It was a Saturday in March and Ken was home when the phone rang. Kathy picked it up. It was Susan calling. "What are you and Dad doing? Or rather, where are you doing," she asked softly. "Hi, Honey. Your father is doing me. I'm sitting on the kitchen counter. He says he hasn't had a taste of cunt in a long time and misses it. He says I'm not fair because I'm always getting his protein injections, but don't give him a chance. So my legs are spread as wide as they'll go, and he's doing my cunt..." She moaned as she felt her hips take on a life of their own. "Can you hold on... a minute... Sweetie. I'm... almost... there!" She came in a sudden flood, and Ken was licking furiously to get every delicious drop of her liquid. Kathy continued her phone conversation. "What's up, Sweetheart?" "Mom, you and Dad are too much! No wonder you two are in such great shape. There can't be two people in the world who get more exercise. Can I bring some kids home, please, Mom? They want to talk to you and Dad. Is it all right?" "My God!" said Kathy, feigning horror. "Do you mean to say... We have to get *dressed*? Besides," Kathy said with a pout in her voice, "You'll be going to college soon, and it's very expensive. Your father and I have to save money, and this is much less expensive than going to the movies..." Susan had now been around long enough to know when her mother was teasing her -- which was most of the time. "Mom, I know Dad's trying to keep you barefoot and pregnant, but there might be a usable flour sack around you can wear. And I know Pa still has his overalls." Kathy laughed. "I give up. When will you be here? Can you give us three minutes?" "Of course! Mom, I love you both so damned much. We'll be there in a bit." Kathy took Ken's face in her hands and kissed it. "I love you so damned much! Thanks, Honey. That felt marvelous. Almost as good as taking you in my mouth. That was Sue. As you probably guessed, we have to get dressed. You know something? This business of going around nude is really a great idea. This way there's no risk of one of Susan's friends accidentally sitting on a bra or a pair of your shorts." She kissed him again. "Kenneth Stark, I would send your picture in to "Playgirl" except I want to keep you all for myself. Yum! Come on. Let's get dressed." When the door opened a few minutes later, Kathy was wearing her favorite Levi's and a Yale golf shirt. Ken was wearing a pair of tan poplin pants with a golf shirt. They were drinking coffee in the kitchen when the kids came in. They recognized Jeff Fuller, but his was the only familiar face. When Susan introduced the group, Ken noticed that Jeff was embarrassed to shake hands. Ken figured the poor guy was far more shook up about caressing Susan's breast than she was -- or he and Kathy were. It was also obvious that Susan was the spokeswoman for the group. "Mom and Dad, we've got a problem. We just got word a couple of days ago that we can't have a spring prom this year. Or it appears we can't. Because of the budget cuts, they can't be sure teachers will be available to chaperon. I guess they get paid extra or something. Then there's the problem of paying the janitors, hiring a band and all that stuff. We want the prom badly. Can you help us?" Kathy asked, "What exactly do you need? How many chaperons, for example?" Susan looked around at her friends. They just shrugged. It was obvious they hadn't thought about it in any detail. "I guess the answer is, Mom, we don't know." Susan looked abashed. "How about the hall? Do you use the gym? How much do the janitors cost, and would the school charge for the use of the gym or just for the janitors and the District's out-of-pocket costs?" It was clear to Kathy they didn't know the answer to that question either. Rather than embarrass the kids further she went to her office and came back with paper and a pencil. "Sit down, kids. Ken," she asked with a smile, "Could you take care of refreshments?" Jeff Fuller got up to help. He accompanied Ken to the kitchen. Ken got out Coke and munchies and Jeff helped carry them out. Kathy's grocery buying habits had changed significantly since Susan arrived. Ken looked on in some amusement as Kathy proceeded to organize their dance. The students just looked at her in awe. From a very puzzling problem, in no time everything was on track. After Kathy made assignments to each of the kids, they got up to leave. One girl, Linda, said, "Mrs. Stark, aren't you Katherine Smith... I mean before you got married?" "Yes, Linda, I'm Kathy Smith Stark. I'm flattered you recognized me." The girl's eyes widened in awe. "Then you're the District Attorney that sent all those people to jail." The girl's eyes got bigger still. "And some people tried to kill you but you killed them first. My mother thinks you are the finest person in Tidewater, Mrs. Stark. She'll be so impressed when I tell her I met you. It's a real privilege. Thank you so much for all your help. Now I feel so much better about the prom. But what about the band? Are you sure you can get one? We don't have any money." "I'll take care of it," Kathy promised. * * * It was three weeks later. Kathy had made several phone calls to Sam Stark. In her first call she asked about Ken and his medal. "Kathy," the Admiral said, "It's all set. Ken's getting the Navy Cross along with the Purple Heart. DOD is trying to get its collective act together to figure out where and when to make the presen tation." "Dad, I have a wild idea. Susan's school is in Virginia Beach, as you well know. Now there are thousands of military families in the school district. I think Susan estimated over half her class are military brats. We haven't been shooting at anyone in a serious way for a very long time, and we forget how fast things change. Now Ken will be getting medals for events that took place in 1975. Dad, the high-school kids in that school ranged in age from about five to just born in 1975! "My idea is this: Could we borrow the Navy Band to play at the prom? Get the Secretary of Defense or Secretary of the Navy, or whoever will be making the presentation to come down and make the award at the dance? I know it's far out. But look at it this way: One of the biggest problems the Armed Forces face is retention. Many of your best people are leaving for civilian jobs. Now think about the real careerists: These are the people whose sons and daughters are in Susan's class. Twenty-year-olds don't have children of high- school age. If their kids have no sense of what their fathers are doing, why should the families