You Don't Know

Erica:

Billie Ray was waiting for his wife Erica to come to their trailer home after she got off work as a homecare attendant for a local home health agency. He was two beers into a six-pack when she came in. As was typical, she looked exhausted.

"Bad day, babe?"

"Yeah. I hate having to bathe the 300 pounders. Even the back brace didn't help much. Pass me one of the beers." She screwed off the cap of the long neck and sat down on the sofa next to his recliner trying to avoid the torn spot.

They were kind of an odd-looking pair. Erica was what some people called 'big boned' meaning she was tall, broad-shouldered and had plenty in the hips and breasts departments. Attractive face if not pretty. Billie Ray was medium height and skinny. His lifetime habit of smoking, anything and everything, gave him a much older appearance. He looked like what he was: white trash.

After taking a big sip of her beer, she said, "I don't know how much longer I can physically do this. We need to do something different. We never seem to have any money left over after we pay our bills."

"Don't you go bitching about me having to pay child support. You were the one I was cheating on her with. Just be glad I was unemployed, or she would be getting alimony too."

"You can chill the fucking attitude, Billie Ray. I'm not blaming you. I'm just tired and frustrated. I was wanting something better to look forward to. We just can't seem to catch a break."

"Maybe we do have something better coming. Actually, I have a crazy idea to help. It may seem farfetched, but if it works . . .."

Erica perked up, "What is it?"

"I was just looking at the paper . . . "

"Damn it, Billie Ray, did you steal Ms. Parker's newspaper again? You're going to get us kicked out of the trailer park."

"I didn't steal it. I'm just borrowing it again. It's not like the words are going to disappear by me reading it. I'll return it before she gets home."

He continued. "You know that your former boss lady was killed in an accident a while back and her husband was badly hurt?"

"Of course. What's that got to do with anything?"

"It says here that he will be going home soon and be put in hospice care. That means he's about to die doesn't it?"

"Yeah. So?"

"Don't you expect that your agency, and in particular you, will be providing the homecare?"

"I'm sure our agency will. Even though I've only been there a couple of years, it's a high turnover position. Me and Carol are the 'old-timers' so we would probably be the first two they would call on."

"Well, did you know they have a retarded son, Jerry?"

"Ms. Richardson talked about him. She was very proud about how much he is able to do for himself. She had family pictures in her office. Her son's not bad looking and a good-sized fellow. By the way, it's 'mentally challenged' now, not retarded."

"Sorry. I didn't earn my 'Political Correctness' badge when I was in the Boy Scouts. Shit, you made me forget what I was talking about. Oh yeah, this idea is really out there, but you know how my mind works."

"Sometimes I don't really want to know." She chuckled.

"Okay. Stick with me now. Suppose her husband gets to come home for hospice and you are one of the providers? You would probably get to spend a lot of time around the son. What if you were to seduce the son and marry him? He'd probably do anything to get a piece of a fine piece of ass like you."

"Good grief. You have gone totally, fucking crazy. Where in the world did you get a fool notion like that? Did you forget I'm already married? To you? What if he's married? What makes you think I could stand pretending to love a mentally challenged man? I'm sure he would expect sex. No man is that retarded. Gross. I just can't see it. It's a stupid idea. Forget it." After a pause, she added, "Anyway, I don't see how that would help us out financially."

"Now, now. Give me a chance. If his old man is going to die, the son is the only heir. He will inherit the estate. And he's not married, by the way."

"How do you know so much about him? Is all that in the article?"

"It just so happens, I know Jerry. He was doing the landscaping at a house I mow at. I talked to him during the breaks. A really nice fellow, but he can really get angry if you even hint that there is something you assume he might not be able to do, you know, because of his disability. He's always saying, "My Dad says, 'You don't know what you can do until you try it.' He's very proud that people are surprised at how much he can do for himself."

"So somehow I seduce him and marry him. Is he rich?"

