the first to speak as her brown eyes look towards me and Dennis. "I don't want you going to prison, dad. I don't want you to lose the house, mom. I know what he's asking us to do is wrong, but I don't think we have a choice. I'm willing, if everyone else is."

William nods and there is a little shame in his brown eyes. "I can't afford to lose the house. I can't afford to live anywhere else. Not on the money I'm making. I don't see a choice. I'm in."

Janice's green eyes peak through her red bangs. "I can't drop out. I'm too close to getting my degree. William didn't say it, but he doesn't want to see either of you suffer. I'm in."

Luke's green eyes are focused on the carpet. "Like she said, I don't want to see either of you hurt. I also know that I can't afford rent with dad in prison. I'm in."

Jason's brown eyes looked into mine and I can see the fear. "I don't want you to lose everything, mom. I'm not worried about college. I can always drop out, but that wouldn't matter. You'd still end up with nothing. Guess I'm in."

I feel the eyes of my children on me and I am screaming my refusal inside my mind. "We can't do this. I don't want any of you thinking you have to do this for me. Your father should go to prison for what he did. I will find a way to make it."

The shouts of refusal from my kids are too much to bear. Their voices are ringing in my ears and they are not letting up with their demands to bring me over to their side. I know their agreement wasn't easy for any of them and I feel I owe them so much more than I can ever repay. They're willing to cross a line that should never be crossed for my sake and I am broken.

I hold back the tears that want to flow. "I can't believe I'm doing this. Fine, I'm in." My husband starts to open his mouth, but I am far quicker with the release of my tongue. "You don't get a say. You're doing this, understood!" His green eyes are downcast as he nods his agreement. "Once we get out of this, Dennis, there will be hell to pay."

I am trying to formulate some way to escape the madness when our time expires. The door opens and the heat feels oppressing against my body. The sweat returns, but it is not all from the humidity of paradise.