put up with the garbage? Dad, the other night -- between attempts at making a grandchild for you and Mom -- I was resting on Ken's shoulder. You know what he said? He said he has it all. He says he's doing something important, but what's more important to him, Susan and I think it's important. He says we do everything to try to make his life easier. Dad, he said, 'If every family was as supportive as this one, there would be no retention problem.' "Let's face it! We bugged out of Vietnam. We sure didn't cover ourselves with glory, particularly in the way we left. These kids know nothing about it. Some of them do know their dads are still bitter about it but don't understand why. They really have no conception of what was going on back then." She took a breath. "Dad, that's my idea. Is it completely crazy?" "My daughter isn't crazy," Admiral Stark said. "It even makes sense. You want the Navy Band and SecDef for an evening. It just might be possible. Anything else?" "Yes, Dad, there is. First, how's Mom?" Kathy replied. "Getting younger every day! My God, if our whole life together had been like the last year or so, Ken would have so damn many siblings we would have had to number them. Kathy, I really don't know what to say. But the quick answer is, she's great." He laughed. "She says it's regular protein injections! Honey, could I make a confession? I was... fooling around with a younger woman. In fact, over the years there were several. I guess I got pretty egotistical about my physical condition. Well, your mother is in better shape than any of them, and I've been working out secretly to try to keep up with her. Does that answer your question?" Kathy was grinning as he spoke. "It sure does! Dad, don't you think Mom would like to get a new evening gown? Then you and she could help chaperon. Can you possibly imagine a little high- school kid getting fresh with a four- star admiral? Besides, I think his parents would like to see their son receive his awards. What do you think?" "Honey, I think it's a wonderful idea! Let me see what I can do." * * * The prom was set for late April and Kathy had been working with the kids and the school adminis tration. Finally the Board of Education had given permission to invite the faculty with the understanding that their attendance was voluntary, not a professional assignment. It was another way of saying any faculty members attending would not be paid. Admiral Stark had lined up the Navy band from the Naval Base at Norfolk and Kathy kept her fingers crossed that the arrangements for the award ceremony would work. When the arrangements were complete, she talked to the school principal, Mr. Whitaker. She told him about the award ceremony and the fact that the Secretary of Defense would be present: "Mr. Whitaker, it's strictly up to you, of course. Perhaps you would feel better if you checked with the Board of Education. However, the Secretary will be here and I think it would be appropriate if someone in authority at the school greeted him. The whole presentation is set for ten o'clock. What do you want to do?" Whitaker called the Superintendent of Schools who in turn called the president of the Board of Education. It was finally decided that the Board president and the principal would attend. Kathy reviewed the list of chaperons with Whitaker when the guest list had been settled. She and Ken were coming, along with Bob and Jane. Jane had made arrangements to have a nurse for Billy. Sandy and Jack Castle would also be there, along with Admiral and Mrs. Stark. Finally, Kathy called a couple of friends on the newspapers and at the TV stations. She told them, very much off the record, that the Secretary of Defense would be at the high school in Virginia Beach and gave them the date, time, and some details, omitting Ken's award. They appreciated the call. * * * It was agreed that Sam and Betty would meet them at the apartment. On the evening of the prom Susan was finishing her dressing and looked magnificent in a white full-length gown. Kathy's was similar, but its color was the sapphire-blue of her eyes. Ken was wearing Navy full-dress. Kathy looked at him and put the final touches on his bow tie. "Darling, I love you so much," she murmured. "Kiss me, please?" Ken took his wife into his arms and kissed her tenderly. She snuggled up to him and murmured, "Ken Stark, you are the best thing that ever happened to me. I adore you, you know." Ken ran his hand lightly over her exposed back and shoulders and thought again of his good fortune. She was all a man could ever hope for and he said that to her. She gave him a squeeze. "Honey, for the occasion, I'm even going to wear lipstick. Do you think I'm going to the dogs?" Ken marveled at how beautiful Kathy always looked. Just then Susan came in and stood in front of her father. "Dad, do I look all right? Do you think Jeff will think I'm pretty?" she asked with concern showing in her eyes. "Sweetheart, what do you think of the way your mother looks?" he replied. Susan glanced at her mother. "Mom? Mom is an absolute vision! But she always is," Susan replied. "Then stand next to her at the mirror." Susan did and showed, in rapid succession, shock, amazement, and then pleasure. "But, Dad, I look almost like she does!" Susan exclaimed. "We've been telling you that, Sweetheart, but you haven't been paying attention. And, we love you so dearly. Susan, you make your mother and me very proud to have you as our daughter. Will you give me a kiss?" She did, and it was sweet and loving. Just then the doorbell rang. It was the senior Starks. When Ken opened the door, he was genuinely shocked. The radiant woman standing there appeared to be his own age. His mother just grinned as Ken stood there open-mouthed. Then she said, "Kenneth, you're really embarrassing your father and me. We thought we'd trained you better than to stand in front of guests with your mouth open." "But, Mom, you're gorgeous! You're absolutely radiant! And you don't look old enough to be Susan's mother, let alone mine." The Admiral was positively beaming. "I'm going to embarrass your mother, Ken. Last week she was told by a young gynecologist to be sure to stay on the Pill. Otherwise we might have grandchildren older than our own children. What do you think?" Betty was wearing a very pale grey evening gown that set off her grey eyes which were now dancing with joy. She had a light tan and, like his girls, her gown was strapless showing off her perfect skin. "Do I pass, dear?" she asked him quietly. For answer, he gathered her into his arms.