"Not so much now. His mother was the head of your agency and his father is a Special Education teacher. Jerry works for a landscaping company and makes enough to be in his own apartment. They have done okay financially, but that's not where the big money will come from. The company that owned the truck that hit Jerry's mother and father is being sued for negligence. The final amount is still in negotiation. The final settlement will likely be in the millions. If you divorced Jerry after he gets the money, your half would allow us to take it easy the rest of our lives. Don't worry about him. He would still have plenty of money, so no real harm would be done."

Erica mulled it over in her mind. Her parents had been killed in a car accident, too. Instead of money, she got nothing. Her parents had to be buried in paupers graves. She was declared an emancipated minor and had to figure out how to support herself. Even her little sister and brother got a better deal as they were put in foster care and then adopted into a family with plenty of money. "It's not fair that Jerry will get money and I got nothing. Getting some of his money would just make things fairer."

Erica told Billie, "It sounds like a lot of wishful thinking on your part and a lot of good acting on my part. I don't know. I guess it wouldn't be like we were robbing him of all his money. Wait a minute, what would we do about us being married?"

"We could go to Vegas and get a quickie divorce. Then we 'split up' and I could move into my cousin's house. He owes me after I didn't squeal on him about the meth lab. We could get re-married right after you get divorced from Jerry. We could go to all those places you've wanted to see."

"I just don't know. Couldn't we get in trouble if we get caught?"

"What would they charge us with? We can say you fell in love with him and then you fell out of love with him. Even better, if you say the wrong thing to him about his disability, he would probably hit you. That would be perfect grounds for divorce."

"You would think of something that might get me beaten up. You asshole. Maybe I would really fall in love with him and leave you alone with just your dick in your hand to comfort you." A wicked grin covered her face.

"Love you too, bitch. You got any better ideas about how we can get a lot of money without working our asses off?"

Erica thought some more. She was tired of existing paycheck to paycheck. Her family had been long time welfare recipients. In school she learned that men would pay her in terms of taking her places and buying things just to have sex with her. Erica had no problem with that. After she was on her own when her parents died, she had an endless supply of sex and it didn't cost her anything to use it to get the things she wanted. She never seemed to find a man who had a large enough supply of money that would make her want to stick with just one man. Billie Ray was supposed to be her way to a better life. It might have worked if he hadn't got busted for possession and then distribution. That killed good job possibilities. He was willing to work. The problem was that he was willing to party more. Maybe this idea of his wasn't so crazy. She certainly had experience in making men she didn't care about think she enjoyed sex with them. She reluctantly agreed to give it a try.

Jerry:

When a Special Education teacher had a handicapped child, some ignorant people blamed it on his work,as if retardation were a contagious disease. Jerry's father, however, was not disappointed. The services and opportunities for persons with disabilities were much greater than when he was a child. The youngster was certainly easy to love. Jerry started receiving therapy as soon as his developmental testing revealed deficits in almost all areas of speech, cognition, social, and motor skills. The program was called Infant Stimulation. Therapists provided specific training once a week and Jerry's mother and father kept up his exercises in between. The learning activities were presented in game form and Jerry seemed to enjoy them.

By first grade, Jerry tested at or close to age level in all areas. By the fourth grade the learning gaps between him and his classmates became more evident. He started in Special Education classes and had an IEP (Individual Education Plan) that plotted his goals and instructional strategies. Still, the most help and encouragement he got was at home from his parents.

Jerry was seldom told he couldn't do something that his age peers were doing. Sometimes he had to be urged to do something because Jerry was afraid of failing at it. His father often told him, "You don't know if you can do something unless you try it." Jerry was coaxed into trying many things. A lot of times he failed. But the times he succeeded made him feel really proud and made it easier for him to be talked into trying something new later.

The realization that Jerry was not college material was not unexpected. A non-degree occupation would have to be sought. What was unexpected was how quickly the issue of an occupation was solved. Jerry loved being outdoors and doing physical chores. He was big and strong and willing to work hard. The day that changed his life was the day some landscapers came to work at his house. Jerry could not stand not to be involved. His father gave in to Jerry's pleas and bribed the foreman to come up with something for Jerry to do and to pay him for doing it. By the end of his job, the foreman gave Jerry's father the money back and said he would like to hire Jerry as soon as he was old enough. Within two years, Jerry began to work for the landscaper part-time.

As soon as Jerry graduated high school (with a certificate of attendance), he went to work full-time. Not long after, he moved into an apartment by himself. It was in a complex with several hundred people including several other mentally and physically challenged adults. A supervisor from a local agency lived in another apartment in the complex. Her job was to help the special residents learn more adaptive living skills. Mostly though, they lived independently.

During his years in school, Jerry was teased as were pretty much all the Special Education kids. He got less teasing than most because he had stood up to the bullies a few times. Jerry proved he could whip most of them. Most students that knew him liked Jerry and he participated in most school social events. He went to prom with a cousin, but many girls at the dance asked him to dance with them. More than one gave him a kiss.

Although he did not go to bed with his date after prom like some of his classmates, Jerry was not a virgin. When he turned 18, his father had acquired the services of some professional ladies who took his virginity and taught him how to please a woman. He was a fast and eager learner. The most difficult thing for him was to learn how to go down on a woman. He thought it was too nasty. He was threatened with no blowjobs if he did not reciprocate. Jerry loved getting blowjobs. Once again, the 'you don't know if you can until you try' came into play. After he saw and heard how much girls like it and decided it didn't taste so bad, he no longer had any reservations about oral sex, as long as it was reciprocated.

Erica:

Billie Ray and Erica went to Las Vegas and filed for a quickie divorce. The divorce was not yet final when Jerry's dad came home, and care services were started. As expected, Erica and Carol were the primary caregivers. A couple of other workers and Jerry shared the night time duties. Respiratory therapists came a few times a week. A nurse came by once a week and when there seemed to be a problem.

Jerry got along well with both Erica and Carol and the part-time staff. Erica had a problem getting much alone time with Jerry to build a relationship. Her big break happened when she came in one day to relieve Jerry. He was crying. "Jerry, is your dad okay?"

"No. I mean he's not sicker. It's just . . . "Jerry started crying again.

Erica sat by him and put her arm on his shoulders to comfort him. "Can you tell me what has you so upset?"

"I . . . just . . . can't bathe or change the diapers on my father! I'm so ashamed." The tears came again.

"Do you mean you don't know how . . ."

"I'm not STUPID! I know how to give a bath and change diapers! It's that he's my father. I'm not supposed to see my father naked."

Erica became aware she had breached the insult barrier that Jerry had protecting him against assumptions about his capabilities. "Jerry, of course I know you can bathe and change diapers. I work with families all the time where sons and daughters cannot bathe or change diapers on their parents. It just doesn't seem natural to them. I will be glad to do those things if you don't want to. I am not just here for your dad. I am also here to help you when and if you need me. I will not assume you need help, so I will have to depend on you to tell me."

That seemed to satisfy Jerry and was a start to a closer relationship with Erica. He began to hang around her more. They talked and seemed to enjoy each other's company. When Carol was scheduled to be on duty one Saturday night, Jerry asked Erica on a date. She already had told him she was divorced. He brought flowers and candy. Erica thanked him and complimented him on his manners and his appearance. Jerry was a good-looking man. They took an Uber car as Jerry had tried but never been able to get a driver's license. Jerry chose Shoney's for the restaurant so that Erica could choose either the buffet or order off the menu. Next, they went to a movie. They went to a chick flick, which was what a friend had recommended to Jerry. Neither really liked it.

They had a good time and held hands in the movie. Jerry offered to buy drinks, popcorn, and/or candy, but Erica said, "No thanks." Finally, she agreed for him to get him a Diet Pepsi because it seemed he wouldn't stop asking if she wanted something. That satisfied him.

Erica had wondered about what Jerry might expect as far as affection on their date. Other than holding hands, he had not tried anything. He walked her up to the door of her trailer and turned towards him. "Thank you for a wonderful evening, Jerry." She puckered for a kiss. Jerry surprised her and kissed her on the cheek.

When he saw the puzzled look on Erica's face, Jerry said, "First date, kiss on the cheek." He said it like she should have known the progression of affection based on which date it was, just like he had been taught. Erica nodded like she now understood.

Erica found out that second date meant kissing on the lips. Third date meant French kissing. Fourth date meant groping above the waist. Fifth date meant mutual masturbation through clothes. Erica was ready to go farther, but Jerry insisted that was for next time and it was to be special. She found out how special. He got a room at one of the better motels and their room had flowers and champagne.

What was the most special is that Jerry loved her to have four orgasms. He may have been mentally challenged, but he was not sexually challenged. His large size in general included his penis in specific. Jerry had a sequence in his seduction. He started with kissing on the lips, then the neck and ear lobes, then the breasts, and finally the vagina. Erica had two of her orgasms in the process so far. When he finished the latest of her orgasms, he made it clear that he expected a blowjob. Erica was more than happy to oblige. Once he exploded, he went through the sequence again except instead of giving her oral, he mounted her. That had given him time to re-inflate his penis. It did not take him long to find her G-spot. Two orgasms later, she laughed at herself for having once thought that it would be 'unnatural' to have sex with a mentally challenged man. It was probably the best sex she ever had. Without drugs anyway.

Their relationship strengthened. Jerry would tell Erica that he loved her. She said the same about him, but he never put a name to their relationship or talked about exclusiveness. Jerry seemed like he was interested in being with Erica for more than a short time, but he never said so. Erica began to worry that if they became married, Jerry would be hurt badly when she dumped him later. Right now, however, she had to focus on getting him to marry her. She had to remind herself what she was supposed to be doing. Their romance was temporarily interrupted when Jerry's father died. Erica sat by Jerry at the funeral and stood by him at the burial. Most of the tears Jerry shed the next few days fell on Erica's shoulders.

Erica worried that the death of the father and the subsequent end of her caregiver services might endanger their relationship. She wondered how long she should give him to mourn before asking him about their relationship status. Erica got her chance in two weeks. The agency she worked for was having an annual dinner. Erica called Jerry and asked if he would be her escort. She was relieved when he agreed. Both complimented each other on how good they looked dressed up. Erica got stares from several of her fellow workers. She wasn't sure if it might be because she was with a mentally challenged man or the relative of a former client. Erica didn't care. As far as she was concerned, she should be stared at because she was with a handsome man. But no one's opinion of how she looked mattered except Jerry's.

It took a while that night before Jerry seemed to resume his usual pleasant disposition. She was happy with his change. After dancing a few times, they returned to their table and had a drink. Erica decided to push the issue. "Jerry, what is going to happen with us now that I don't come to your house anymore? Will we still date?"

"No. I don't want to date you anymore." He looked very forlorn.

Erica felt a dagger plunging in her heart. It wasn't from his ruining her and Billie Ray's plans to get money from Jerry, but from Jerry's seeming to turn her down. She started to cry.

Jerry continued, "No. I want you to be with me every day, so we don't have to date anymore." A wide grin came on his face.

Erica was irritated that Jerry had 'got her' which his favorite way of joking. "Well, I can't live with a man unless we were married. Do you know anyone who might be interested?"

Jerry got sad again. "I guess it's a good thing that I brought this then." He pulled a small square box out of his suit jacket pocket.

It was what Erica was hoping for. A beautiful diamond ring with a large diamond in the middle. "YES, YES, YES." She said it loud enough that a hush came over the crowd. Erica took the opportunity to announce, "WE'RE ENGAGED!" The crowd clapped and her closest friends came over and congratulated the two.

The wedding was simple. Erica had no family to attend, but several of her co-workers came. Jerry had a couple of aunts and uncles along with several cousins. The landscaping crew and wives/girlfriends were also in attendance. In addition, Erica was introduced to Evan Whitehouse, Jerry's financial advisor. She was taken aback by his title. Mr. Whitehouse saw her reaction and guessed her concern. "Jerry manages his own finances. I just make sure the money he wishes to invest is diversified and increases his holdings. I also protect his monies from scams, frauds, con men or women, etc. He also has me check the references and criminal record of his employees."